A Beautiful Historic Theater in Kyoto Just Reopened As One of Japan's Most Exciting New Hotels-and We Were the First to Stay

"The Gion district is mysterious, even for Japanese people. It's respected. [As a hotel brand], we have a 135-year history in Japan, and the people in Gion know that. They [invited] our hotel to come here, and we are so grateful."

"Architect and designer Tomoyuki Sakakida prioritized preserving the theater's exterior. Since Kyoto City now imposes a 40-foot height restriction on new construction in the neighborhood, keeping the Yasaka Kaikan's 100-foot height meant unparalleled-and forever unobstructed-guest room and rooftop views."

"The staff was excellent, noticing my preference for decaf coffee in the afternoon or asking questions about my daily activities based on previous conversations. On my second day, the hotel's concierge team even whisked me to a tea house near Gion's postcard-worthy Hanamikoji Street to meet with a maiko."

Imperial Hotel Kyoto reopened the Yasaka Kaikan theater, a nationally registered Tangible Cultural Property built in 1936 by Gion's geisha community. The theater had deteriorated over time, prompting the geisha community to invite Imperial Hotel to repurpose the structure. Architect Tomoyuki Sakakida preserved the theater's distinctive 100-foot exterior, which now provides unobstructed views due to Kyoto's 40-foot height restriction on new construction. Exterior tiles were individually inspected, with approximately 10 percent remaining original. This marks Imperial Hotel's first opening in 30 years. The hotel demonstrates exceptional service, with staff providing personalized attention and arranging cultural experiences, including meetings with apprentice geishas in traditional tea houses.

Read at Travel + Leisure