POSTCARD FROM TOKYO

For Sandra Choi, creative director at Jimmy Choo, Japan's capital is a vivid source of inspiration. Here, she shares her favourite locations across the city

WHEN DID YOU FIRST VISIT TOKYO?

My role at Jimmy Choo took me to Tokyo and it was love at first sight. As a creative, the inspiration offered by the city is endless: a sensory overload in the most beautiful and welcoming way. I have memories of feeling as if I had entered a different universe where a very traditional culture is fused with extreme modernity. Every facet of living is considered: I recall the ladies' bathroom having a seat for a baby. As a parent of young children at the time, this detail felt very personal to me. It's a city of contrasts, a bit like Jimmy Choo: multifaceted, the old with the new, the zen with the futurism; a city that's at once an extrovert and an introvert.

WHERE DO YOU STAY?

The Park Hyatt Tokyo is iconic. I think anyone who visits Tokyo identifies with the mood of Lost in Translation, which eloquently captures the emotions of being abroad on a business trip. A memory that remains clear for me, like a scene from a film, is a peaceful breakfast I had in my room, looking out at Mount Fujiso serene and beautiful. On another trip. I stayed at the breathtaking Aman Tokyo. The sheer scale of the space, the height of the ceilings, and the trees growing within it all conveyed a very calming sort of luxury. You could hear yourself think for a moment and process the Tokyo experience outside. Next time, I am keen to stay at Hoshinoya Tokyo. Its concept is borrowed from Japanese ryokans-small family-run inns spread across multiple floors with rooftop hot-spring baths.

WHERE DO YOU VISIT TO LEARN ABOUT THE CITY'S HERITAGE?