As beautiful as it is historic, Kyoto in Japan served as the country’s capital for more than 1,000 years. From its rich history, the city offers glimpse of traditional culture and is home to a number of famous temple and shrines.
Located in a valley known as the Kyoto Basin, Kyoto sits atop of a natural freshwater table known as the Kyoto Water Basin. A report by Professor Hareshige Kusumi of Kansai University underscores how much the rich water supply of Kyoto has contributed to the development of industry and culture. For example, this water source and the tradition of ‘onsen’ or bathing facilities inspired the spa in a five-star hotel adjacent to Kyoto’s landmark UNESCO World Heritage Site Nijo-jo castle.
Inheritance and rebirth
Marriott International’s Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa, with interiors by Hong Kong designer André Fu, is on the site of the centuries-old Kyoto residence of the Mitsui family, now well-known real estate developers. Vacated after the Second World War, the area was acquired back in 2015 to create a new luxurious hotel.
The property’s overall concept of ‘inheritance and rebirth’ links to the Mitsui family’s history, and is sublimated as Japanese traditional architecture, gardens, culture into modern hotel space.
Guests enter the hotel through a 300 year old Kajimiya gate inherited from the original Mitsui residence. The 7.4 metre high gate has been restored in collaboration with artisans in Fukui prefecture, with more than 80% of the exterior parts reused. The property features a total of 161 rooms, including 22 suites, F&B options and a spa, which is the Thermal Spring created by Strickland.
Time and tranquillity
On the basement floor is a contemporary underground natural hot spring that captures the essence of Kyoto’s aquifer, projecting a sense of overlapping time and endless tranquillity.
Design studio Strickland conducts in-depth research about history and region of the place to deliver tailor made designs for the projects it works on. For this project, memory of Mitsui family is the core concept that runs through the entire hotel and narrates the Thermal Spring’s journey.
Gate of light at Kyoto
The story’s prologue begins when guests step out from the lift. The large stone sculpture that once belonged to Mitsui family’s garden stands at the entrance, channelling the Japanese philosophy of mitateru – reforming an original item to a new form to show appreciation.
Guiding them onwards is a 19-metre gate of light, a contemporary echo of Fushimi Inari Taisha’s 1,000 Torii gate, one of Kyoto’s famous shrines. This leads to a reception made with a back wall of water patterned Japanese washi paper.
Finally, guests reach the Thermal Spring that depicts Kyoto’s underground water and stratum by an abundant use of stones throughout the layout.
Innovative products
An authentic experience was created at the spa using just a few materials: stone, water and light. The surrounding bedrock; the sound of water seeping between stone cracks echoing in this minimal space – these elements may seem minor yet are effective sensory stimuli for spa guests.
Stones used in the Thermal Spring were selected from a supplier in Kagawa prefecture. Based on a traditional Japanese garden, they are interpreted to a modern look by being cut in half and shifted to look unconventional. Innovative products in the spa augment the highest level of relaxation. These include a rain curtain programmed to activate every 30 minutes that is linked to visual and auditory sensory effects.
Lighting is a vital factor
Functional lighting fixtures were eliminated as much as possible, and the light element was inserted into the space as part of the material. In order to amplify the gradual movement of the surface water, linear light were installed at edges of the pool.
Due to the low ceiling, linear light and black polished metal finish to give an effect of continuity and increasing depth in space. The sharp beaming light also adds contemporary touch to this organic space, bringing together two contradictory material – the textured natural material and the modern lights.
A memorable experience
The design tells what existed before the hotel was built, what happened on this land, and the sense of place and history. Thermal Spring seeks to provide a memorable onsen experience, healing mind and body, and guiding visitors to a new self.
This feature was first published in our 2022 August issue, which you can read in full here.
