Palace Hotel Tokyo Awarded Industry-Leading GSTC Certification for Sustainability

• The MICHELIN Three-Key property represents the first Japanese hotel to achieve this global distinction

TOKYO (February 25, 2026) – Palace Hotel Tokyo has been awarded an industry-leading GSTC certification for its commitment to sustainable practices, becoming the first Japanese-owned and managed hotel to receive this international recognition.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council^â (GSTC^â) is an independent, non-profit organization that establishes and manages widely adopted standards for sustainable travel and tourism. The certification – an exhaustive assessment conducted by a neutral, third-party certification body stringently accredited by the GSTC – provides credible verification of the hotel’s adherence to 167 industry-specific benchmarks across four overarching areas:

Demonstrating Effective Sustainable Management

The hotel’s Sustainability Liaison Group, comprised of department heads and spearheaded by longtime General Manager Masaru Watanabe, meets on a monthly basis to discuss its sustainability initiatives. In addition, every staff member is required to complete an online training about the GSTC and the property’s own sustainability policy to ensure they are well-versed on the hotel’s commitment to sustainable practices and their continuous improvement.

Maximizing Social & Economic Benefits To The Local Community

Among its various community initiatives, Palace Hotel Tokyo is a longtime supporter of Food Bank Net, which is located near the hotel’s off-site commercial kitchen in Saitama prefecture (to minimize the environmental impact of delivery by ground transportation). Excess baked goods from the hotel’s Sweets & Deli shop are donated to Food Bank Net, which in turn includes them in its distributions to other food banks in the area, to children’s cafeterias, and also directly to families in need. Further support of local communities is reflected in the hotel’s commitment to prioritize domestic investment. In 2025, 61% of ingredients bought by the hotel were produced domestically while 73% of the fresh produce purchased was grown locally.

Maximizing Benefits To Cultural Heritage 

From the locally sourced natural materials and traditional craftsmanship incorporated throughout the hotel’s design to the authentic and bespoke cultural experiences it curates for discerning guests, Palace Hotel Tokyo has, from the outset, been an industry leader in showcasing the best of Japan. Its celebration and embrace of the country’s culture extends deep into its community, as exemplified by many of the staff’s annual participation in the lively Kanda Myojin festival, a 1,300-year-old Shinto shrine designated as a National Tangible Cultural Property.

Maximizing Benefits To The Environment

Uniquely located adjacent to Wadakura moat – one of the moats in the Imperial Palace’s outer gardens – and having been in operation there for over half a century, the hotel company has long led environmental conservation efforts in the picturesque, bio-diverse setting. In tandem with the government’s efforts to advance purification of the moat water, the hotel has entered into a maintenance agreement with the Kokyogaien National Garden Office of the Ministry of the Environment to conserve the landscape by regularly monitoring and removing aquatic plants that have grown excessively. 

“To us, the GSTC certification is as meaningful as our Five Stars from Forbes Travel Guide and our Three Keys from MICHELIN,” said Senior Managing Director and General Manager Masaru Watanabe. “We are wholeheartedly committed to incorporating sustainability throughout our various pursuits as we endeavor to extend our distinctive omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) to our guests, our community and greater society in harmony with nature.”

The GSTC certification enhances traveler trust, helps to combat green-washing and elevates the hotel as a leader in attracting eco-conscious travelers amidst rising global demand for verifiable sustainability.

Palace Hotel Tokyo has long been a proponent of eco-friendly initiatives, including food safety and waste reduction, disaster prevention, resource management, CO₂ emissions reduction and decarbonization. Launching its “Eco-Palace” initiative nearly three decades ago, the hotel was the first in its industry in Japan to repurpose organic refuse by converting compostable kitchen waste into fertilizer for use by a local farm. In 2025, the hotel purchased over 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds) of rice from the resulting crops to incorporate into the staff canteen’s menu.

In addition to the GSTC certification, Palace Hotel Tokyo has been recognized as a “Sustainability Leader” by The Leading Hotels of the World, further affirming its adherence to a comprehensive sustainability management plan.

For more information on the hotel’s sustainability concept and its actions for sustainability, please visit: www.en.palacehoteltokyo.com/hotel-overview/sustainability-concept.