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A place of supreme hospitality that brings together preeminent traditional Japanese craftsmanship

The Kyoto State Guest House was opened in April 2005 in Kyoto - a city steeped in rich cultural heritage dating back to its founding as the capital in the Heian period - to cordially welcome overseas dignitaries, and enable them to deepen their understanding of Japan and further mutual international friendship. Since July 2016, the facility is open to the public throughout the year.

Kyoto State Guest House stands in the northeastern part of Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, surrounded by a Tsukiji wall (formal roofed mud-clay perimeter wall). The house is redolent of Sukiya-zukuri architecture with half-hipped roofs incorporated in a design policy aiming to create a modern Japanese style that combines the traditional beauty of Japanese architecture with the latest architectural technology. The main doors are made from a single piece of 700-year-old zelkova wood. When dignitaries are received, folding screens and flower arrangements are placed in the entrance area beyond these doors, creating a welcoming ambiance of hospitality. Each room has its own role, with the Juraku-no-Ma in the lobby lined with easy chairs crafted by Kyoto joiners, offering dignitaries and their aides comfortable seating while they wait. The Yubae-no-Ma, adorned on the east and west walls with tapestries, Hiei Getsuei and Atago Yusho, woven from a Japanese artist’s sketch designs, is used for gatherings, such as ministerial meetings, Ryurei tea ceremonies and waiting for the commencement of banquets. The Fuji-no-Ma, which is the largest in this State Guest House, is used for Western-style banquets and welcoming ceremonies, with traditional Japanese performing arts, including classical dance, Noh, and koto (zither) sometimes performed on stage. The Kiri-no-Ma is a Japanese banquet room where Japanese food is served. During meals, geisha dance, bringing charm to banquets. Outside, the garden is arranged to blend in with surrounding architecture, based on the philosophy of unity between garden and buildings. Moreover, a traditional Japanese boat is moored on the pond for overseas dignitaries to enjoy boating if they wish.

The guided tour of Kyoto State Guest House takes about 90 minutes, and not only allows visitors to bask in the ambiance of a “place of hospitality”, but also enjoy a stroll while taking in the mastery of traditional techniques, such as lacquer, mother-of-pearl, maki-e (gold/silver motifs on lacquer) and kirikane (cut gold) decorating furnishings throughout the house.