Once one of the most important geisha districts of ancient Kyoto, Miyagawa-cho is now a cultural hub where the city’s history is preserved. Here, Capella Hotel Group is set to make its Japanese debut in 2025 with a hotel that pays homage to the city’s rich heritage.
Tokyo-based architectural firm Kengo Kuma & Associates has been tasked with reflecting the area’s aesthetic and cultural heritage throughout the four-storey property, which will be home to an Auriga Spa with onsen baths, a Japanese restaurant with a sunken garden and a signature modern brasserie restaurant with adjoining patisserie.
Japanese design and architectural principles governing composition, balance and harmony will be strictly followed, creating seamless, flowing spaces adorned with Japanese artwork and artefacts, with intimate spaces affording views of the surrounding streetscapes.
The 92 guestrooms and suites will showcase Japanese cultural traditions such as the Japanese tea ceremony, and at the heart of the property, a garden courtyard named ichigo-ichie (‘one life, one moment’) contains a Japanese maple overlooking a shallow, pebble-ringed pond, providing a place for guests to find mindful moments.
Situated next to Kyoto’s famed Kenninji Temple, guests at Capella Kyoto will find themselves in the midst of the city’s historic sites, a short walk to the Gion geisha district, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple and the vibrant Nishiki Market on the other side of Kamo River.