Capella Hotels & Resorts enters the competitive Kyoto accommodation market with the 5-star, 89-key Capella Kyoto opening on 22 March 2026 within the historic geisha district of Miyagawa-cho – the first property for its signature brand in Japan.
The new Capella Kyoto reimagines the traditional machiya (townhouse) and the city’s distinct built landscape of hidden alleys and gardens as a modern retreat, complete with a new eatery in partnership with a three-Michelin-starred restaurant.
Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates and Singapore-based Brewin Design Office, the four-story hotel was built on a former school site and part of a development that includes the restored Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theatre, the private training ground for Kyoto’s geisho and maiko.
It features Deluxe City Rooms through to the top-floor Capella Suite, including Premier Theatre Rooms with an outlook over the Kaburenjo; two Gion Suites with a direct view of nearby Kenninji temple; and six Onsen Suites with private hot spring baths.
SoNoMa by SingleThread is a standout drawcard, a signature eatery created in partnership with the three-Michelin-starred restaurant based in Sonoma, California, along with SingleThread Entremets, a patisserie led by Executive Pastry Chef Emma Horowitz and Chef Miu Morita, formerly of Michelin Three-Star L’Effervescence in Tokyo.
Capella Kyoto also has a late-night destination, Yoi, offering kappo dining traditions with a modern slant and craft cocktails, along with Lanterne, an all-day French brasserie.
For wellness, the onsite Auriga Spa is Capella’s signature sanctuary with a fitness centre, three private onsen rooms, wet and dry saunas and four treatment rooms, inspired by lunar cycles and Japanese and contemporary holistic rituals.
Capella Kyoto guests can also experience other cultural offerings during their stay, such as front-row seats to Kaburenjo Theatre, private teahouse encounters with maiko and exclusive artisan workshop visits.
Capella Hotels & Resorts Senior Vice President Operations Clive Edwards said: “Japan has long been a destination we have deeply admired and we have been intentional about introducing our brands here.”
“Building on the success of Patina Osaka, which opened last year, we look forward to welcoming guests to Capella Kyoto as the next chapter in that journey and the beginning of a deeper story in Japan.
“Together, our properties are a heartfelt expression of Japanese culture that’s shaped by a genuine embrace of its traditions, people and spirit.”
For more information, visit capellahotels.com
