Stunned, big-eyed and in awe, we absorbed this 114 square meter piece of heaven. Ours, for a short but meditative time. Rena, director of this two suite Kyoto hotel, welcomed us with a cup of chilled oolong tea and walked us through each room. Bijuu suite 501 is the kind of place that leaves no senses untouched, where every detail aims to leave you rested and mindful. The mildly scented air, modern art that makes your thoughts wander, soothing tunes written uniquely for this space, discrete heat of the Japanese sauna and featherlight jet from the rainforest shower. Our stay was an incredible experience. One that we are grateful to tell you about with the pictures and captions below.
Bijuu's design is a mix of traditional and modern Japanese, with a few international elements for harmony. We loved how the bare concrete walls met brick-stone, and how the minimalism was softened by contrasting pieces. The Japanese bath tub in the middle of the living room really made this place very unique and made the stay unforgettable.
As you might guess, all interior items are carefully collected. The bed is dressed in the softest of linen from Italian brand Society Limonta, the shampoo from Philip B leaves your hair with a shimmer of gold and the pyjamas are custom crafted solely for Bijuu.
The beautiful 'Ikebana', a Japanese flower arrangement, brightened up the livingroom as a fine piece of art.
An exclusive Chemex coffee maker, fresh beans, grinder and tea. We loved preparing a pot of fresh coffee, whilst gazing at the mesmerizing view of the Kyoto mountains and canal.
In the morning, we were brought a traditional Japanese breakfast to enjoy by the bathtub table section. A sensational experience. The breakfast changes daily. You can choose between traditional Japanese or Western-style breakfast. Our traditional Japanese breakfast consisted of white rice, picked vegetables, miso soup, grapes, tofu and a delightful green tea.
The room has beautiful pottery from Japanese ceramic brand 1616 / Arita Japan.
In Japanese culture, a bathtub is an essentiality, a space for relaxation. At Bijuu, this tradition is upheld by the bathtub placement as the living room centrepiece. The bath had a constant temperature of 40 degrees, which meant that we could jump in whenever we wanted to relax.
A small wooden box with chop sticks, 2 types of green tea and a tea pot.
The softest hand and face towels. Also the bathroom had a fresh Mason Pearson hairbrush.
Ollie enjoying the view of the Kyoto mountains with a cup of green Sencha tea.
The suite had previously been visited by a Japanese musician who recorded 4 tracks in the suite. These 4 tracks (each about an hour long) were made specifically for this suite to capture the atmosphere of the place. You could also just plug in your own iPhone and play whatever music you felt like.
The Japanese sauna had 2 stone beds - one for each of us. Being in the sauna was the ultimate relaxation. You lie down for 15 minutes and let the warm stone warm up your body after which you'll feel like a new human being.
The bathrobes were made of the softest cotton. It was quite clear that everything in this suite was of the finest quality.
The bathroom.
A full view of the Japanese sauna, which had enough room for 2 people to relax.
The view over the Kyoto mountains, temples and canal.
A big thank you to Hotel Director Rena, and the rest of the crew at Bijuu Hotel, for making this stay magical and for ever memorable. We cannot recommend Bijuu enough for anyone who wants to be swept off their feet with luxury, and enjoy magical Kyoto at its best.
Head over to bijuu.jp for more information and to make your reservation.