Entering Hotel Sowaka in Kyoto's famous Gion district feels like stepping onto the set of the Disney+ series "Shōgun". Guests leave their shoes – and any expectations of a typical hotel stay – at the front door and enter an establishment where old-world Japanese charm meets modern boutique hotel.
The building is 110 years old and for its first century housed a tearoom. When the Sowaka was opened in 2018 (and its annexe in 2019), the tearoom's outdoor cooking stoves and well were preserved – a symbol of the current owners' regard for its history. A low-ceilinged hallway of Japanese plaster and varnished dark wood lead to a lounge with tatami mat floor, wooden beams and stylish contemporary furniture that lets the building do the talking.
Traditional shoji (rice paper) doors and original sliding windows abound, whisking guests back in time – much of the edifice and its magnificent Japanese garden of maple and zelkova trees are original.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Minimalist rooms still have all the creature comforts guests are looking for
(Image credit: Sowaka Hotel)
Despite its traditional look, the hotel offers most modern amenities expected from a five-star hotel, including European mattresses rather than futons, bathrooms with walk-in rainfall showers and wifi. A glaring absence is no TV. Instead, you'll find a meditation corner with a low chair and bell, encouraging guests to find their zen.
My deluxe suite was in the annexe, with traditional tatami surrounding the giant bed but modern hardwood floors under the lounge area. There, sofas and a table offered a perfect spot for lounging between sightseeing trips. Complimentary soft drinks and beers in the fridge are welcome, and a wall of glass overlooking a mini-courtyard floods the room with light and provides a restful oasis.
The bathroom is minimalist modern in dark grey with double sinks, aforesaid rainfall shower, and one of those smart toilets with bells and whistles like a bidet. The Sowaka's nod to old Japan is a delightful cedar wood bath rather than an ordinary tub; compact but deep and overlooking the restful private courtyard, it gave off the most delicious wood scent as I soaked my aching limbs.
Eating and drinking
The Gion Loka restaurant offers a 'taste sensation'
(Image credit: Sowaka Hotel)
Meals at the Sowaka are served in the restaurant Gion Loka, an intimate space with a long bar made from a polished tree trunk – a perfect perch for breakfast – and a selection of tables. I recommend the Japanese breakfast, an Instagrammable bento box of about 30 delights, quite a few of which I couldn't name but which were a taste sensation – morsels of fresh fish and pickled vegetables and tofu, packed with umami flavours. Once the sun sets, dinner brings traditional Japanese food elevated to innovative new heights with temptations such as grilled black cod with Saikyo miso, deep-fried pork cutlets and succulent Wagyu fillet steak.
For dinner on the town, head to Pontocho Alley, a car-free thoroughfare near the river lit with colourful paper lanterns and packed with traditional buildings housing restaurants and bars. After queuing for a table at Sushi Kizaemon, we were rewarded with a feast of melt-in-the-mouth smoked eel, prawn and salmon sushi. A few steps further on, we found a delightful hole-in-the-wall okonomiyaki restaurant, Kiraku, where health and safety were cast aside as we fried up fresh pancakes of cabbage and prawns on a red-hot griddle at our table.
What to do
The Yasaka Pagoda dominates the skyline
(Image credit: Carl Court / Getty Images)
Japan's ancient capital, Kyoto, was deliberately spared Allied bombing during the Second World War to preserve its cultural landmarks. In stark contrast to Tokyo's neighbourhoods of glass and steel, Kyoto's historic areas – particularly Gion, where the Sowaka is located – feature streets of historic low-rise wooden machiya houses, originally home to artisans and merchants. As Kyoto's most famous geisha district, these distinctively dressed women (as well as tourists dressed in rented geisha outfits) are highly visible. Stroll through the charming Higashiyama area, where sloping streets are lined with classical buildings turned into cafes and restaurants and shops selling pottery, spices and jewellery.
Hop on a local train to the Fushimi Inari Shrine in southern Kyoto, 1,300 years old and famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that visitors walk through as they wind through a wooded forest to the summit of Mount Inari (though you can take shorter routes, as we did). Dedicated to the Shinto god of rice for prosperous businesses and bountiful harvests, it's a one-of-a-kind sight.
You could spend days visiting all of Kyoto's eye-catching ancient temples. My favourites were the Yasaka Pagoda (also called Hokan-ji Temple), which dominates the Higashiyama district's skyline and is an intricate five-story wooden temple occasionally open to the public and particularly striking when lit up at night. Another head-turner is the red-and-white Yasaka Shrine in Gion, 1,350 years old and comprising an offering hall and inner sanctuary. It comes alive at night thanks to strings of bright lanterns.
The verdict
(Image credit: Sowaka)
A stylish fusion of old and new Japan awaits you at Sowaka. With just 23 rooms plus a cosy lounge, tea room and restaurant, this boutique hotel offers an upmarket antidote to bigger hotel chains.
Japan's surname conundrum
Holy mate-trimony: the rise of 'friendship marriages'
The rise and rise of VTubers
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
6 stellar noctourism adventures
Why Japanese residents can't watch their country's Oscar-nominated #MeToo documentary
Fukuoka: a Japanese metropolis with vibrant history, superb eating and less tourists
How to celebrate New Year's Eve globally without leaving home
