Work Set to Begin on Miyako Hybrid Hotel
By GWEN MURANAKA
RAFU ENGLISH EDITOR IN CHIEF
Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007

Seven-story hotel in Torrance to be ecologically-friendly.

GWEN MURANAKA/Rafu Shimpo
Akio Tsujii, former chairman of the board of Kintetsu Corporation, makes an offering during the groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance.

With the chanting of Shinto prayers and shovels of dirt, Kintetsu Enterprises Co. of America commenced work on the Miyako Hybrid Hotel, a seven-story hotel to be built on Western Avenue in Torrance.

Kintetsu, an Osaka-based corpora­tion that operates railways and hotels, kicked off its new venture with a Shinto ceremony presided over by Rev. Alfred Tsuyuki of Konko Church of Los An­geles. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Assemblymember Ted Lieu and Bill Sutherland, Torrance city councilmember. Masao Mike Okamoto served as emcee.

Takenori Kakutani, president of Kintet­su Enterprises Co. of America, explained that the hotel’s concept is based on creat­ing an eco-friendly space for the many Japanese business executives and tourists who travel to Torrance. Situated on what is now an empty lot north of the Mitsuwa Market, the Miyako Hybrid will also be close to American Honda and the head­quarters for Toyota Motor Sales USA.

“The idea is conserving energy and mixing eastern and western culture,” Kakutani said, in an interview with The Rafu Shimpo.

The Miyako Hybrid will include amenities like a full-service shiatsu spa and a Japanese restaurant. Rooms will be equipped with Japanese-style soak tubs and other energy-efficient features. There will be three conference rooms and a larger banquet room. Local firms Hirsch Bedner Design and Matt Construction will be responsible for the hotel’s construction.

Kintestu also operates the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo. Last year, Kin­tetsu sold its holdings in San Francisco’s Japantown, including the Radisson Miyako and Best Western Miyako Inn, to the Beverly Hills-based invest­ment firm 3D Investments.

Akio Tsujii, former chairman of the board of Kintetsu Corporation, explained, “Due to a change in tour­ism trends, we sold our properties in San Francisco and have focused our resources on Southern California.”

The hotel is slated to open in spring 2009. “It has been a long time since we have begun an overseas venture of such importance,” Tsujii said.

An artist’s rendering of the hotel, which is scheduled to open in spring 2009.