Hiiragiya

>Japanese

In a warm and hospitable space that symbolizes Kyoto, guests can feel at ease as if they have returned home.

Hiiragiya was founded in 1818 (Bunsei 1). Hiiragiya is well known as long-established inn representing Kyoto where they have welcomed (accommodated) many guest from Japan and aboad.  It is unbelievable the building so tranquility sits the city. The inn’s main building has guestrooms from various periods including Edo, Meiji, and Showa period, while the new building, of modern mastery craftsmanship with originality, consist of spaces and rooms full of discoveries and excitement. The inn’s attempts to protect tradition while skillfully integrate modern techniques and ideas overlaps with Kyoto’s spirit to discover new ideas by learning from the past. “Since the olden days, it is a place with class without the pretentiousness” is a phrase that characterizes the inn by the literary giant, Yasunari Kawabata, who was its regular guest. Underlying Mr. Kawabata’s idea is the sign hung at the inn’s entrance that reads “All those who come are those returning home”. Everything guests may need is fully prepared as the inn’s philosophy is to do everything possible to make its guest feel at home. Even guest visiting for the first time can feel the joy of staying in Kyoto through its warm hospitality.

 
While utilizing the remnants from Edo, Meiji and Showa period, the inn has skillfully added touches to the old building to achieve both safety and comfort required for the modern time.

The masterpieces of historical importance in each room are a treat for the eyes. The fans painted on the fusuma (sliding doors) are from the Edo period. The congratulatory words hung over the fusuma was written by General Heihachirou Tōgō in celebration for the enthronement of the Taisho Emperor.

This is the room where Mr. Yasunari Kawabata stayed every time he visited Kyoto. He wrote, “As I sit in Hiragiya to watch and listen to the rain in the late spring, there was a nostalgic Japanese tranquility.” True to his words, it is a tranquil space surrounded by a lush Japanese garden.

Looking at the writing desk, guests can imagine the Showa literary giant at work.

The new building is a modern, artistic space with creative originality added to existing traditions. Instead of a hanging scroll in the tokonoma (the alcove), the space was replaced with a glass window that looks into the garden on the other side.

Through the hands of the Living National Treasure, Mr. Nakagawa Kiyotsugu showcased the skills of modern craftsmanship on the lignitized Japanese cedar floorboards in this room.

The room is equipped with a semi open-air bath made from Japanese umbrella pine. The Living National Treasure, Mr. Nakagawa Kiyotsugu, and his son Shuji, who has taken up on woodcrafting as a part of Nakagawa MOKKOUGEI, created the bathtub.

The lacquered floor with a gentle curve into the wall is a fine play on light. The glistening craftwork combined with the reflection of the hanging scroll is a beauty that captivates the eyes.

The Kyoto kaiseki cuisine here is made with carefully selected fresh seasonal ingredients through the hands of talented chefs and served in special vessels such as Kiyomizuyaki.

The name of the inn came from Hiraki Shine, an auxiliary shrine to the Shimogamo Shrine that the founder believed in. Guests can find charming holly motifs, which are related to the inn’s name, throughout the building and it is a pleasure that can only be enjoyed here. There is a room in the new building with Japanese wallpaper depicting holly leaves dancing in the light.

Various original products with holly motifs are also available in the souvenir corner.

A hall in the new building without a single pillar allows guests to see the views of Kyoto reflected on the plants surrounding the three sides of the hall. It evokes a feeling of being in nature. The hall can serve multiple purposes, from meals on chairs to gatherings of different kinds.

Hiiragiya
https://www.hiiragiya.co.jp