Six Senses Kyoto is the Tranquil Retreat You’ve Been Dreaming Of
The hotel brand’s first Japanese outpost is a modern sanctuary in historic surroundings.
Step inside Six Senses Kyoto and you’ll notice the atmosphere instantly tilt into stillness. Although it’s located in the temple-packed Higashiyama district in the city’s east, the property seems to inhabit a different cosmos with its biophilic curves and natural textile palette in the sun-warmed lobby. Add to that a check-in desk backdrop of 500 locally crafted Raku-yaki tiles and the welcome ritual of rubbing fragrant incense into the hands of guests and there’s no mistaking you’ve arrived somewhere special.
The interiors, by Singapore’s Blink Design, are playfully inspired by Kyoto’s heritage: animal characters from a famed 12th-century scroll, said to be Japan’s oldest manga comic, dance across modern sculptures and elevator illustrations. Fox heads made of recycled washi paper sit outside each of the 81 guestrooms and indicate occupancy when illuminated. Some of the suites look out onto their own private gardens, while others have views of a shrine, a mature cherry blossom tree and the hotel’s plot of herbs and tea growing onsite. Inside, sleeping and bathing spaces are delineated by modular wooden screens, white moon paintings hide large TVs and the bedside lights are made of woven copper by Kyoto artisans Kanaamitsuji.
The dining choices are similarly anchored in nature. Sekki restaurant – its name refers to Japan’s ever-shifting micro-seasons – has a setting as organic as the food (most of which is sourced within a 160-kilometre radius); it’s a space of soft, curved furniture and sunken tables in the peaceful courtyard garden. Dinner options span bamboo shoots with sansho leaf pesto and grilled octopus and shiso chimichurri. Nearby is the discreet entrance to another culinary gem: Sushi Oga Higashiyama, an outpost of the popular Osaka restaurant. In this intimate venue, omakase-style sushi (tuna is a focus of chef Taichi Sakai’s expertise) is served on antique plates.
Sekki also serves breakfast and the combination of cold-pressed juice, fried heirloom eggs with shiso hummus and morning bread made from leftover dinner vegetables is delicious. Although the onsite spa offers plenty of distractions that may seem more indulgent, relaxing in the restaurant courtyard among maple trees is perhaps the ultimate luxury.
