Riverside antique refuge
Hosts pour evening sake and craft custom day trips inside an intimate townhouse filled with collected European and Asian antiques.
What it’s good at
Notable
Rooms layer hand-printed woodblock paper, Shanghai red lacquered furniture, and collected European antiques against river views.
Notable
Hands-on hosts coordinate bespoke Kyoto itineraries and pour evening drinks across seven intimate riverside rooms.
Notable
Interiors feature authentic woodblock karakami paper hand-printed by Karacho, Kyoto's four-hundred-year-old historic artisanal atelier.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Shinmonzen Street unrolls right outside, where antique dealers, weeping willows, and quiet Gion teahouses line the Shirakawa River.
The rooms
Rooms feature hand-printed Karacho woodblock paper and Shanghai red lacquered pieces, with top-floor suites opening toward the Shirakawa River.
At the table
Freshly baked croissants and homemade jams are served each morning along the polished wooden lounge bar.
How it began
Founder Hisako Shibata named the residence after the Japanese apricot blossom, structuring interiors around flower, butterfly, wind, and moon motifs.
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.