Capella debuts in Kyoto, Japan | News

Capella Kyoto opens on March 22, 2026, just as Kyoto’s legendary cherry blossoms reach their fleeting peak. Capella Hotels and Resorts’ inaugural property in Japan is located in the historic Miyagawa-cho kagai (geisha district), steps from Kenninji Temple and the Kamo River, where Kabuki was born.

Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates and Singapore-based Brewin Design Office, the 89-storey hotel reinterprets the city’s traditional machiya (mansion) and reinterprets Kyoto’s signature spatial composition – its layered sequence of narrow alleys, hidden gardens, and entry doors – and comes at a time when the city is at its most transcendent: streets covered in sakura, air perfumed with spring, and the ancient rhythms of Gion still very much alive.

A MODERN MACHIYA

Clive Edwards, Senior Vice President, Operations, said: “Kyoto is one of the world’s great cradles of craft, ritual and tradition, and Capella Kyoto is designed to fully honor that heritage. Japan has long been a destination we deeply admired, and it was our intention to introduce our brands here. Building on the success of Patina Osaka, which opened last year, we look forward to welcoming guests to Capella Kyoto as the next chapter of that journey – and the beginning of a deeper story in Japan. Every detail – from the invisible artistry embedded in the architecture to the most personal moments of service – reflects our belief that true luxury is the feeling of being deeply cared for and deeply connected to a place and its living culture.

A HOTEL, A THEATER AND A COMMUNITY

Built on the former site of Shinmichi Elementary School, Capella Kyoto is part of a three-part development along Shinmichi Street, along with the restored Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theater and a new community center, continuing a legacy of learning, culture and community.

At the heart of the development is the Kaburenjo itself: the private training ground of Kyoto’s geiko and maiko for generations, and a defining symbol of the kagai. Now restored and reopened, it remains a working theater and Capella guests are among the few granted front-row access to the performances, an encounter with one of Kyoto’s best-preserved living traditions.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The 89-room property spans four floors and offers accommodations ranging from Deluxe City Rooms to the 206 m² top floor Capella Suite. Among the most sought-after are the Premier Theater Rooms – named for their views over the Kaburenjo – and the two Gion Suites, each with direct views of Kenninji Temple. Six Onsen Suites feature private hot springs, while the Capella Suite commands the entire Higashiyama skyline. From both the bedroom and living room, guests look out over the pagodas and rooftops of Higashiyama, with the iconic silhouette of the five-tiered Yasaka Pagoda visible against the mountain ridge. The suite’s height above Miyagawa-cho also places guests at the best vantage point for one of Gion’s most elusive sights: Geiko and Maiko, dressed for the evening, make their way through the alley below to the ochaya where they are engaged.

CULINARY OFFERS

Capella Kyoto is home to SoNoMa by SingleThread, founded in partnership with SingleThread, the three-Michelin star restaurant based in Sonoma, California by Kyle and Katina Connaughton. As the property’s signature restaurant, SoNoMa by SingleThread offers an intimate 12-seat counter and a 20-seat lounge bar in the style of an ochaya (traditional teahouse). The restaurant will be helmed by Chef Keita Tominaga, who will celebrate the seasonal agriculture of both Kyoto’s Kansai region and California’s Dry Creek Valley through the lens of local farmers and artisans.

SingleThread Entremets, a specialty pastry program led by Chef Emma Horowitz and Chef Miu Morita, formerly of Tokyo’s three-star restaurant L’Effervescence, offers seasonal delicacies for dine-in or packaged takeout.

Yoi is a late-night dining destination offering kappo with a modern twist: a refreshing concept in Kyoto’s largely casual after-hours scene. The soul of Kyoto is reflected in one of Japan’s intimate dining traditions, where chefs prepare and present seasonal dishes directly in front of their guests – here elevated by innovative, handcrafted cocktails. The space itself honors the local community through reclaimed wood and lighting fixtures sourced from the former Shinmichi Elementary School, quietly preserving the memory of the neighborhood’s past.

Lanterne, the all-day French brasserie, reimagines Parisian café culture through the quiet craftsmanship of Kyoto, combining marble, herringbone floors and pale wood with the serene sensibility of Japanese design.

AURIGA SPA

Wellness at Capella Kyoto is anchored by Auriga Spa, the brand’s signature retreat inspired by lunar cycles and holistic rituals. The spa features three private onsen rooms, wet and dry saunas, four treatment rooms and a fitness center. Signature treatments draw from both Japanese tradition and contemporary wellness practices, offering guests paths to recovery rooted in the rhythms of the ancient city.

CAPELLA CURATES

Through ‘Capella Curates’, the hotel’s signature cultural programming, guests gain access to Kyoto’s closest traditions; experiences that are rarely or never accessible to visitors. With front-row seats at the revived Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theater – the historic home of Kyoto’s geiko and maiko, and the private heart of the kagai for generations – guests can witness the classical performing arts in the intimate setting where they are still taught and practiced today. A private ochaya meeting offers a more personal audience with a maiko, in an invitation-only teahouse. A visit to a 150-year-old sandal workshop offers the chance to have a custom-made pair made, handmade in the manner of ancient Gion. And a kintsugi workshop led by an urushi lacquer master reveals the Japanese art of repairing what’s broken, gradually making it more beautiful than before.

OPENING PACKAGE “WHISPERS OF GION”.

Capella Kyoto welcomes bookings from March 22, 2026. The opening package “Whispers of Gion” includes:

Breakfast for two at “Lanterne”
Hotel credit: JPY 10,000 (Deluxe and Premium rooms), JPY 20,000 (Junior Suite, Onsen Suite, Gion Suite, Capella Suite) per stay
Composite gift from Capella Kyoto
Rates start from JPY 394,200 for two people, including taxes and service charges. Bookings are available at www.capellahotels.com/kyoto.