Banyan Tree Group Opens Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto Hotel

26.June.2022 | SPOT

Banyan Tree Group, one of the world’s leading independent hospitality groups, held the grand opening of Galleria Nijo Castle Kyoto, on Friday, June 17, 2022. This is the first of the group’s hotels to open in Japan.

 

Hotel Exterior

 

Located south of Nijo Castle, a World Heritage Site, and named after the beautiful winter flower, Galleria Nijo Castle Kyoto is a small, modern, and minimalist luxury hotel that offers simple guests a chance to recharge themselves.

Wellbeing Room

 


For the grand opening, a new Wellbeing Room has been opened where visitors can experience quiet meditation.

 

Visitors can stroll through nearby gardens, temples, and shrines, take a tour of Kyoto’s many historical sites, or spend time in the Wellbeing Room meditating or practicing yoga to recharge their batteries away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

 

The French Restaurant Singular will also offer up healthy and tasty meals with a focus on local ingredients and producers.


Enjoy a visit to Kyoto in this peaceful space perfect for resting both body and soul.

RELATED ENTRIES

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    Hoshinoya Tokyo, a traditional ryokan in Otemachi, has announced the New Year’s Kabuki Plan, a two-day, one-night stay from January 5 until January 7, 2023. During the Edo Period, citizens enjoyed watching Kabuki plays during the New Year’s holidays, often sipping tea at connected teahouses. This event will invite visitors to experience what this was like, complete with traditional food and decorations.

     

    Watching Kabuki was a chic way for those in Edo to ring in the new year. Theater teahouses were also a popular gathering place–along with arranging tickets, the teahouses offered plot notes, tea, sweets, boxed lunches, snacks, and other drinks.*

    *Hiroshi Fujita, Yoshihide Tomizawa (2012) / The Updated Kabuki Dictionary, Kashiwa Shobo

     

    Relax Before Enjoying Tea and a Play

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    At theater teahouses in the Edo period, sake, snacks, and desserts were served one after another. During this special event, a menu inspired by this practice and prepared by Hoshinoya Tokyo Executive Chef Noriyuki Hamada will be served! Soba noodles were often served after a play in the past. Inspired by this tradition, Mont Blanc made with chestnut paste and sponge cake will be served up to look like this popular dish. Paired with a dessert wine aged in oak barrels, the sweet will be served in a traditional lacquerware basket. In addition, the dish will be paired with Wasabi Pralines, Shichimi Meringue, and Ginger Pate de Fruits. 

    Take a Rickshaw to the Kabuki-za Theater

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  • Final Fantasy Artist Yoshitaka Amano Holds Art Exhibition at Myoshin-ji in Kyoto

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    After the exhibition, the main art piece by Yoshitaka himself will be converted to 3DCG, and a Virtual Golden World will be developed in collaboration with the Yoshitaka Amano VR Museum. By integrating traditional and modern art methods, guests will be able to engage more deeply in the art by enjoying digital works, the metaverse, and NFTs.

     

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  • Collaboration NFTs Highlight Drafts of Kyoto’s Traditional Painted Silk

    28.November.2022 | FASHION

    The NFT marketplace HINATA will start selling collaborative pieces on November 25, combining classical drafts of Kyoto printed silk images with modern art pieces by up-and-coming creators.

     

    Kyoto Printed Silk Draft x Modern Ukiyo-e Artist Ono Tako

    Draft (Left) and Spring Dreamland – Sunshine by Ono Tako

     

    Ono Tako is a modern-day ukiyo-e artist who creates unique paintings combining Eastern and Western elements.

     

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    A total of six works will be available in two variations: the soft and warm Sun and the calm and tranquil Shade. 



    Ono Tako: https://twitter.com/ono800

     

    Kyoto Printed Silk Draft x Illustrator Omulettomato

    Draft (Left) and Full Moon by Omulettomato

     

    Omulettomato is an illustrator who is rapidly gaining popularity for their feminine portraits.

     

    Three different drafts depicting beautiful Japanese nature have been combined and transformed into a modern lady with moe elements.

     


    A total of eight works will be available in three variations: Daybreak, Sunrise, and Full Moon.


    Omulettomato: http://omutoma.tumblr.com

     

    Enjoy this curious collaboration and own a piece of classical and modern Japanese culture.

  • NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO to be Held at Ninna-ji, a World Heritage Site

    22.November.2022 | FASHION / SPOT

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    NAKED Distanced Lanterns


    NAKED Tsukubai

    Five-Storied Pagoda Projection Mapping


    DANDELION PROJECT

    Virtual Fashion Show


    Limited Edition Paper Goshuin

    This year’s event also includes the DANDELION PROJECT, popular with art fans around the world. Created by Ryotaro Muramatsu, the art project has appeared in a number of towns and cities around the world, inviting participants to create flowers and send them around the globe digitally as a hope for peace. Visitors can use their smartphones to send dandelion fluff digitally to other participants around the world, sharing a wish for world peace. 

     

    This year, the participatory art piece was installed in the main temple. Why not visit this stunning exhibition in Kyoto this winter? 

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    21.November.2022 | FASHION

    Global creative agency monopo is teaming up with Shokuraku Asano, a 100-year-old obi maker from Kyoto! The company is working to create a digital experience for interested viewers, sharing each artisan’s personal story. Those who love Japanese culture are welcome to enjoy traditional Japanese crafts in an entirely new way!

     

    Using a one-of-a-kind QR obi, a new storytelling method is showing off the hard work and love that goes into the company’s textiles. A special website and video allow interested viewers to experience the process of making an obi digitally, simply by using their smartphone. Even those unable to visit Japan to see these obi in person can dive into the history of the area’s textiles and become more acquainted with one part of Kyoto’s manufacturing culture. 

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    We applaud monopo’s attempt to share this incredible traditional Japanese craftsmanship with people around the world. 

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    From November 11 until December 8, a series of Kyoto-inspired Jujutsu Kaisen goods will be on sale outside the West Gate at JR Kyoto Station! Along with the merchandise, fans will also be able to snag local foods at the exhibition. 

     

    Collaborative Packaging: Local Products from Kyoto

    *The products shown are under development and may change slightly. 

     

    Purchase Bonus: Limited Edition Kyoto Postcard

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    *Postcards from the Sendai venue will not be available.

    *Postcards will only be available while supplies last.

     

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    ©芥見下々/集英社・呪術廻戦製作委員会

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    From December 10 until December 25, the Light and Food Ensemble event will be held in the garden of the Kyoto National Museum.

     

    A new projection mapping show featuring enormous flowers will be shown on the wall of the Meiji Kotokan Hall, unchanged since its opening in 1897. The history of Kyoto will take center stage, however–NAKED is only there to make it all the more impressive.

     

    NAKED will also collaborate with Kojima Shouten for the first time, decorating the venue with the local company’s famous lanterns.

     

    At the venue, local shops from Kyoto will be selling sweets to guests. Come enjoy Kyoto in a whole new way during this exclusive winter event!

  • Final Fantasy Artist Yoshitaka Amano Holds Art Exhibition at Myoshin-ji in Kyoto

    10.November.2022 | FASHION

    Yoshitaka Amano, known by international fans as the artist behind the legendary Final Fantasy video game series, is celebrating his 70th birthday with a unique art project in Kyoto. 

     

    The exhibition will be held at Myoshin-ji, the head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Stepping into the temple, guests will be met with colorful autumn leaves and a sea of gold and blue art pieces.


    “I want people to enter this world of light and experience being part of it,” Amano said. “Rather than art being something flat on a wall, I want to present something new and unique.” This collection of works was designed to question visitors’ sensibilities and provide a new kind of art exhibition for fans to enjoy.

     

    The main art piece, newly painted by Amano himself, will be on display in the Dharma Hall, which was decorated by one of Kano Tan’yu’s masterpieces. Tan’yu was an Edo-period painter. 

     

    The three meter tall column features Amano’s own interpretation of Hiten, part of Mount Meru, a part of Buddhism cosmology considered to be the centre of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes. Four smaller pieces will be displayed on all four sides to create a three-dimensional mandala. 

  • NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO Night Walk Project Invites Guests to Stroll Through the Tale of Genji

    28.October.2022 | SPOT

    From November 11 until December 4, NAKED will hold the unique NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO event in Uji. The one-of-a-kind art project is being produced through a partnership with Kyoto City, Uji City, and Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture. Several events and art exhibitions will appear in the Kyoto area until December 25, 2022.

     

    The project first began on September 15 at Kyoto City Hall, and it will move to Uji on November 11. NAKED’s unique digital art will bring color to Uji, a place steeped in Japanese history and the heart of Japanese tea culture. The Asagiri Bridge, appearing in The Tale of Genji, will be illuminated, and the Zen temple Kosho-ji will be offering tea ceremonies and a digital teamaking experience for guests to enjoy. NAKED’s popular Distance Lanterns will return, allowing visitors to explore Uji at night while properly socially distancing. 

     

    At Kosho-ji, guests can enjoy the renewed DANDELION PROJECT. Created by Ryotaro Muramatsu, the art project has appeared in a number of towns and cities around the world, inviting participants to create flowers and send them around the globe digitally as a hope for peace. Visitors can use their smartphones to send dandelion fluff with their name on it to the metaverse version of Kosho-ji and beyond, eventually causing a digital flower to bloom. 

     

    Why not come take a quiet walk through the streets of Uji, Kyoto? 

     

     

    Works

     

    Urasenke Tea Ceremony and Digital Teamaking Experience

     

    『DANDELION PROJECT』by RYOTARO MURAMATSU / NAKED

     

    NAKED Distance Lantern®︎

     

    Asagiri Bridge and Kotosaka Interactive Illuminations

     

    NAKED Tsukubai®︎

     

    Chazuna’s New Mobility C⁺walkT Experience

  • Sanrio Characters, Representatives of Japanese Pop Culture, Gather in Kyoto

    09.October.2022 | SPOT

    The 60th Anniversary Sanrio Exhibition: The Beginning of Kawaii will be held at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art from October 7 until December 11, 2022. Cinnamoroll, the grand prize winner of the 2022 Sanrio Character Awards, visited the event on opening day, and second place winner Pompompurin visited on October 8. 

     

    The exhibition itself traces the long and storied history of Sanrio, as the company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020. Guests will be able to learn more about ‘kawaii culture,’ something that has since garnered worldwide attention and become massively popular with audiences around the globe. Fans of specific Sanrio characters will be able to see how each was designed, and rare drawings and products will be on display.


    Visitors will be able to trace how Sanrio developed each character’s personality and style over time, and will surely see how the company placed major importance on communication with audiences. Sanrio’s characters continue to transcend time, popular with people of all ages.

  • NAKED FLOWERS 2022 Autumn to Open at Nijo Castle in Kyoto

    05.October.2022 | FASHION / SPOT

    NAKED will hold the NAKED FLOWERS 2022 Autumn event at Nijo Castle, a World Heritage Site in Kyoto! The event will run from October 28 until December 4 and will feature both real and digital art, including a virtual experience in the Metaverse.

     

    The phoenix depicted on the Kara-mon of Nijo Castle will be the guide for the exhibition, which will take visitors on a tour of the property, decorated and transformed by NAKED’s art. Visitors can enjoy the fantastic night view of Nijo Castle, which includes historical buildings such as the Ninomaru Palace (National Treasure), the Great Eastern Gate (Important Cultural Property), and the Kara-mon. A projection-mapping show will shine across the Kara-mon, and fall colors will light up the night sky. On the stone wall of the inner moat, phoenixes will fly, and visitors can take part! In the garden, food and beverage stalls will provide plenty of autumn sweets and hot drinks from the popular cafe TREE by NAKED Yoyogi Park. 

     

    Guests can also see a collaborative work between artist Ryotaro Muramatsu and Yuki Ikenobo, the headmaster of the historical flower arrangement school Ikenobo. Visible in both the real world and the Metaverse, the interactive art piece will invite visitors to create their own flower arrangements using digital flowers. Why not come create a piece of your own art using flowers that will never wilt? 

     

    Kara-mon, Important Cultural Property
    Projection-Mapping


    Special Scenic Spot – Ninomaru Garden
    Illumination


    Inner Moat
    Interactive Experience / Projection-Mapping Show


    Koun-tei
    Illumination


    NAKED’s Art to Prevent Disease
    NAKED Tsukubai®︎


    Seiryuu Garden
    Illumination


    Front Garden
    DANDELION PROJECT


    Front Garden
    Ryotaro Muramatsu x Flower Arrangement School Ikenobo’s Headmaster Yuki Ikenobo
    Collaboration Work (Both real and linked to the Metaverse)

  • Attack on Titan Playing Cards Win Big at the Ani-Monozukuri Awards 2022

    02.October.2022 | ANIME&GAME

    At the 5th annual Kyoto Ani-Monozukuri Awards 2022, a collection of Attack on Titan playing cards made in traditional Japanese style took the Gold Prize in the Craft Design category. In Japanese, monozukuri means ‘to make something by hand.’

     

    The Kyoto Ani-Monozukuri Awards aims to revitalize business between the anime industry and local companies and organizations. It honors outstanding collaborative products, inviting those with a creative streak to try their luck at designing something uniquely anime-inspired. This year’s awards show saw 157 total entries, with one winning the grand prize, seven winning both gold and silver, and six winning bronze.

     

    Charaditional Toys was launched this year, and the company aims to create items for adults who love anime characters. The Gold Award was granted to the company after judges were inspired by the traditional Japanese craftsmanship and high quality shown in the final product. Made by Oishi Tengudo, a company founded in Kyoto in 1800, the cards were made using classic methods. These 48 original playing cards are like nothing fans of Attack on Titan have seen before. 

     

    A second project is scheduled for release in winter 2022, so stay tuned!

     

    ©諫山創・講談社/「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会

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