A garden that condenses Kyoto: Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Ekimae

Right in front of busy Kyoto Station, far from the natural world, we were able to create a small stream reminiscent of the nearby Kamogawa River. Here, in the small courtyard at the entrance to the hotel, we enlivened the stream with a variety of deciduous trees representing Kyoto’s four seasons, and further evoked the city beyond with a selection of the stone structures, including lanterns, that make Kyoto so unique. Because this courtyard is in the middle of the hotel’s entrance, lobby and dining room, we designed it to be beautiful when seen from any angle.

A garden that condenses Kyoto: Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Ekimae: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto - 2020

This garden changes with the seasons around an evocative stream.: Trees, stone and moving water fuse to create the harmonious atmosphere of ancient Kyoto.; Flowing water　characterizes Kyoto, from the surrounding rivers to its picturesque canals. To evoke this, we created a small stream reminiscent of the nearby Kamogawa River, its stone riverbed an essential Kyoto sight. From the back of the garden to the hotel’s entrance, the stream flows through well-placed trees just as the Kamogawa flows through the city, bringing foliage, stone and water into a harmonious unity.

Stone lanterns evoke Kyoto’s hundreds of beautiful temples and shrines.: Lanterns inspired by Byōdō-in temple give the garden a nighttime radiance.; The 1000-year-old Byōdō-in temple in Uji, on Kyoto’s southern edge, is known for its lanterns, and the large specimen that animates this garden draws one's attention into the space, showing the hotel’s respect for Kyoto’s history. Likewise, the use of stone structures throughout the garden anchor the space, lending an effortless authenticity to the hotel experience.

The trees we use come from, and evoke, Japan’s mountains.: In Japan, elegant imperfection is cherished.; Satoyama is the word Japanese use to express the border area between a forested area and flat farmland, and it is this border area that we try to evoke in this garden. To do so, we choose trees actually found in the forest, imperfect but unique specimens that create a natural flavor, planted in asymmetrical fashion, creating a soothingly natural space.

An elegant bamboo fence frames the hotel dining room.: The Koetsu-gaki fence, with its subtle bamboo handiwork, ties the dining room together.; The Koetsu-gaki fence echoes the xx meter long horizontal window of the dining room, a strikingly large frame that gives a sense of volume to the dining room. Diners will enjoy the space the two large shapes create, and may note the large shoji screen on top, a reference to Daitokuji’s Kohoan Bousen, or tea ceremony room.

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This garden changes with the seasons around an evocative stream.

Stone lanterns evoke Kyoto’s hundreds of beautiful temples and shrines.

The trees we use come from, and evoke, Japan’s mountains.

An elegant bamboo fence frames the hotel dining room.

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