Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto Opens Opposite Nijo Castle
A Luxury Collection hotel rises on the former Kyoto residence of the Mitsui family, entered through a 300-year-old gate and served by its own onsen.
Photo: Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto Press imageHotel The Mitsui Kyoto, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa, opened on 3 November 2020 in central Kyoto, directly opposite Nijo-jo Castle. The date had been announced by the hotel in July of that year.
The site was once the private residence of the aristocratic Mitsui family. Its 300-year-old Kajiimiya Gate still stands and now serves as the hotel’s main entrance.
The design team brought together Akira Kuryu, André Fu, Shunsaku Miyagi and Yohei Akao. The hotel has 161 rooms and suites, including two Onsen Suites with private gardens and outdoor hot spring baths.
Wellness centres on a thermal spring spa of more than 1,000 square metres, with a thermal onsen, two private onsen, four treatment rooms and a gym. The menu covers shiatsu, facials and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments.
Dining options at opening were Toki, a teppan restaurant built around an open steel counter; Forni, an Italian restaurant with a wood-burning oven; The Garden Bar for afternoon tea and cocktails; and Shiki-no-ma for private dining. Further details are on the hotel’s official site.