The top hotel in Japan is....
 

Four Seasons Chinzan-so, at least according to Travel+Leisure's 2007 reader survey. It's the only hotel in Japan to make the "top hotels in Asia" list. No hotel in Japan made the "top hotels in the world" list.

While that's not a bad hotel by any means, its selection and the omission of the FS Maronouchi, Park Hyatt Tokyo, Mandarian Oriental Tokyo, Ritz-Carlton Osaka, Tarawaya Kyoto, and Hiiragiya Kyoto, is more an indictment of the readers of the magazine than anything else.

I would take what the readers of Travel+Leisure say with a VERY big grain of salt based on this one result alone!

Yep, I never cared what these magazines say is Top this or top that (in hotels, schools, food etc etc), though I know it might influence other readers.

Don't think any of the magazine or review are good with Japanese hotels. Even Harper and Gallivanter are quite disappointing and don't have much coverage outside of Tokyo and Kyoto.

I found that magazine picks are often way off thew mark.
Back on topic. I do think Hotel Okura Tokyo is among the top 3 in Japan.

I find these magazines very biased

It seems it isn't just the magazine that is way off the mark.

What, no Shinagawa Prince? ;)

This thread has been bugging me for a while - someone might open it and take the information seriously.

Luxury Hotels in Tokyo include (and in no particular order):

Ritz Carlton
Room + Bathroom

Conrad
Standard room

Four Seasons Marunouchi
http://www.fourseasons.com/marunouchi/

Four Seasons Chinzanso
Superior Room (2 kinds) + bathroom

Park Hyatt
Virtual Tour icon in the photo here

Mandarin Oriental
Photo gallery in right hand column menu

And there's a few more I'd add to this list before it would even occur to me to include:

Hotel Okura http://www.hotelokura.co.jp/tokyo/stay/room/index.html
Standard Rooms
Premium Room

Sorry, but things have moved on a bit in the past decade or so.

If the hotel reviewers are not Japanese (and just traveling to Japan to rate hotels), I can see why they'd rate Chinzanso as a top hotel.... they do have a well-maitained, spacious Japanese garden on their property and it is pretty impressive. As for the interior of the hotel, it's OK... nothing spectacular.
I personally like Okura too. Location is not the best if you want to take the subway to go places but I like the atmosphere of the place. Old but quaint. Their staff is great too. I've used Okura for conferences, seminars, etc. a few times and compared to other hotels (we've used ANA, Akasaka Prince, etc.) their people are highly competent and pleasant to work with.

Don't get me wrong, the Okura is a fine hotel. The service is impeccable and the "Bond" sunken lobby is an architectural masterpiece. It just isn't one of the "top 3 hotels" in Japan. Not even close.

Those pics of the premium room at the Okura (the "grand comfort" room) yell out "Holiday Inn Select" to me! And the standard room looks like a Day's Inn. Glad I haven't stayed there.

And LapLap, you can now add the Peninsula to your list of luxury hotels, it's open (partially at least),

As of today/yesterday isn't it?

All I know so far is that the rooms are huge and that they check you in in your room (something I don't personally like the idea of... ) before letting you enjoy a cup of tea.

I'll wait for a few more reports and then hunt for some pictures.

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Perhaps we should have a top hotel foyer in Japan thread. I confess I visited the Okura just to see the one there (and loved it), something I've not bothered to do with any other luxury hotel. (Apart from the old Aztec themed foyer of the Imperial now in Inuyama's Meiji Mura)

Okura was nice but that must have been 30 years ago! I used to stay there pretty often but with all these new hotels opening, it is not even close. For me, my choices would be: Ritz Carlton, Conrad, Grand Hyatt, Seiyo Ginza and a number of other ones before getting to the Okura.

Will have to definitely give the Peninsula a try next time.

Speaking of Shinagawa Prince, is it good? I'm going to Tokyo and considering staying there.

Mmmm... convenient - yes. Clean - yes. Small - yes. It's a utalitarian choice, good for solo travellers, but not a choice that belongs anywhere near the 'top hotels in Japan' list.
Are you going on your own? That would be a factor as to which would be the best hotel to stay at. The dates make a huge difference too.
If you have Priority club points you still have a chance of getting the Strings or ANA IC for stays until 1st Jan 08. Cut off point for points purchase is tomorrow (3rd Sep) - you could buy points today and cross your fingers that they will post tomorrow, but you'd be taking a gamble.

I'd recommend plugging your dates into www.utell.com and seeing what price the Grand Takanawa Prince comes up for. They often have deals for those staying 3 nights or more. The Tokyo Tower views really do have wonderful views of the city and the views of the garden are delightful. Furnishings are comfortable and the rooms feel spacious for their size. if you can get rooms for around ¥11,000 they really do constitute a good deal and I certainly recommend them more highly than those at the the Shinagawa Prince. (The New Takanawa would also be preferable if you can get the right price).

If you PM me your dates and budget I'd be happy to provide you with my own recommendations. I've got plenty of time to kill these days, alas...

P.S. Have you checked the Tokyo Sheraton Miyako for cash & miles? - 2,800 SPG points plus $45 a night cash.

(you might also want to get advice on the SPG forum about mattress running between the Sheraton Miyako and Le Meridien Pacific, Shinagawa - there might be some points promotion that would make the extra costs of staying at these hotels worthwhile. There's a shuttle that runs between Shinagawa station and the Miyako which would make this quite straightforward)