Luxury Hotel · Japan
Four Seasons, Kyoto
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At a glance
Built around Shakusui-en, an 800-year-old pond garden, with Edomae sushi, a maiko performance series, and the temples of Higashiyama on the doorstep.
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto sits in the Higashiyama district, built around Shakusui-en, an 800-year-old circuit-style pond garden that was originally laid out at the end of the Heian Period. The 10,000 sqm garden is one of the few of its kind still in existence, and the hotel is designed to open up onto it from nearly every angle.
The location puts the city’s main draws within walking or short-drive distance, including the temples of Higashiyama, the historic streets of Gion, and the geisha districts that anchor traditional Kyoto. The hotel was ranked the sixth-best in Japan in the 2025 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards.
Rooms run from Premier Heritage Garden Rooms with direct garden views to the two-bedroom Presidential Suite on the fourth floor. Suites and residences come with private balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Highlights
- Built around Shakusui-en, an 800-year-old pond garden laid out at the end of the Heian Period, with rooms and suites opening directly onto the grounds.
- Edomae omakase at Sushi Ginza Onodera, with seven to ten varieties of nigiri sourced from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market and Hokkaido.
- Live maiko performances in the lobby twice a week, with a meet-and-greet across the hotel’s restaurants afterwards.
Accommodation
Premier Heritage Garden Room
Specialty room category, with views directly onto Shakusui-en pond garden. Available with either a king bed or two doubles, sleeps up to three with a sofabed or rollaway. Pet-friendly room type.
One-Bedroom Premier Heritage
A large suite with separate living and sleeping spaces, both lit by natural light, and a Zen-style bathroom. Sleeps up to four including up to three children. Connecting rooms are available for families.
Two-Bedroom Kyoto Residence
The largest residence at the hotel, with floor-to-ceiling city skyline views, two private balconies, and a dining room that seats six. Comes with a fully equipped kitchen, washer, and a dedicated guest experience ambassador.
Two-Bedroom Presidential Suite
The largest hotel suite in Kyoto, on the fourth floor with extra-tall ceilings and a 10 sqm balcony. Layout runs to two bedrooms, a separate living and dining room, and a private pantry for cocktail prep. Sleeps four.
Further information
Dining
The hotel runs four dining venues. Sushi Ginza Onodera is the signature, an Edomae omakase counter built from 400-year-old Japanese cypress, with sushi served on Bizen and Kiyomizu ware and views over Shakusui-en. EMBA Kyoto Grill handles steak and seafood with dry-aged meats and charcoal grilling, with indoor seating and a waterfront terrace. FUJU lounge, reached by a glass bridge over the pond, serves matcha tea and traditional sweets by day, sake and champagne by evening. SEY is the izakaya-inspired cocktail bar.
Wellness
The spa runs across two floors of the underground Level 2 Fitness Centre, with seven treatment rooms, a 20-metre indoor pool, two whirlpools, sauna, steam bath, and a full Technogym fitness centre. Signature treatments include the bamboo ritual, a full-body massage using warmed oil and therapeutic bamboo sticks, and the Zen Ceremony, which ends with a sake bath. The spa was listed in the Vogue Global Spa Guide’s 100 Best Spas in the World from 2024 to 2026.
Location
The hotel sits on Myohoin Maekawa-cho in Higashiyama-ku, the eastern temple district of Kyoto. The historic streets of Gion are within walking distance, with Sanjusangen-do Temple, Kiyomizu-dera, and the Kyoto National Museum all close by. Kyoto Station is around a 10-minute drive, putting the rest of the city and the Shinkansen network within easy reach. Tokyo and Osaka are roughly two hours away by bullet train.
Japan
Japan stretches 1,900 miles from subtropical Okinawa to subarctic Hokkaido, divided into four main islands and thousands of smaller ones. Most luxury itineraries focus on Honshu, the largest island, where Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima anchor different regional experiences. The country’s mountainous spine means population clusters along coastlines and valleys, connected by infrastructure that makes complex multi-city trips surprisingly manageable. The Shinkansen bullet train network handles intercity travel between major destinations.
Our Experts
Japan is often at the top of people's travel bucket-list, and for good reason. It's a country where you can find whatever it is you want, from the bustling cosmopolis of Tokyo to the luxury resort lined shores of the smaller islands.
The beauty of Japan is the amazing blend between old and new. You can enjoy the futuristic neon glow of Tokyo whilst also exploring some of the world's most culturally significant sites.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specialising in tailor-made holidays and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury holidays, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalised experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with travelling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveller, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalised service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ holidays?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalised itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travellers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
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For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of travelling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
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