ROKU KYOTO: A Secluded Retreat Where Time Slows Down

The Understated Luxury of Kyoto Away From the Crowds

Far from the energy of the city centre, ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts reveals another side of the former imperial capital: more secluded, greener and almost contemplative. Located around 30 minutes by car from Kyoto Station, the hotel lies within the vast grounds of Shozan Resort Kyoto, at the foot of Mount Takagamine and along the Tenjin River. Founded in the 1950s by a family of kimono manufacturers, this nearly 12-hectare estate encompasses landscaped gardens, restaurants, a tea house, a kimono boutique and shaded paths. The grounds also preserve the legacy of a former artists’ enclave associated with Hon’ami Koetsu, a leading figure in Japanese art and founder of the Rinpa school—a heritage the hotel discreetly carries forward through its refined aesthetic and profound dialogue with nature.

The immediate surroundings invite guests to slow down: streams lined with maple and cherry trees, Japanese gardens dotted with perfectly sculpted Kitayama cedars, small galleries, workshops, Shinto shrines and secluded Buddhist temples create a landscape of rare serenity, far from the crowds of Higashiyama or Shimogyo. A meditative stroll reveals its poetry as the seasons unfold. Kyoto’s essential landmarks nevertheless remain within easy reach: the celebrated Kinkakuji, Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion, is only a few minutes away by car, while the city centre is easily accessible by taxi. The privilege of this location lies precisely in that balance: exploring Kyoto before returning, with a sigh of relief, to the profound calm of the mountains.

Koetsu’s Legacy Within a Contemporary Retreat

ROKU KYOTO creates an exceptionally delicate dialogue between architecture, landscape and artisanal heritage. Designed by BLINK Design Group, the interiors reinterpret the aesthetic of Kyoto’s temples and traditional residences through a contemporary, pared-back and almost meditative language: pale wood, floor-to-ceiling windows, restrained lines, sloping roofs, walkways opening onto gardens and pools that mirror the changing seasons. Arriving at the tea house sets the tone, inviting guests to slow down over a local tea before entering a world where luxury is quiet, precise and deeply rooted in its surroundings.

Inspired by the community of artists founded here nearly 400 years ago by Hon’ami Koetsu, the hotel unfolds like the ideal home of a contemporary artisan. Lacquer converses with the lobby, bamboo with the restaurant and ceramics with the spa, while the rooms and corridors are adorned with kyo-karakami patterns evoking clouds, waves, grasses, flowers and invisible forces. Among the most striking pieces, a spectacular lacquer panel composed of multiple fragments in earthy tones transforms the reception area into an abstract landscape; elsewhere, works inspired by the gods of Wind and Thunder reinterpret Rinpa imagery with contemporary sensitivity. In the lounge overlooking the Tea House pool, panels evoke water rippling in the wind and capture reflections of the garden, while ceramic vases by young Japanese artists, with raw or lustrous textures, hold seasonal flowers. More than 500 works punctuate the spaces, from textiles to sculptures, forming a living collection that connects past and present.

Nature Takes Centre Stage, With Japan Woven Through the Premier Deluxe Room

The 114 rooms and suites cultivate a rare serenity, enhanced by the peaceful landscapes. Beyond expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, nature takes centre stage with every season, while the interiors favour light, pale woods and neutral tones. Elegance is revealed in the details: hand-block-printed kyo-karakami decorative papers crafted by Kyoto artisans, wooden lattice partitions, woven headboards, bespoke ceramic tea sets and textile accents inspired by Nishijin craftsmanship. Among the most appealing categories, the ground-floor Garden Deluxe rooms feature a private Japanese garden and a stone bathtub supplied with genuine onsen water, while the Poolside Deluxe rooms stand out for their spacious private terraces overlooking the thermal pool. Rather than opulence, a form of quiet luxury prevails here, with Japanese tradition set in dialogue with contemporary lines and seamlessly integrated amenities.

Our Premier Deluxe Room, located on the top floor, offered 50 m² of tranquil space and superb panoramic views over the surrounding wooded hills. Its understated, contemporary decor subtly reinterpreted the principles of Japanese aesthetics through clean lines, low-profile furniture, pale-wood joinery and a natural palette punctuated with black, deep blue and terracotta accents. In front of the vast picture window, a pristine daybed invited contemplation of the lush greenery, transforming the landscape into a living work of art, while soft lighting and sumptuous bedding enhanced the intimate atmosphere. Every detail seemed designed to extend the Japanese experience, from the elegant ceramic tea service to a wardrobe stocked with yukatas, pyjamas and plush bathrobes. More mineral and intimate in character, the bathroom paired dark ceramic basins with anthracite stone and a deep bathtub reminiscent of traditional Japanese bathing rituals, while graphic lattice screens gently filtered the light, completing a room that felt both exceptionally refined and profoundly serene.

An Elegant Start to the Day

Served in the elegant setting of Tenjin restaurant, breakfast takes the form of a generous buffet that artfully combines Japanese inspirations with Western classics. Made-to-order dishes include delicious omelettes prepared to individual preference, complemented by an appealing selection of fresh fruit, juices, pastries and other morning treats—the perfect way to begin the day on a fresh and indulgent note.

Tenjin, a Restaurant for Every Moment of the Day

The beating heart of the hotel, Tenjin restaurant presents a deeply elegant vision of gastronomy at the intersection of nature, culture and contemporary art. Upon entering, the eye is immediately drawn to a spectacular work fashioned from Kyoto madake bamboo, heated, bent and assembled using the meticulous techniques of takezaiku, the traditional art of bamboo weaving. Created by Takemata Nagakawa Takezaiten, these pieces lend an organic softness to the space, echoing the clean lines of the furniture, the high sloping wooden ceiling and the expansive windows overlooking the pools, forest and Takagamine mountains. Named after the Tenjin River bordering its terrace, the restaurant feels like a refined modern brasserie where guests can savour the changing beauty of the seasons, particularly in autumn, when the momiji maples set the landscape ablaze.

Open from breakfast through dinner, Tenjin serves modern French cuisine delicately infused with local and seasonal influences. More intimate in atmosphere, Tenjin The Bar extends the experience with cocktails inspired by Kyoto’s heritage and local ingredients. On our first evening, we enjoyed an American Clubhouse Sandwich and a Kyoto beef cheeseburger, accompanied by a Suiten Ippeki, a chilled cocktail combining butterfly pea, mint, elderflower and lime, as well as a Mizuo Yuzu Gin & Tonic made with Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry gin, Mizuo yuzu marmalade, Japanese bitters and yuzu tonic—a delicious, precise interlude firmly rooted in the spirit of the destination.

The Serene Indulgence of the Serenus Menu

The Serenus Menu opens with a garden salad of seasonal vegetables, duck prosciutto and summer truffle—a starter of freshness and precision, arranged like a miniature garden. The colourful vegetables—tomato, courgette, baby corn, beetroot and young shoots—bring crunch, vibrancy and lightness, while the duck prosciutto introduces a deeper note, delicately salty and silky. Alongside, a smooth cream crowned with fine shavings of summer truffle envelops the dish in an earthy, refined fragrance, creating an elegant contrast between vegetal brightness and understated indulgence.

Continuing this pursuit of balance and delicacy, the pan-seared scallops with Kyoto turnips and romaine lettuce risotto arrive as a distinctly contemporary and elegant composition. Delicately golden around the edges, the scallops appear to have been seared only briefly to preserve their silky, oceanic flesh. They rest on a creamy romaine lettuce risotto whose fresh colour evokes a spring garden. Lightly caramelised Kyoto turnips add gentle vegetal sweetness and a melting texture, while a delicate foam, fine shoots and a few drops of herb-infused oil provide an exquisite finishing touch.

The journey continues with more pronounced maritime notes in the pan-seared white trevally with asparagus and sea urchin, a highly elegant dish in which pieces of fish with crisp, golden skin rest upon slender, glossy green asparagus, punctuated by saffron-hued tongues of sea urchin. The deliberately minimalist presentation on a broad white plate gives each element room to breathe: a pale, silky cream scattered with tiny pink cubes and delicate zest lends an oceanic richness that complements the trevally’s pearlescent flesh. Young purple shoots add a refined vegetal note, while the sea urchin intensifies the dish with profound salinity.

After this ocean-inspired interlude, the grilled Kyoto beef fillet with Japanese green pepper sauce and Tamba vegetables introduces a more earthy presence. Marked with an appetising crosshatch from the grill, the meat reveals a pink, succulent centre that highlights the fillet’s exceptional tenderness. Beside it, an amber-hued Japanese green pepper sauce adds depth, warmth and a subtle vegetal note, punctuated by green peppercorns like small bursts of aroma. The Tamba vegetables—from the vibrant green of delicately prepared cabbage to the glossy red of a glazed root vegetable—offer contrast, freshness and earthy sweetness, creating a plate that is at once pared-back, precise and deeply rooted in Kyoto’s terroir.

To conclude on a sweet note, the seasonal melon and Earl Grey tea parfait arrives in an elegant glass, its glistening, juicy spheres of green melon forming a brilliant crown beneath a quenelle of pale ice cream. Translucent and creamy layers reveal an interplay of textures between jelly, light cream and pieces of fruit, while a delicate crisp garnish lends an airy touch. A selection of petits fours completes the meal with one final indulgence.

The Thermal Pool Beneath the Gaze of Takagamine

THE ROKU SPA first reveals itself as an intimate sanctuary, deeply inspired by nature and Kyoto’s artisanal aesthetic, where every detail encourages inner calm. Upon arrival, Daté Kanmuri stones from Okurayama stand alongside ceramic artworks, creating a contemplative atmosphere shaped by silence, texture and light. Dressed in deep greens, pale woods and subdued lighting, the treatment rooms evoke the softness of a forest and host the “Kyoto Elements” rituals, designed to rebalance body, mind and soul—notably through aromatic massages using Tenjingawa stones polished smooth by the nearby river.

Then comes one of the property’s most distinctive privileges: an outdoor thermal pool fed by a natural onsen, an exceptionally rare heated pool overlooking the gardens and Takagamine mountains. In this mineral-rich alkaline water, the warmth releases tension, encourages circulation and clears the mind, while the pure mountain air deepens the sense of letting go. After bathing, herbal teas, infused waters, light snacks, floating meditation, yoga or a workout overlooking the landscape extend this restorative experience—serene, refined and deeply rooted in Kyoto.

Kyoto’s Artisanal Soul, From Tea and Washi to Kintsugi

The experiences offered by ROKU KYOTO provide a refined immersion in Kyoto’s artisanal soul, with each moment conceived as a natural extension of the setting. In the northern garden of Shozan Resort, a historic tea pavilion transferred from Daitokuji Temple hosts traditional ceremonies surrounded by Kitayama cedars and maple trees, while exclusive workshops introduce guests to making washi paper using water from the Tenjin River, as well as the arts of kintsugi and ceramics, under the guidance of renowned local artisans. Inspired by the legacy of Hon’ami’s enclave, the hotel also arranges intimate encounters with masters of bamboo, lacquer, karakami and pottery, offering guests the opportunity to create a unique piece to take home. A dedicated article about these experiences is available here: How ROKU Kyoto Reinvents the Experience of Authentic Japan.

My Review

ROKU KYOTO leaves the rare impression of a peaceful, intimate and profoundly evocative Kyoto, where ultra-luxury hospitality is expressed through restraint, precision and a constant dialogue with nature. Between the hills of Takagamine, the gardens of Shozan Resort, the artistic heritage, light-filled rooms, Tenjin’s elegant cuisine and the almost hypnotic warmth of the thermal pool, the hotel creates a remarkably cohesive retreat that is at once cultural, contemplative and restorative. Guests come here to rediscover silence after visiting Kyoto’s busy temples, to experience the city at a different pace and to appreciate the beauty of living craftsmanship and a landscape transformed by the seasons. Discreet, refined and deeply rooted in its surroundings, this hotel stands among the city’s most alluring retreats for travellers seeking elegance, space and emotion.

What I loved:

• A genuine haven of peace, far from Kyoto’s tourist bustle. A place steeped in history, whose heritage and atmosphere the hotel conveys beautifully.
• A superb outdoor pool heated to 37°C—an experience that is quite unique in Kyoto, and perhaps even in Japan—all within an exceptionally beautiful setting.
• A wealth of thoughtfully curated activities and experiences through which to discover a more authentic, intimate and privileged side of Kyoto.

What could be improved:

• While the savoury breakfast selection is of a very high standard, the sweet offering could be more ambitious to bring it fully in line with the rest of the experience.

Practical Information

• Premier Deluxe Room priced at €1,050 in June 2026.