Ace Hotel Kyoto

Worth getting out of bed for

The Ace group have a knack for placing themselves at the centre of the action, and Ace Hotel Kyoto’s Nakagyo Ward setting hits the bullseye for easy exploring. Much like the hotel, it’s an alluring mix of ancient and modern, but you’re just a geta hobble away from the historic Gion district if you’re yearning for rows of small and perfectly formed wooden machiya, sightings of graceful maiko and geiko, and a snap of Hokan-ji temple's famous Yasaka pagoda. Admire the feudal architecture (including squeaky ‘nightingale’ floors, said to alert guards to intruders) at 17th-century Nijo Castle, and the majesty of the vast complex of the 19th-century Imperial Palace. Then take a very deep dive into local culture and craft, with stops at the International Manga Museum, which has make-your-own workshops and curious casts of over 100 artists’ hands; the Kunjyukan incense museum, where you can take a fragrance walk, find your own scent, and join the makers; the Samurai and Ninja Museum has imposing works of armour (and art), very fine swords, and you can learn some combat skills. Discover the exquisite dyeing art – and try your hand – at Kyo-Yuzen Workshop Studio Marumasu; or simply observe at venues such as the school and exhibition space Kyoto Art Center, or the elegantly housed Kyoto City Museum of Art, one of the oldest of its kind in Japan. Hosoo might be a store, but with hundreds of years under its perfectly crafted obi belt, and 20 steps required to make its signature Nishijin textiles, it feels more like much more than shopping. POJ Studio’s craft kits, ​​Shigaraki ceramics and washi placemats deserve suitcase space too, alongside Takamura’s bamboo sake decanters and finds from the Heian Shrine Antique Market. 

Speaking of shrines, there are more than you could possibly meditate at in Kyoto – but be sure to float through Fushimi Inari’s scarlet torii gates, hike up to Kiyomizu-dera (at its best during sakura or momiji seasons), and catch the glint of Kinkaku-ji’s golden pavilion. Or the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is a touch quieter and notable for its army of expressive statues. And don’t forget to set aside some strolling time – particularly picturesque spots for it are Gion’s Hanmikoji Street, riverine Kiyamachi-dori, tree-lined Philosopher’s Walk, or Taishogun Street, which is lined with little folkloric yokai creatures. And you’re just a block or two away from where the Kamo River cleaves through; its banks are popular for biking and sundown walks (the hotel can help with hire). 

Local restaurants

Kaiseiki dining – where a succession of chef-chosen work-of-art small plates arrive at your table in succession – has its roots in Kyoto, and you’re not far from gastro-hub Osaka and Kobe’s famed pastures. The inspiration behind western haute cuisine, these meals don’t come cheap, but they guarantee a wonderful performance of dining theatre and truly unique eats. Sakuragawa is a good place to start, where just 10 diners gather round a counter to watch the chef prep what’s in season, say mackerel sashimi with bonito, persimmon in sesame sauce, shrimp with mushrooms and other bite-size delicacies, washed down with sake and plum wine. For something more quick, cheap and filling, Omen – a good one we assure you – has steaming bowls of slurpable udon noodles with various seasonal toppings; Honke Owariya is renowned for its flavourful soba noodles; or Isakichi in Gion serves bubbling hot-pots until 3am. Monk is, again, diminutive, seating up to 15, but worth squeezing into for either the tasting of chef’s choice menus, both of which include owner Yoshihiro Imai’s signature pizzas, topped with edible chrysanthemum, butterbur sprout, or whatever the harvest dictates. And Lurra innovates further, combining Kyoto flavours with Nordic cookery – say, radish dipped in ramson butter with nasturtium and trout roe; dashi soup with green-onion rice and confit soft-shell turtle; or beeswax ice-cream with mead and crispy bee larvae. 

Local cafés

Nishiki Market is an enjoyable sensory overload of produce-laden stalls, visceral seafood displays and street-food stops. Be bold and munch your way through sticks of takotamago (unerringly lifelike mini octopi stuffed with a boiled egg), tempura conger-eel bites, sushi topped with meltingly soft beef slices, sweet rice dumplings, and fruit and cream sandwiches. After all that excitement, find a moment of calm at Ippodo tea room, where age-old methods of preparation and pouring can be observed. For the full geisha-guided experience, try Camellia, or Gion’s famous centuries-old Ichiriki Chaya – if you’re lucky enough to be invited. Café Violon is a bit of a departure, dressed as a Viennese music hall, but serves good coffee with a side of chamber music, and Kinse Inn was once a brothel, but now shows more above-board hospitality to lunch-ers in its throwback dining hall.

Local bars

The Ace’s ace is its suite of bars, so you could knock back a few (hard) Italian lemonades on the rooftop and frozen margs till late in Piopiko and call it a night, but there are some exciting, forward-facing drinkeries in this historic city. Kyoto Brewing Co is another successful California crossover, upholding a different kind of craft tradition, refreshingly so – there’s a tap room and smattering of alfresco tables for trying their wares. And sultry bijou bar L’escamoteur is run by a former magician, which tells you most of what you need to know about the kind of offbeat night you’ll have here – secure the swing seat and admire the curious contraptions on display. No hocus-pocus, the cocktail alchemy is strong here. Chrome Natural Wine Life has a worldly bottle selection and snacks to enhance each sip (shrimp with kiwi ceviche, mozzarella and strawberry caprese), and Before9 is lively and locally loved.