SINGAPORE, July 5, 2022 — Opening in mid-2025, Capella Hotels and Resorts will be making its debut in Japan with Capella Kyoto. Designed by world-acclaimed architect firm, Kengo Kuma and Associates, the luxurious four-story, 92-room hotel will be located in the Miyagawa-chō district, an important geiko (geisha) and maiko (apprentice geisha) neighborhood and cultural treasure in Kyoto.
Defined by the flourishing Japanese art scene, Capella Kyoto mirrors Higashiyama culture through its curation of Japanese artworks and artefacts. Each unique piece and its story is framed by the interior design and architecture of the hotel, providing a showcase of Higashiyama’s aesthetic heritage. The guest rooms themselves draw focus to fundamental aspects of Japanese culture, such as the tea ceremony – providing guests a rich immersive experience.
Sitting adjacent to the famed Kenninji Temple, it is within walking distance of the renowned Gion district, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple and Ninenzaka tourist zone, as well as the vibrant Nishiki Market on the other side of Kamo River. In this regard, Capella Kyoto fully embraces its surrounding locale. Within the hotel, as guests navigate, they will find intimate spaces that are contrasted with charming views of Kyoto’s scenery. The layered spaces echo important elements of Japanese art and architecture such as composition, balance and harmony. Combined with the soothing hues and textures of Capella Kyoto’s interior design, guests can expect a calming atmosphere where time seems to slow down. The Japanese garden courtyard that lies in the center of the hotel reflects this exact sentiment. Dubbed ichigo-ichie (one life, one moment), the bamboo courtyard with a lone Japanese Maple on the bank of a shallow pond with pebbled shoreline creates the intended idyllic and contemplative setting.
Beneath the Japanese bamboo courtyard lies the Capella ballroom that faces a multi-story internal rock garden atrium serving as a centerpiece for the pre-function area. Capella’s signature Auriga Spa is located on the same floor, with spa treatment rooms that offer comforts of private Onsen experience for a taste of Japan’s renowned bathing culture. A menu of other treatments that incorporate traditional techniques that employ fine organic, natural ingredients are available to engender a heightened sense of wellness.
Dine at the signature restaurant, conceptualized as a modern brasserie with an adjoining pâtisserie, organized around the inner bamboo courtyard adjacent to our hallmark Capella Living Room; or at the Japanese restaurant, nestled in the hotel’s south-eastern corner with a sunken garden. A third outlet available is the Carte Blanche that offers an immersive dining experience focused on innovative food and beverage pairings, omakase-style, in a casual and intimate setting.
Developed by NTT Urban Development Corporation, a comprehensive real estate company within the NTT Group, Capella Kyoto is the hospitality component of a development that cements it between Miyagawa-chō Kaburenjo, an opera house that showcases famous female geiko and maiko dances such as the Kyo-Odori, and Miyagawa Maiko Performance School.
“Our partnership with Capella Hotel Group, which operates luxury hotels around the world, has been extremely exciting and we can’t wait to open the first Capella Hotel in Japan, in the ancient district of Kyoto. Built on the site of the beloved Shinmichi Elementary School, Capella Kyoto will be one that will live out the memory and culture of the region and create new values,” said Hiroshi Tsujigami, President and Chief Executive Officer of NTT Urban Development Corporation.
“We are delighted to work with NTT Urban Development Corporation in bringing Capella’s unique offerings and immersive experiences to Japan,” said Cristiano Rinaldi, President of Capella Hotel Group. “Filled with culture and heritage, Kyoto is the perfect place for us to establish a presence in Japan as the city is very much aligned with the group’s visionary curation of culture and experience.”
