From Left to Right: Imperial Hotel, Tokyo; Imperial Hotel, Kamikochi; Imperial Hotel, Osaka; Imperial Hotel, Kyoto (credit Imperial Hotel)
Japan’s oldest luxury hotel chain will open its first new property in three decades next spring, transforming a 1936 cultural landmark in Kyoto’s historic Gion district into a 55-room destination.
The Imperial Hotel announcement comes as the company celebrates 135 years of hosting world leaders, celebrities and dignitaries. The Tokyo flagship has welcomed everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Charlie Chaplin since opening in 1890.
Chairman Hideya Sadayasu said the Kyoto project represents more than expansion. “Our goal is to create a new stage where the next generation of hotel staff can welcome guests with warmth, pride, and innovation,” he explained.
The new hotel will occupy the restored Yasaka Kaikan building, originally designed by architect Tokusaburo Kimura. Obayashi Corporation, which constructed the original structure nearly 90 years ago, is handling the renovation using traditional Japanese techniques.
More than 16,000 original exterior tiles will be preserved through a painstaking process called ikedori, where materials are carefully removed and reused. The project connects to Imperial Hotel’s architectural heritage, incorporating terracotta from Tokoname and craftsmanship techniques used in Frank Lloyd Wright’s earthquake-resistant Tokyo design from 1923.
Wright’s Imperial Hotel famously survived the Great Kanto Earthquake on its opening day, earning recognition as the “Jewel of the Orient.” That building introduced Japan to hotel weddings and transformed the country’s hospitality landscape.
Today’s Imperial Hotel operates three properties across Japan. The Tokyo location near Ginza features 909 rooms and recently earned Forbes Travel Guide’s sustainability certification. The seasonal Kamikochi retreat in the Japanese Alps has hosted poets and artists since 1933, while the Osaka property overlooks the Okawa River.
The company has received Japan’s highest environmental ratings across all locations, including the prestigious “5 Sakura” designation that evaluates 172 sustainability criteria aligned with UN development goals.
Imperial Hotel’s Kyoto property joined The Leading Hotels of the World membership in April, positioning it among elite independent luxury destinations before opening. The restored building will offer three distinct room styles alongside spa facilities, dining venues and a signature bar.
The spring 2026 launch marks Imperial Hotel’s return to Kyoto after focusing growth on its existing properties for 30 years. The company now looks ahead to its 150th anniversary in 2040 with renewed emphasis on cultural preservation and sustainable luxury hospitality.
AloJapan.com