The Anteroom Hotel in Kyoto ホテルアンテルーム京都

Published on : 19/03/2018
by : O.D.

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Cherry blossoms in one of the rooms at Hotel Anteroom, Kyoto

2 in 1

Why not make the most of your stay in Kyoto by living side by side with artists of the former imperial capital? With its art gallery and designer rooms, the Anteroom Hotel gives its visitors a chance to explore the heart of contemporary creation in Kyoto.

For centuries, Kyoto was the spiritual and artistic capital of Japan, as evidenced by its many temples, shrines and palaces that make it a symbol of traditional Japan. But just because it has such a rich heritage doesn't mean that the city is a museum! Kyoto is home to many artists whose work can notably be found on display in the Anteroom Hotel.

Hotel or gallery?

This establishment has the best of both worlds! Located in the residential district of Kujo, 15 minutes' walk from Kyoto Station, the Anteroom Hotel first opened its doors in 2011, located in a former university residence. Here there are no sliding doors or tatami: the building, which has an industrial look, is resolutely modern, as demonstrated by the reinterpreted Zen garden that takes pride of place in the courtyard. From reception to the bedrooms, there are works of art everywhere - around 200 in total. A way, as the hotel's website puts it, to give voice to "the essence of contemporary Kyoto".

The unusual zen garden at the Anteroom Hotel

The hotel has therefore swapped the traditional reception desk inside the entrance for an art gallery named Gallery 9.5, where events and temporary exhibitions are organized. A good place for visitors to start, because there are plenty of other works to discover in the corridors and even bedrooms of the hotel!

Works of art at your bedside

The Anteroom Hotel offers two types of room: traditional hotel rooms, with designer furniture and soft colors, but also 8 rooms which are entirely designed by artists and feature a variety of atmospheres.

The bedroom designed by the Tokyo photographer Ninagawa Mika has a flowery and flashy look; there's a pared down and refined atmosphere in the room designed by the sculptor Nawa Kohei, originally from Osaka; the bedroom designed by the Kyoto artist Kaneuji Teppei has an ultra-graphical look; the one by Yanobe Kenji has an offbeat look, with a reworking of certain typical aspects of hotel furnishings... It's an ultra-immersive way of exploring the universe of some recognized contemporary artists.