CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), will be opening lyf Tenjin Fukuoka, Ascott’s first lyf-branded coliving property in Japan on 16 June 2021. lyf Tenjin Fukuoka is the first of six lyf properties that are slated to open this year in Singapore, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Xi’an, as Ascott gears up to meet the strong demand by customers and property owners for the unique lyf coliving product.
The 131-unit lyf Tenjin Fukuoka is strategically located in Tenjin, the major shopping and recreational centre of Fukuoka, and is near the business district as well. The coliving property is also near the trendy Daimyo and Imaizumi areas, surrounded by major malls, vintage stores, boutique outlets, local street food stalls, chic cafes and a vibrant nightlife scene. lyf Tenjin Fukuoka is close to cultural attractions such as the Kushida Shrine and Tochoji Temple. It is a five-minute walk from the Nishitetsu Fukuoka and Tenjin Minami train stations, and a 20-minute drive from the Fukuoka Airport. The property is also part of Resola Imaizumi Terrace by NTT Urban Development, a development with commercial, retail and food & beverage components.
Ascott currently has a total of 15 lyf properties with over 3,000 units in 12 cities and eight countries, comprising three properties that have opened and 12 under development. lyf Tenjin Fukuoka follows the opening of lyf Funan Singapore and lyf Sukhumvit 8 Bangkok. The five properties slated to open in 2021 are lyf Farrer Park Singapore and lyf one-north Singapore as well as lyf Midtown Hangzhou, lyf Hongqiao Shanghai and lyf Dayanta Xi’an in China. Between 2022 and 2024, seven more lyf properties are slated to open in Beijing, Cebu, Danang, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne and Shanghai.
Mr Tan Lai Seng, Ascott’s Regional Manager for Japan & Korea, said: “As a hybrid lodging solution that combines the best of serviced residences, hotels and coliving apartments, we are confident that our first lyf property in Japan will meet the demands of guests seeking flexibility, value and an enriching community experience. Designed for the next generation of guests such as digital nomads, technopreneurs, creatives and self-starters, lyf Tenjin Fukuoka enable guests to live, work and play in a dynamic environment as well as connect and collaborate as a community.”
“lyf Tenjin Fukuoka’s flexible communal spaces and curated social programmes allow us to tap on the growing interest amongst travellers to interact with locals or enjoy local culture or unique experiences[1]. From lyf Tenjin Fukuoka’s central location, guests can also experience Fukuoka’s rich cultural and contemporary offerings. We expect strong domestic demand for lyf Tenjin Fukuoka including corporates and leisure guests from major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka as well as other cities in Kyushu. We will continue to seek suitable opportunities to expand the lyf brand in Japan, while deepening Ascott’s presence in the country,” added Mr Tan.
Despite COVID-19, Ascott remains resilient in Japan and its serviced residences maintained robust occupancy. Its rental housing properties[2] achieved strong occupancy rate of over 95%. Japan remains as a highly popular travel destination with over 55% of travellers in Asia and 24% of travellers in Europe, USA and Australia citing Japan as their top travel destination[3].
Leveraging Ascott’s award-winning in-house design expertise, lyf Tenjin Fukuoka is uniquely designed to feature Fukuoka’s culture and charm as a port city, as well as the flavours of the property’s locale through the creative spaces and artworks within the property.
Private spaces and digital experience
lyf Tenjin Fukuoka offers a variety of studio apartments such as ‘One of a Kind’, ‘Side by Side’, ‘One of a Kind Plus’ and ‘Side by Side Plus’. The apartments are ideal for solo guests or couples and are also suitable for guests on long or short stay. Each apartment comes with a private bathroom, smart TV, work desk and complimentary high-speed WiFi. Providing a digital experience through the ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app, guests can access their studio apartments via a mobile key. Guests can also perform mobile check-in and out, make contactless payments, interact with other guests via the in-app social wall and communicate with lyf Guards.
Flexible social spaces
The coliving property features social spaces such as the ‘Connect’ zone with open coworking and lounge spaces that enable guests to build connections, collaborate, exchange and spark new ideas. Weekly activities such as talks on self-development or wellness, photography, cooking or craft workshops will be held virtually and in person. There is also a pool table for guests to interact, play and unwind. The fully equipped social kitchen, ‘Bond’ allows guests to connect while whipping up a meal. At the ‘Wash & Hang’ laundromat, guests can also strike up new conversations while waiting for their laundry. At the ‘Refuel’ café and bar, guests can enjoy local delights and gather for a cup of coffee in the morning or a nightcap in the evening. The double height walls that are cladded with corrugated shipping container panels portray Fukuoka as a port city.
#lyfxart
A wide of range of artworks in lyf Tenjin Fukuoka’s studio apartments and social spaces seek to engage and excite its guests. The studio apartments are designed with a blend of wooden panels and patterned wallpaper for a modern yet natural and minimalistic look. The wallpaper in each studio apartment is unique, featuring colourful illustrations that reflect Fukuoka’s cultural identity by Singaporean artist, Mr Alvin Tan. The social spaces are also adorned with artworks by two local artists from Fukuoka – Kazuhiko Ifuku and Marumiyan, depicting Fukuoka’s rich culinary culture and community. Please see Annex for more information on the artworks and its artists.
Ascott’s portfolio in Japan
In Japan, Ascott has a strong portfolio of over 5,500 units across 30 serviced residences, coliving and rental housing properties as well as hotels in nine cities, including the gateway cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. This includes five serviced residences in Tokyo – Ascott Marunouchi Tokyo, Citadines Central Shinjuku Tokyo, Citadines Shinjuku Tokyo, Somerset Ginza East Tokyo and Somerset Shinagawa Tokyo, as well as Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto in Kyoto and Citadines Namba Osaka in Osaka. In 2023, Ascott is slated to open a Citadines-branded property in Yokohoma which will be developed by NTT Urban Development and is Ascott’s first property in the city.
Enhanced ‘Ascott Cares’ commitment to improve guests’ overall wellness and safety
At Ascott’s properties in Japan and other countries globally, guests can be assured that Ascott places their well-being and safety as its priority. Ascott is the first hospitality company in the world to offer its guests global access to a comprehensive suite of telehealth, telecounselling and travel security advisory services. These complimentary services are part of Ascott’s enhanced ‘Ascott Cares’ commitment to provide stringent hygiene and safety standards, wellness support and implement sustainable practices, offering guests a greater peace of mind when staying with Ascott. For more information on ‘Ascott Cares’, please visit here.
