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FUFU KYOTO JAPAN
FUFU KYOTO JAPAN
Kyoto, Japan
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Other Projects by NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD
FUFU KYOTO JAPAN
Kyoto, Japan
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2021
SIZE
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft
A Hidden Retreat that Continues Higashiyama Villa Culture
A Place Where Kyoto’s Villa Culture Thrives
The property is located in the Nanzen-ji/Okazaki area － known for its cherry blossoms and autumn foliage － a short distance from downtown Kyoto. It is adjacent to Murin-an, the villa of former Prime Minister Aritomo Yamagata (1838-1922), and the long-established Hyotei traditional Japanese restaurant.
The area was originally part of the Nanzen-ji temple grounds, but shortly after the Meiji Restoration (1868), a government decree led to the sale of most of the land to private individuals. Influential figures from the political and business worlds poured their financial resources and aesthetic sensibilities into the area, competing to build their own villas.
These villas feature numerous renowned gardens characterized by waterways drawn from the Lake Biwa Canal and the “borrowed” scenery of the Higashiyama mountains; many of these were designed by the renowned gardener Ueji, who was known by his formal name: Jihei Ogawa.
The beautiful streetscape created by these vacation homes, which has been preserved to this day, is known as the Nanzen-ji Kaiwai Bessogun (Nanzen-ji Villa Estate District).
The site of FUFU KYOTO was originally built as the vacation home of a local business founder during the Meiji (1868 -1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) eras and was later used as a traditional Japanese restaurant with an accompanying Japanese garden.
Harmonizing with a Locally Nurtured Landscape
In this project, we sought to achieve harmony between the history, the culture, and the landscape that has been nurtured there over so many years. The primary focus lay on creating the dignified ambiance of a residence characteristic of the Nanzen-ji neighborhood, as well as memorable landscapes, to enrich the guest experience. We aimed for a building that would blend harmoniously with its surroundings as part of a new chapter in the area’s history. The architecture was carefully designed to harmonize with this backdrop.
The main gate facing the Lake Biwa Canal is framed by softly contoured Japanese red pines and Japanese maple trees. Large reclaimed kazura-ishi stones － once used in Kyoto residences － have been repurposed as gateposts. As guests pass through the gate, their minds gradually become detached from the outside world; they are welcomed by an interior imbued with the gentle fragrance and aesthetic sensibility of Kyoto.
Preserving and Revitalizing History and Culture
The Japanese garden incorporates the scenery of the Higashiyama mountains － a characteristic feature of gardens in the Nanzen-ji area － and the flow of the Lake Biwa Canal. It has welcomed and delighted visitors since its creation during the Taisho era. The layout of the buildings and the configuration of the guest rooms were planned with the existing garden as the central focal point.
To breathe new life into this site, a detached guesthouse called “Yaehitoe” allows guests to enjoy Japanese and Kyoto culture, including traditional flower arranging and tea ceremonies, as well as bar and banquet events.
In considering the layout, meticulous care was taken to ensure harmony with a landscape that has evolved since the garden’s creation. By keeping the building height as low as possible, the natural forms of the surrounding trees were preserved; furthermore, when the doors and windows are opened, the interior and garden merge seamlessly into a single space, embodying the concept of “a unified house and garden.”
For the main hotel building as well, the design prioritizes the relationship with the garden while allowing guests to fully enjoy the local atmosphere, including the aforementioned Higashiyama mountain range scenery.
To avoid appearing overly imposing to the surrounding single-family homes and apartment buildings, the facade was segmented on a per-guest-room basis to achieve an appropriate sense of scale.
Cascading Light and the Scent of Culture; a Graceful and Elegant Kyoto Resort
A hidden space where light spills through delicate latticework. A sensual aesthetic evoked by lustrous lacquered tables and teaware boxes. The refined Kyoto sensibility is stirred by the dignified presence of iron teapots and hand-washing basins.
The interior design focuses on the richness of the experience created by each element of the room’s decor, thoughtfully scattered throughout the space. Lattices and partitions feature motifs from “Genji-kō” (The Fragrance of Genji), the auspicious “Mokkomon” crest, as well as rugs adorned with the “Yukiwamon” crest, symbolizing the flow of the Lake Biwa Canal. The scent of cherry blossoms and sandalwood wafts through a space adorned with the Kyoto Yuzen (traditional dyeing technique), maki-e (lacquered decorations), and washi (handmade paper) artworks.
We hope this place － where space, light, sound, scent, and cuisine blend seamlessly － will become a place where guests can reflect on Japan's rich cultural and historical heritage, and that people will cherish for many years to come.
Project name: FUFU KYOTO JAPAN
Building use: Hotel
Location: Kyoto city, Kyoto, Japan
Site area: 2,970.78 sqm
Total floor area: 4,858.77 sqm
Number of floors: Four stories above ground, one story below ground
Eave height / maximum height: 10.64 m / 12.40 m
Main structure Main building: Reinforced Concrete construction
Detached guest house: Wood
Completion month/year: January 2021
Client name: Hulic Co., Ltd.
Lead architect: Nikken Sekkei
Main scope of work: Nikken Sekkei（Concept Design, Development Design, Supervision）
TKN・ARCHITECT（General Supervision）
Other collaborating design companies: DRESSED MIND（interior）
BRANCH LIGHTING DESIGN（lighting design）
Construction contractor: Takenaka Corporation
Photo Credits 1: Forward Stroke Inc.
Photo Credits 2: Stirling Elmendorf
Photo Credits 3: Nikken Sekkei
A Place Where Kyoto’s Villa Culture Thrives
The property is located in the Nanzen-ji/Okazaki area － known for its cherry blossoms and autumn foliage － a short distance from downtown Kyoto. It is adjacent to Murin-an, the villa of former Prime Minister Aritomo Yamagata (1838-1922), and the long-established Hyotei traditional Japanese restaurant.
The area was originally part of the Nanzen-ji temple grounds, but shortly after the Meiji Restoration (1868), a government decree led to the sale of most of the land to private individuals. Influential figures from the political and business worlds poured their financial resources and aesthetic sensibilities into the area, competing to build their own villas.
These villas feature numerous renowned gardens characterized by waterways drawn from the Lake Biwa Canal and the “borrowed” scenery of the Higashiyama mountains; many of these were designed by the renowned gardener Ueji, who was known by his formal name: Jihei Ogawa.
The beautiful streetscape created by these vacation homes, which has been preserved to this day, is known as the Nanzen-ji Kaiwai Bessogun (Nanzen-ji Villa Estate District).
The site of FUFU KYOTO was originally built as the vacation home of a local business founder during the Meiji (1868 -1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) eras and was later used as a traditional Japanese restaurant with an accompanying Japanese garden.
Harmonizing with a Locally Nurtured Landscape
In this project, we sought to achieve harmony between the history, the culture, and the landscape that has been nurtured there over so many years. The primary focus lay on creating the dignified ambiance of a residence characteristic of the Nanzen-ji neighborhood, as well as memorable landscapes, to enrich the guest experience. We aimed for a building that would blend harmoniously with its surroundings as part of a new chapter in the area’s history. The architecture was carefully designed to harmonize with this backdrop.
The main gate facing the Lake Biwa Canal is framed by softly contoured Japanese red pines and Japanese maple trees. Large reclaimed kazura-ishi stones － once used in Kyoto residences － have been repurposed as gateposts. As guests pass through the gate, their minds gradually become detached from the outside world; they are welcomed by an interior imbued with the gentle fragrance and aesthetic sensibility of Kyoto.
Preserving and Revitalizing History and Culture
The Japanese garden incorporates the scenery of the Higashiyama mountains － a characteristic feature of gardens in the Nanzen-ji area － and the flow of the Lake Biwa Canal. It has welcomed and delighted visitors since its creation during the Taisho era. The layout of the buildings and the configuration of the guest rooms were planned with the existing garden as the central focal point.
To breathe new life into this site, a detached guesthouse called “Yaehitoe” allows guests to enjoy Japanese and Kyoto culture, including traditional flower arranging and tea ceremonies, as well as bar and banquet events.
In considering the layout, meticulous care was taken to ensure harmony with a landscape that has evolved since the garden’s creation. By keeping the building height as low as possible, the natural forms of the surrounding trees were preserved; furthermore, when the doors and windows are opened, the interior and garden merge seamlessly into a single space, embodying the concept of “a unified house and garden.”
For the main hotel building as well, the design prioritizes the relationship with the garden while allowing guests to fully enjoy the local atmosphere, including the aforementioned Higashiyama mountain range scenery.
To avoid appearing overly imposing to the surrounding single-family homes and apartment buildings, the facade was segmented on a per-guest-room basis to achieve an appropriate sense of scale.
Cascading Light and the Scent of Culture; a Graceful and Elegant Kyoto Resort
A hidden space where light spills through delicate latticework. A sensual aesthetic evoked by lustrous lacquered tables and teaware boxes. The refined Kyoto sensibility is stirred by the dignified presence of iron teapots and hand-washing basins.
The interior design focuses on the richness of the experience created by each element of the room’s decor, thoughtfully scattered throughout the space. Lattices and partitions feature motifs from “Genji-kō” (The Fragrance of Genji), the auspicious “Mokkomon” crest, as well as rugs adorned with the “Yukiwamon” crest, symbolizing the flow of the Lake Biwa Canal. The scent of cherry blossoms and sandalwood wafts through a space adorned with the Kyoto Yuzen (traditional dyeing technique), maki-e (lacquered decorations), and washi (handmade paper) artworks.
We hope this place － where space, light, sound, scent, and cuisine blend seamlessly － will become a place where guests can reflect on Japan's rich cultural and historical heritage, and that people will cherish for many years to come.
Project name: FUFU KYOTO JAPAN
Building use: Hotel
Location: Kyoto city, Kyoto, Japan
Site area: 2,970.78 sqm
Total floor area: 4,858.77 sqm
Number of floors: Four stories above ground, one story below ground
Eave height / maximum height: 10.64 m / 12.40 m
Main structure Main building: Reinforced Concrete construction
Detached guest house: Wood
Completion month/year: January 2021
Client name: Hulic Co., Ltd.
Lead architect: Nikken Sekkei
Main scope of work: Nikken Sekkei（Concept Design, Development Design, Supervision）
TKN・ARCHITECT（General Supervision）
Other collaborating design companies: DRESSED MIND（interior）
BRANCH LIGHTING DESIGN（lighting design）
Construction contractor: Takenaka Corporation
Photo Credits 1: Forward Stroke Inc.
Photo Credits 2: Stirling Elmendorf
Photo Credits 3: Nikken Sekkei
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