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Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
Kyoto, Japan · Four Seasons · Apex Luxury
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto was built around the Shakusui-en, a pond garden believed to date from the late Heian period and associated with the villa of Taira no Shigemori (1138 to 1179), making it one of the oldest surviving circuit gardens in the city, with Sanjusangendo Temple's hall of 1,001 gilded Kannon statues a seven-minute walk away.
- 180 rooms
- Opened 2016
- Neighborhood: Higashiyama Ward
- Rooms from 527 sq ft (49 m²)
- Architect: Kume Sekkei
- Interiors: Hirsch Bedner Associates (guest rooms, function rooms, public areas and spa); Kokai Studios (EMBA Kyoto Grill); STRICKLAND (Sushi Ginza Onodera)
About Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
- Four Seasons Kyoto is built around Shakusui-en, an 800-year-old pond garden from the late Heian period, one of the few surviving circuit gardens from Imperial Kyoto.
- Sanjusangendo Temple, home to 1,001 gilded Kannon statues in Japan's longest wooden hall, is a seven-minute walk away.
- The property opened in October 2016 in southern Higashiyama, blending a modern hotel around the ancient garden rather than replacing it.
- Tea ceremonies are held at Shakusui-tei, a pavilion within the historic garden grounds on the hotel estate.
- Condé Nast Traveler readers ranked it the No. 6 hotel in Japan in 2025.
History
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto opened in October 2016 in the historic Higashiyama district, centered around the 800-year-old Shakusui-en pond garden from the end of the Heian Period, the peak of Imperial Japan. The property blends modern luxury with Kyoto's cultural heritage, offering a serene oasis near iconic temples.
The setting
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto claims 445-3 Myohoin Maekawacho in southern Higashiyama, built over a late-Heian period ikeniwa pond garden at the foot of the temple hills — one of the few surviving circuit gardens from the era of Imperial Kyoto. Sanjusangendo Temple, Japan’s longest wooden hall and home to 1,001 gilded Kannon statues, is a seven-minute walk. The Kyoto National Museum faces the district, and Gion’s hanamachi lanes and Kiyomizu-dera are minutes by transit, placing the estate at the quiet axis of Kyoto’s densest cultural corridor and making it the definitive address for guests who wish to inhabit history rather than merely visit it.
Restaurants and bars
- Sushi Ginza Onodera at Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto — Restaurant · Edo-style sushi (omakase)
- EMBA Kyoto Grill — Restaurant · Seafood
- Fuju — Restaurant · Japanese
- SEY — Restaurant
- The Lounge & Bar — Bar
Experiences
- Tea Ceremony at Shakusui-tei Pavilion — Tea ceremony at the Shakusui-tei Pavilion located in the Shakusui-en pond garden.
- Complimentary Maiko dance performance at Hotel Lobby — Complimentary Maiko dance performance held at the hotel lobby.
- Zen meditation — Zen meditation offered to guests.
- Japanese cooking classes — Japanese cooking classes offered to guests.
- Monko incense ceremony — Monko incense ceremony offered to guests.
- Pottery classes — Pottery classes offered to guests.
Amenities
- 20m indoor pool
- spa with 7 treatment rooms, ofuro, sauna
- fitness center
- Shakusui-en pond garden
- tea ceremony at Shakusui-tei
- kids playroom
- cultural experiences (maiko performance, zen meditation)
- Hot tub
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
- HD Awards — Best Guest Room (2017)
- HD Awards — Best Spa (2017)
- #6 Hotel in Japan 2025 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Hotel and Spa
- multiple HD Awards 2017 (Best Spa, Best Guest Room)
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