Forwarded for The Imperial Hotels of Japan in December 2025
The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto will be grand-opened on March 5, 2026. In this newsletter in December 2025, The Imperial Hotels invite you to enjoy an exclusive glimpse of the Gion District as seen from within the Imperial Hotel, Kyoto — an intimate preview of the experience that awaits.
A New Chapter for the Historical Theater “Yasaka Kaikan”
Kyoto is home to five kagai where geiko and maiko treat customers with centuries-old traditions of songs, dances, and hospitality. The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto will be located in Gion Kobu, an area renowned as one of the largest and most prestigious geisha districts.
Since the Edo period (1603-1868), this area has flourished at the foot of the Yasaka Shrine as a crossroads of faith, commerce, artistry, and society. Its unique school of dance was passed down within the area for two centuries, with theaters for its performance and schools for its perfection.
Within this very neighborhood stands the Yasaka Kaikan, a theater built in 1936 by the people of Gion. It was a beloved community treasure―a stage for traditional performing arts and drama, a cinema, and even a beer hall at times.
It served as a cherished gathering place for the local community. Now we have inherited and preserved this legacy, breathing new life into it as the Imperial Hotel, Kyoto. The experience of immersing yourself in the culture of Gion―its authentic sounds, its lingering scents, the very air it breathes, and the graceful passage of time—this is the singular, inimitable value our hotel offers.
Echoes of Kyoto’s Heritage
The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto will be located within the grounds of the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo, the cultural heart of Kyoto’s renowned geiko and maiko traditions. Our guests are not visiting Gion; they are staying within the authentic heart of its culture.
You will hear the sounds of shamisen and taiko drums drifting from nearby practice halls in the afternoon, and at night, you might hear the rhythmic footsteps of maiko in the traditional thick-soled wooden sandals echoing up to your balcony.
But most of all, we recommend taking an early morning walk through Gion. There you will find the daily life of the district, often missed on a glamorous tourist itinerary.
This is a living history that can only be experienced from the heart of Gion, there amidst the tranquil sounds of bamboo brooms sweeping pavement stones bathing in the morning sun.
The Scenery Seen Through Ninety-Year-Old Window Frames
In giving the Yasaka Kaikan new life as a hotel, we have preserved and utilized significant elements of original structure in 1936, including its exterior walls, terracotta reliefs, copper-tiled roof, and more.
Architect Tomoyuki Sakakida of New Material Research Laboratory has put his touch on the interior of its guest rooms. The subtle scent of wood, thoughtfully placed throughout, and the crisp air, combine to offer a deep, sensory tranquility unique to Japanese architectural spaces.
Gazing through the original Yasaka Kaikan window frames includes the majestic Higashiyama mountain range and lines of historic townhouse roofs. They embody the memories of Gion, a place that has long maintained tradition while welcoming guests from around the world.
A Millennium-Old Moon
Koishisa wa / Onaji kokoro ni / Arazu tomo / Koyoi no tsuki o / Kimi mizarame ya
I look up at the sky with thoughts of love for you. Though our hearts may not share the same feelings, our eyes must be fixed on the same moon.
– Minamoto no Saneakira, the Shūi Wakashū (a Japanese poetry anthology completed around 1005)
Historically, the moon was among the most important motifs for Japanese art. Kyoto acted as the political capital of Japan from the 8th century to the mid-19th century, as well as its cultural and economic capital.
From there, nobles and artists created countless works of poetry and literature inspired by its beauty. The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto is one of the most exceptional places to encounter this very same moon.
In order to preserve the historical landscape of the Gion area, a special regulation under the Kyoto City Ordinance is now in place stating that all structures must be twelve meters tall at most. By using the Yasaka Kaikan, a long-standing building, we have been permitted to maintain its height of 31.5 meters as an exception in order to preserving the historical landscape into the future.
This exceptional height affords our guests a truly special privilege. From the terraces of our signature “Imperial Suite” and our exclusive rooftop bar, you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the entire Kyoto cityscape. Look overhead from there to find the same moon that the people of Kyoto have entrusted with their hearts since times of old.
We invite you to our new hotel, Imperial Hotel, Kyoto, to experience this timeless moonlight, which has remained unchanged for over a thousand years.