No matter what is said it is Gion I love. Even when I sleep beneath my pillow the water flows…   Written in the early 20th century by poet Yoshii Isamu, who held a deep admiration for Gion, this poem captures the quiet, enduring hold the district has long had over artists, tastemakers, and cultural figures.   Gion remains a cultural hub, the discreet heart of Kyoto where geiko and maiko entertain behind closed doors, and rows of traditional machiya line softly glistening stone pathways. It is a world shaped by nuance and discretion, where entry is still earned, and where even one of Japan’s most celebrated designers would not pass without proper introduction.   It is perhaps only fitting, then, that the new Imperial Hotel, a prestige Japanese hotel brand, has opened its doors here within the walls of a historic theater dedicated to the performing arts.   The 55-room Imperial Hotel, Kyoto marks the brand’s first new opening in over 30 years, bringing its portfolio to four properties and extending a legacy that spans 135 years.   The original Imperial Hotel in Tokyo was the first in Japan to host international luxury guests, setting a new standard for hospitality in the country. Its celebrated second building, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was conceived as the epicenter of Tokyo’s social life, a place where architecture and culture merged.   In much the same way as Gion, it became a stage for cultural gathering: a meeting point for world leaders, cultural figures, and film stars, where social gathering unfolded with sophistication.

Kyoto has history but Nara has HISTORY. Nara was the OG ancient capital of Japan, 84 years before Kyoto. In its illustrious era as Japan’s central power, Nara witnessed remarkable developments, such as the construction of the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue, robust connections with China, and the government’s significant support for Buddhism and the creation of important literature.   In the heart of this culturally vibrant city, Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara debuted in the fall of 2023 as part of Marriott International’s esteemed Luxury Collection. Nestled in Nara, the culturally rich neighbor of Kyoto, Shusui Hotel has opened its doors to discerning guests. While Nara boasts a wealth of history and culture, often drawing day-trippers to witness the 1400 deer residing around Nara Park, the emergence of few new hotels in the city signals a shift towards elevated luxury travel experiences. Shusui Hotel stands at the forefront of this trend, offering a captivating blend of opulence and sophistication for those seeking an unparalleled stay in Nara. 

KINOSAKI     Amidst the rising popularity of infrared saunas and ice baths for wellness and relaxation, in Japan, the timeless tradition of the ‘Onsen’ firmly holds its ground. Oh and we are not here to argue, instead, we bow to its merits,beneficial for the skin, invigorating for the body, a remedy for hangovers and aging joints.   With over 3,000 onsen towns sprinkled across Japan, each offering a small haven of scattered hot springs, the allure lies in the ease of hopping from one rejuvenating soak to another, while starting the day with a wholesome Japanese breakfast and ending with a hearty feast.   While these towns certainly possess their own unique quaint “charm”, they often differ from the lavish luxury spa resorts commonly found in the West. With aging tatami mats, decor reminiscent of the 1970s, and walls that might show signs of wear, they don’t always exude a strong design focus. For years, we embraced this and even turned a blind eye or two, attributing it to the ‘onsen’ experience. However, a small onsen town called Kinosaki is breaking this mold.

FUFU Kyoto may be one of those hotels that you can easily walk past without noticing, but trust me… This is a good thing. Japanese aesthetics are all about harmony and not disrupting the peace of one’s surroundings, so being in the “flow” of the city, so to speak, is just one of the many ways in which this hotel exemplifies the beauty of the ancient capital. Nestled in the elegant Okazaki area, an absolute favorite of mine, FUFU Kyoto manages to blend in seamlessly with the nearby temples, art museums, and world-famous ryotei restaurants without losing any presence or originality of its own.   When I visited the hotel, I was guided down a narrow path lined with bamboo as soon as I stepped foot on the property. The walk itself was therapeutic, with a soft breeze muffling the sound of the cars behind me and the bamboo dancing on the wind. As I came to the end of the pathway, I was welcomed with a silent bow by one of the attentive staff and entered the world of FUFU.   FUFU Kyoto opened in April 2021, joining several FUFU brand hotels across Japan. The hotel brands itself as a “globally unique Japanese resort experience,” and all their hotels are surrounded by an abundance of nature. Secreted away in the hospitality of FUFU, guests have the chance to luxuriate in what each resort offers, which includes relaxing hot springs and cuisine made from the freshest local produce.     

“It’s all about the mind-body-soul connection,” says Chuuma-san, the head therapist at Kyoto’s newest spa, KOKYU. Dressed in a muted red linen dress with lustrous hair and dewy skin, I found myself in awe of her cheerful-yet-calm demeanor. As I listened to her talk enthusiastically about KOKYU, a spa/gallery space off Nijo Teramachi, I couldn’t help thinking… “I’ll have what she’s having.”   Chuuma san sums up the spa’s philosophy quite simply: “We can sometimes trick our minds not to feel stress, but our bodies… our bodies will give us cues. We wanted KOKYU to be a place where people learn to listen to those cues by becoming more in-tune with themselves.

“You know, my favorite time of the year is around April and May after the cherry blossom season.” I’m in the lobby of the Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto sipping sencha with Sato-san, Suiran’s PR representative, who regales me with her knowledge of the area. “The maple trees start to show off their green leaves around then. Have you ever felt a fresh maple leaf in May? I love the texture… so soft.” Sato-san also talked about which direction the birds fly into Arashiyama and how the shape of the mountain changes depending on the season. It was clear that Sato-san’s knowledge and passion for nature is something that was developed working in this environment… an environment I was ready to dive into!

Spring 2022, just like a passionate fling, the sakura (cherry blossom) came in heavy, made a scene, left us intoxicated and longing for more. Connecting with the Buddhist idea of mortality, mindfulness, living in the now, the blossoms are a timeless metaphor for human existence and is a reminder of how fragile our lives are.   As Victoria Abbott Riccardi reminds us, its not just about the 3 days of full bloom but its about the full romance- from start to finish.   “One day we strolled down the Philosopher’s Path, which proved as enchanting as I had hoped in the fragrant pink bloom of spring. Since ancient times, the Japanese have heralded the arrival of the cherry blossoms because they symbolize the ephemeral beauty of life. But it isn’t just the three or four days of open flowers that stirs the senses. It is their arrival and departure. Looking at a bud about to burst open offers the pleasurable anticipation of rebirth, while the soft scattering of petals on the ground is often considered the most beautiful stage of all because it represents the death of the flowers.” – Victoria Abbott Riccardi     See you again in 2023.   Words: Sara Aiko Photos: Sara Aiko

Back in 1977, a small-framed but fierce Kyoto woman traveled to Paris. Her name was Yuri, and as an art and culture enthusiast, the City of Lights pulled at her heart strings until she found romance. The fateful encounter came at a small neighborhood restaurant, but it didn’t involve a dashing French gentleman by the name of Claude or Jean. What Yuri fell for was a classic French dessert called tarte Tatin. Before she ventured to France, Yuri was already running a French restaurant in Kyoto during a time when it was still rare to see a French restaurant in Japan’s old capital.

Salarymen in their dark suits give me sympathetic smiles as I shuffle past, trying not to make eye contact with them. I don’t want to admit that I am now that girl lugging three bags in the pouring rain with my iPhone in hand, running around the financial district of Tokyo slightly lost while trying to get to my destination– Aman Tokyo.

Walking down the narrow stone paths of Gion, Kyoto’s famous entertainment district, you will find the streets are lined with traditional machiya townhouse, hidden kaiseki restaurants, and exclusive teahouses where every so often you see a geiko step outside, take a deep bow towards her sisters, and then disappear into the night. They call Gion the “heart” of Kyoto, a historic area preserving tradition and classic Kyoto culture. It’s not somewhere you’d necessarily expect an up-and-coming global fashion designer to open a shop… but Taiga Takahashi did just that.

With works like ‘Sea of Buddha’ and ‘Opticks’ artist Hiroshi Sugimoto’s  often explored the world of  religion, this year he collaborated with Ryosoku-in temple to again express spirituality and human connection through his artistic creations .   From November 1st-14th Ryosuku-in held a special exhibition “Hiroshi Sugimoto:  Every day is a stormy day” in Gion Kyoto.   Sugimoto’s photos of lightening and rain, explores the idea that we can not foresee the future but what’s important is to have inner peace, so one is not rocked by external factors. A message perfect for this day and age. The Fusuma collaboration is Sugimoto’s  first ever collaboration. Sugimoto’s  photos are printed on high quality washi paper, a technique according to Ryosoku-in’s deputy head priest Toryo Ito wasn’t possible 7 years ago, ‘It’s not that the technique wasn’t available, it’s that it wouldn’t have been up to Sugimoto’s  standards’. The washi paper was sent to a technician who works in a printing studio in New York, according to Toryo, he’s the only person in this world who’s capable to execute this complex printing technique- even then it took them many trial and errors to get it the the standard Sugimoto was satisfied with.   Sugimoto and Toryo who have a close relationship have been talking for many years about collaborating and it was because of the pandemic that they were able to make the exhibition into a realty, ‘Its very rare that Sugimoto  stays in Japan for such a long time, we were lucky to make this exhibition into a reality. Its all about fate and timing’, says Toryo.   The 2 weeks exhibition has come to a close but Toryo mentions there will be opportunities again next year where people will be able to view the extraordinary work. Toryo also hopes people who are living outside of Japan can visit to view the work in the near future.

Iwakura, Kyoto – a suburb surrounded by mountains perhaps twenty-five minutes by car outside of central Kyoto. A place not quite inconvenient, but not too convenient, either. Despite this, Iwakura has recently become an area frequented by young hip Kyotonians (a term coined by Gils Peterson) and out-of-towners who make the train or bus trip for one mission: to visit AA Sekizuka, a gallery and workshop headed by hakimono footwear craftsman Shinji Sekizuka. (You can find out more about Shinji here!)   Shinji, who designs and sells his own hakimono creations, wanted to build a gallery attached to his work space so that people would be more motivated to stop by. “You know, it’s a little intimidating for customers to visit the hakimonoworkshop just to look at my footwear. I wanted to give them variety, some other reasons to visit.”  His work space is divided into two sides, the glass room where you can watch Shinji create the hakimono by hand and the open space where you can see, touch, or order a custom-made pair.   Attached to the workshop is the gallery, where he sells everything from apparel and photography to shoes and interior pieces. Shinji didn’t want to call the gallery a “store”, since he selects and curates the products personally with various artists and designers, and wanted the space to help showcase their work. The gallery usually has ten different exhibitions throughout the year.   In order to realize his design, Shinji worked directly with the architect to create AA Sekizuka. Having a big, comfortable space was Shinji’s priority, which is why he decided to open his gallery/workshop in Iwakura.  Out of the city, his focus is sharper… and he can concentrate on bringing his hakimono creations to life and finding them new homes with people who will appreciate them as a part of their everyday lives.   AA IWAKURA: https://hakimonosekizuka.com/collections/岩倉aa WORDS: Sara Aiko PHOTOS: KINGY