JAPANKURU: kyoto

Arrive in Kyoto, and everywhere you look is a peaceful Zen temple or a quiet Shinto shrine, but with the beautiful sights come hectic crowds. After a day weaving through the many citizens and visitors to Kyoto, it's understandable if you just want a tranquil retreat to return to every evening - and that's why we recommend Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo. The peaceful ambience and natural spaces right inside the lobby create a calming effect as soon as you walk into the lobby, and the theme only continues from there!

Japan has long been proud of its "omotenashi" (おもてなし) hospitality culture, and since Oriental Hotel Kyoto Rokujo opened in November 2019, it's clear they've been committed to maintaining the omotenashi spirit all over the premises. Take advantage of the hotel's efforts to produce ideal Zen meditation spaces right in the rooms, relax in the comfortable lobby/lounge seating, and enjoy the wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of Kyoto travel!

Once a city found mostly on the itineraries of temple-lovers, Kyoto has changed into a go-to travel spot in the past couple dozen years. And it's no wonder; Kyoto's wonderfully historic streets and temples, largely unchanged for hundreds of years, alongside modern food and cafe culture, are all pretty tempting. Who doesn't want to stop in for a look at the glittering golden Kinkakuji Temple, the spectacular cliffside view of Kiyomizudera Temple, or the intriguing red gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine? With the incoming crowds, new hotels and transformed hotels are opening their doors around the city, including historical streets like Shinmachi, once a destination for kimono fabric wholesale. There are even hotels where you can return in the evening to experience Japanese tea ceremony, or even an entirely authentic performance from a maiko (Kyoto's geisha)!