This is a column where people who are both self-confessed “travel lovers” and “experienced travelers” introduce their “top picks” that they discovered when they stayed at NIKKO STYLE NAGOYA.

＜A hotel created by sound＞

The moment I checked in and stepped into the lobby, I noticed that the sound was part of the space.
Nikko Style Nagoya is a “hotel created by sound.”
The BGM at this hotel never repeats the same song for 24 hours.
It is an experience that challenges the very concept of BGM.

The person behind this is musician Kenichiro Nishihara.
His music is created to ”behave within a space.”
It exists without asserting itself, blending into the air and eventually becoming part of one’s memories.
“Excellent background music behaves as if it were silent.”
This philosophy he espouses holds remarkable persuasive power in the context of a hotel.

Space is not designed solely by architecture.
Sound also determines the temperature of a space.
No matter how beautiful a space may be, if the sounds flowing through it do not resonate with the heart, the impression will change.
Nishihara’s music delicately adjusts that “temperature.”

He began his career in 1996, primarily in the fashion industry,
working on the Tokyo and Paris collections, GINZA SIX, and the Hermès Ginza store,
where he has been at the forefront of harmony between space and sound.
His album “Humming Jazz” has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad.

At Nikko Style Nagoya, Nishihara produces the background music for the entire facility.
In the guest rooms, healing music that promotes restful sleep is played.
The sound, based on Lo-Fi HipHop, gently unwinds your thoughts, allows your body to take a deep breath, and delivers an awakening you can’t experience in everyday life.
It’s not just about healing; it’s about creating a moment to connect with yourself.

On weekends, DJ events are held in the lounge,
and Nishihara himself performs once a month.
Here, there is a “space” where people connect through sound.
There may be other hotels where you are surrounded by music.
But a hotel where you want to spend time with the sound is surely only here.

The “silent music” that should leave no trace somehow lingers in the heart.
And before I knew it, I had begun to “stay with the sound” in this place.

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As a result of pursuing the ideal of background music that is “as natural as breathing and constantly changing,” Kenichiro Nishihara has created thousands of songs for Nikko Style Nagoya.
The songs are divided into seven parts of the day and selected to suit each time slot, so no song is played twice in a 24-hour period. Furthermore, the same song is never played at the same time every day.

This truly comfortable music, which allows you to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and the noise of the city and forget time for a moment, is another unique form of hospitality offered by Nikko Style Nagoya.

* In the guest rooms, tuning the FM radio to 90.0 MHz to Vol. 3 “GENEVA ‘Acustica Lounge Radio’” allows you to enjoy the same background music as in the lobby.

*Please also take a look at the “Meet Nikko Style MUSIC” page by Kenichiro Nishihara.