A renovated traditional Kyoto townhouse in Higashiyama, Kyoto. The beautiful bamboo grove of Kodaiji Temple, the Kiyomizu stage overhanging the greenery, and the approaches to temples and shrines – when you step into Higashiyama, you will feel the flow of time that is different from everyday life. Our aim was to create a Japanese-style hotel that inherits the atmosphere of nature and historical buildings, and where time flows in a way unique to this historic town.

Bamboo is used symbolically in the interior and exterior. Starting with the real bamboo planted on the facade and in the inner garden, lights made of bamboo and bamboo ceilings. The interior is kept dark so that visitors can enjoy the changes in natural light coming in from the front garden. The time in the early evening when the sun sets and night begins is called “Yoi” in Japanese. People are most sensitive to the changes in brightness and time in Yoi time, and people feel the change of the seasons, as the days are getting longer and shorter. We aimed to create a space that would be suitable as a hotel where guests can enjoy the historic Higashiyama and come back here.