Nintendo heirloom lodgings
Restored 1930s office masonry meets modern concrete architecture, creating an intimate residential retreat filled with vintage company archives and quiet lounges.
“The buildings are a time capsule of early Showa-era architecture, riffing between Japanese and Western influences.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Tadao Ando combines raw concrete architecture with restored 1930s Showa-era masonry, stained glass, and decorative Taizan tiling.
Remarkable
Restored 1933 Nintendo headquarters preserving original company plaques, Art Deco fireplaces, and playing-card motif window grilles.
Notable
Kyoto playing-card roots, seasonal regional dining, and complimentary passes to historic neighborhood sento Sauna no Umeyu.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Wallpaper*.
Its interior renovation and its modern annex are the work of the modernist architect Tadao Ando. All 18 rooms and suites vary in size and style, but are uniformly attractive and well-equipped.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Tucked away in Kagiyacho between the Kamo and Takase rivers, the quiet streets sit a short walk from Keihan Shichijo Station.
The rooms
Heritage quarters retain Showa-era wood trims and tiled fireplaces, while annex rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and smooth exposed concrete.
The rooftop sauna
A rooftop barrel sauna and wooden cold plunge tub look out across the Kyoto skyline.
At the table
Dining counters serve multi-course seasonal tempura kaiseki, and an all-inclusive lounge bar pours Japanese whiskies.
How it began
Built in 1933 as Nintendo's headquarters when it produced hanafuda playing cards, the complex still displays original exterior plaques and geometric window grilles.
Good to know
Stay here
Marufukuro
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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.