Kyoto, JapanTakagamine
Aman Kyoto
Forest garden showpiece
Takagamine Kyoto, Japan
Opened
2019
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe WellnessOutside the door
The house
AmanForest garden showpiece
Black timber pavilions hide in thirty-eight hectares of mossy forest and secret gardens beneath the slopes of Mount Hidari Daimonji.
“Senkutsu ticks all the boxes of a textbook traditional tea house – the garden pathway, softly transitioning between outside world and inner sanctum...”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Blackened timber pavilions by Kerry Hill set across moss-covered platforms and forest clearings.
Remarkable
Attentive staff leave handwritten notes, alongside deep hinoki cypress tubs in every suite.
Remarkable
Spring-fed mineral onsen baths and forest bathing walks beneath Mount Hidari Daimonji.
What they say
Two Michelin Keys
Michelin
Also in The 50 Discovery, Wallpaper* and AFAR.
set in one of Kyoto’s most extraordinary places: a vast private garden and an expanse of unspoiled forest — within the city limits, at the foot of a wild mountain
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Located in northern Kyoto's quiet Takagamine district, the grounds sit within walking distance of Kinkaku-ji and northern Buddhist temples.
The rooms
Tatami floors and floor-to-ceiling glass frame serene woods, with deep square soaking tubs hand-carved from aromatic hinoki cypress.
The onsen and spa
Soak slowly.
Geothermal mineral springs fill open-air baths framed by granite boulders, and treatment suites offer therapies using Kyoto green tea.
Restaurant
The Living Pavilion by Aman
A suspended conical hearth warms the glass-walled pavilion, which opens onto an outdoor dining terrace and sunken fire pit.
Aman’s lush, forested property in Kyoto epitomizes the concept of zen. A sense of calm sets in as guests pass through the 38 hectares of nature surrounding the hotel...
How it began
The grounds were shaped across decades by a kimono sash collector who laid mossy stone platforms for an unbuilt museum.
“Rooms are spacious and feature cypress-wood soaking tubs and heated stone bathroom floors, while a wooden onsen pavilion in the spa adds comforting touches...”
Kyoto
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.