Capella Kyoto opened on 22 March, the luxury brand’s debut property in Japan
Set in the historic Miyagawa-cho kagai (geisha district), the hotel has transformed a former elementary school into a four-storey 89-room retreat. Kengo Kuma & Associates, alongside Singapore-based Brewin Design Office, designed the building in the machiya style — the traditional Kyoto townhouse, narrow at the street and deep within, organised around courtyards and thresholds.
Close to Kenninji, the city’s oldest Zen temple, the restored Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theatre — where geiko and maiko perform seasonal dances — and a community centre are also part of the redevelopment. This close relationship between tradition and culture makes Capella Kyoto very much part of the city.
Six suites each have a private onsen. The Auriga Spa adds three further onsen rooms, four treatment rooms, wet and dry saunas, and a fitness centre. Dining spans a Japanese restaurant, a French brasserie opening onto a moss courtyard, and a signature space conceived as a private ochaya teahouse.
Clive Edwards, senior vice president, operations, says: “Kyoto is one of the world’s greatest cradles of craft, ritual, and tradition, and Capella Kyoto has been conceived to honour that legacy in full. Japan has long been a destination we have deeply admired, and we have been intentional about introducing our brands here.
“Every detail—from the unseen artistry embedded in the architecture to the most personal moments of service—reflects our belief that true luxury is the feeling of being deeply cared for, and being profoundly connected to a place and its living culture.
“Together, our properties are a heartfelt expression of Japanese culture that’s shaped by a genuine embrace of its traditions, people, and spirit.”
The hotel’s cultural programming — branded Capella Curates — includes a private geiko and maiko performance at a Gion teahouse, a lacquerware workshop with a multi-generational urushi master, and a session at a 150-year-old geta (wooden sandal) atelier.
