Discover a Thousand Years of Kyoto ~ NOHGA HOTEL KIYMIZU KYOTO ~
“An inn that weaves together with the local community the "special hidden in the everyday"

◇What is NOHGA HOTEL KIYMIZU KYOTO?

NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO, which opened in 2022 in Higashiyama, the heart of the ancient capital, is a lifestyle hotel with the brand concept of "wonderful experiences born from deep connections with the community."

The lobby is designed in the sukiya-style style of a teahouse, with no walls creating an open space that functions as a place where travelers and locals can mix naturally.

Furthermore, in response to local feedback, the historic buildings on the site were demolished and then faithfully reconstructed in the same location and with the same structure. This decision to preserve the landscape helped to build trust with the local community.

The hotel has a bakery cafe on the first floor, and is designed to be open to the local community as a place where locals can spend their daily lives.

The lobby incorporates Sukiya-style design (Image provided by NOHGA HOTEL KIYMIZU KYOTO)

◇ A system for creating value in collaboration with the local community

The reason NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO chose this location is because they wanted to develop value together with the city, especially since it is not in the middle of the tourist area.

Before the hotel even opened, the staff walked the town themselves, visualizing the connections between the surrounding workshops, shops, and people in a handmade map. This method of understanding the area on foot and weaving a story without relying on outsourcing is unique to this hotel.

Since its opening, the hotel has collaborated with young Kiyomizu ware artists, local businesses, and local organizations, providing a venue for art events, hosting workshops, and participating in local events, deepening its involvement as a "member of the community." Hotel staff and local organizations can be seen working side by side to help with Jizo Bon festivals and clean up the Higashiyama Tourist Road. They are a valuable resource for the aging community, and the hotel also serves as a learning opportunity for staff to understand the local area.

This kind of daily collaboration also leads to new experiential value for guests.

Encountering small workshops and shops not found in guidebooks, experiencing the atmosphere of local events up close, and encountering "personal recommendations" discovered by staff members themselves - travelers are not just "sightseeing" on the surface, but are experiencing the warmth of the lives and people who live in this town.

The unique value of NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO is that the local scenery can be felt not as a tourist attraction but as a "continuation of life."

 Clean-up activities conducted with the Higashiyama neighborhood association, fostering intergenerational exchange (Photo provided by NOHGA HOTEL KIYMIZU, Kyoto)

◇Ingenious ways to incorporate tradition into modern lodging experiences

Since its opening, NOHGA HOTEL KIYMIZU KYOTO has been working with young local creators on a variety of initiatives under the theme of "Recreating KYOTO - Discover an unconventional Kyoto." One of the most iconic projects is the installation of artworks in guest rooms in collaboration with 10 young Kiyomizu ware artists, scheduled to begin in May 2026.

The hotel's theme reflects the hotel's stance of not just "preserving" the traditions rooted in Kyoto, but also reinterpreting them from a modern perspective and presenting them in a way that will appeal to today's travelers. Rather than the traditional "typical Kyoto-ness," the hotel aims to respect the diverse values and expressions that live in "modern Kyoto" and encourage guests to rediscover its charm.

When creating the pieces, the design is left entirely up to the artist, with the hotel merely acting as a "stage." Rather than simply tracing tradition as a formality, the young artist's reinterpretation of Kyoto's expression is directly reflected in the artwork and encounters guests. The vessels and objects randomly placed in each guest room will subtly add individuality and regional flair to the travel experience.

The hotel also incorporates information plates made by local workshops, bringing to life materials and techniques not just through display but through use. For example, the hotel plans to eliminate the use of plastic bottles from September 2025 and install water dispensers in all guest rooms, leading to a reduction of approximately 9,000 bottles per year. The explanatory plates conveying the intention of this initiative were commissioned from Kiyomizu-yaki pottery manufacturer TOKINOHA. By displaying the message "why we don't have plastic bottles" alongside the vessels, environmental considerations are naturally incorporated into the experience.

The hotel serves as a "stage" to support the creations of artisans (Image provided by NOHGA HOTEL KIYMIZU, Kyoto)

◇ Building an organization based on trust and contributing to the community

Preserving local culture cannot be accomplished by a single hotel.
That is why NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO has always valued honest relationships in less visible areas, such as doing business with artisans and shops at a fair price, carefully keeping promises, and listening carefully to what the other party really wants to do.

This attitude is also consistently reflected in the relationships we build with our staff. When hiring, we place importance on whether people can talk about what they love in their own words, and we foster a culture that respects each person's individuality and enthusiasm. As a result, this also forms the foundation that supports our sustainable operations.

Furthermore, NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO continues to take part in initiatives beyond the hotel's boundaries, such as having staff participate in local festivals and events and setting up a donation box in which a portion of sales is returned to local activities.The Upcycle Life Higashiyama Area Management Council, in which NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO is a member, supports these activities that go beyond the hotel's boundaries.

This council was launched primarily by the local government and local accommodation businesses. Its purpose is to engage in dialogue across different positions and to lead to concrete action to address the issues facing the Higashiyama area, such as population decline, tourism pollution, and a lack of people to carry out local events. NOHGA HOTEL Shimizu Kyoto also continually participates in these discussions as a member of the local community.

One of the outcomes of this council is a collaborative vision.
It outlines principles such as "achieving a sustainable tourism industry that brings happiness to the local community," "preserving and developing culture and lifestyles," and "maintaining a clean and healthy environment," and provides common guidelines for passing on the Higashiyama area to the future.

NOHGA HOTEL Shimizu Kyoto is actively involved in this council, and continues to explore the role it can play as a hotel, from understanding local issues to implementing concrete actions. These steady efforts are gradually building the hotel into a presence that people feel is "great to be in this town."

Staff in action (Photo provided by NOHGA HOTEL KIYOMIZU KYOTO)

◇Summary

NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO does not rely on flashy décor, but instead strives to carefully convey the "essence of Kyoto" by quietly embracing the local culture and people's lives.
The city's approach of continually exploring the new Kyoto, moving back and forth between tradition and modernity, is a reflection of its efforts to enhance the value of travel while preserving and nurturing the local culture and lifestyle.

"The value lies in the steady efforts of the local community, which cannot be measured by international certification alone."
The words spoken in the interview overlapped with ideas that Kyoto has long held dear.

For travelers, NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO is not just a place to stay, but a base for connecting local culture to future generations.

NOHGA HOTEL SHIMIZU KYOTO will continue to collaborate with the local community and play a role in supporting the culture and lifestyle of the area.