Angela Ferguson visits a modern hotel in traditional Kyoto.
February 17th, 2015
Kyoto has a reputation for being one of the more traditional cities of Japan; many tourists come here to see shrines, temples and facets of ‘old Japan’. So Hotel Kanra is somewhat of an anomaly in Kyoto – it is delightfully modern, and sits comfortably amongst the most beautiful boutique hotels in the world.
Completed in 2010, Hotel Kanra was designed by architect Norito Nakahara. The overall design is based on the proportions of Kyoto’s machiya (wooden town houses). This is evident in the elongated shape of the rooms and the palette of materials used including volcanic stone flooring, tatami mats in sitting areas, traditional Japanese hiba (cypress) wood bathtubs, frosted glass bathroom walls and shoji screens.
Like many things in Japan the attention to detail is exquisite. And it is the small details that make this hotel extra special. These include custom made lamps of tiny white threads (referencing cushion stuffing) and skylights in the bathrooms that give the impression of being connected to the outdoors.
The entry lobby is essentially an installation piece and was created by Tokyo based New Yorker Alexander Reeder. Large triangular interactive panels on the walls and ceiling change colour depending on the season as well as the light, sound and temperature in the lobby and restaurant.
In many areas of the hotel the work of local artists is featured via ceramics, ikebana (flower arrangement), lighting design and hanging wall art.
Hotel Kanra was conceived to support the local community and to educate visitors about historical Kyoto in a thoroughly modern manner. This has been done in a way that is respectful to the heritage of the area whilst at the same time presenting the Japanese conscience in a contemporary setting.
Hotel Kanra is an embodiment of Japanese aesthetic values; these values have developed over many centuries and are about creating a state of mind that is peaceful and harmonious. We truly felt this during our visit here – once we’d arrived we felt very much at home and it became extremely difficult to leave such a beautiful sanctuary.
Hotel Kanra
hotelkanra.jp
To follow Angela and Stephen’s journey through Japan go to instagram @futurespacedesign @indesignlive and look out for the hashtags #futurespacetravels #indesigntravels
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Salone del Mobile 2024 is only a few weeks away, so we’re highlighting here seven special events, spaces and installations that we’re certainly planning to check out.
Paying homage to that wonderful tool of life, the book, SJK Architects’ design for the new headquarters of Penguin Random House is both a temple to the library and a captivating place to work.