The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu

Despite being only an eight-minute walk away from the world-famous Kiyomizudera Temple, the Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu is in a surprisingly quiet area just off the usual tourist path. Its convenient location lets early-rising guests enjoy the quaint sight of empty backstreets in this usually bustling district, as well as easy access to many of Kyoto’s other iconic sites.

The massive concrete structure was built in 1933 as the Kiyomizu Elementary School. That public school was one of the oldest in Japan, originally opened in 1869 under the name Shimogyo 27th Elementary School. Its new concrete building was constructed at a time when Japan was starting to shift away from wooden school buildings.

It was admired as a distinctive architectural work, both for interior and exterior design, as well as for how it was built on a slope with a view of Kyoto’s eastern hills. Today, design elements like the U-shaped structure, grand staircase in the center, and arched windows evoke a sense of nostalgia for the building’s former role as an impressive educational institution.

The transformed building has 48 guest rooms, each with spacious baths and generously sized Western-style beds. All the guest rooms are at least 40 square meters in area, and 12 rooms have an up-close view of Hokanji Temple’s Yasaka Pagoda. The Panoramic Suite room, however, is 136.3 square meters and provides a view of everything from nearby mountains to Yasaka Pagoda to Kyoto Tower.

The former auditorium is now a multipurpose room and restaurant, where guests are surrounded by a library of over 1,100 books. The fourth-floor bar, K36 The Bar & Rooftop, provides a view of the city and can be privately booked. Guests may also choose to dine at restaurant Benoit Kyoto, which serves exquisite French cuisine and is overseen by the international restaurant operator Ducasse Paris. The “Well-Being Breakfast” offers guests a choice of seven different main dishes, and can be served in the library restaurant, on the open-air terrace, or in-room.

Overnight guests at the hotel can enjoy free use of its guest lounge and gym, as well as a complimentary minibar. Additionally, every Thursday there is an event exclusively for hotel guests to introduce Kyoto’s authentic traditional culture, and to which maiko (trainee geisha) are invited. Guests may watch the maiko dance and take photos with them. Please check the hotel website for more details.