20 Things You Didn’t Know About You Only Live Twice (1967)

14. “Well, I Think It’s About Hotel Time.”

Sean Connery James Bond You Only Live Twice
MGM/UA

Early in the film, James Bond visits his contact, Dikko Henderson (future Blofeld, Charles Gray) at a Tokyo hotel that boasts a traditional Japanese garden.

The garden is, in fact, in the grounds of Tokyo’s Hotel New Otani, which not only housed the cast and crew during their stay in the Japanese capital but also provided the exterior for the offices of Osato Chemical & Engineering.

The picturesque garden seems a world away from the concrete, steel, and glass hotel, but is actually directly adjacent to it. This is because the Hotel New Otani - which was specifically built ready for an influx of visitors for the 1964 Summer Olympics - was constructed on the site of an Edo era (1603-1868) daimyo mansion, one of the walls of which and, of course, the garden remains on the site. It continues to be heralded as one of the finest hotels in Asia.

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.