Kyoto is losing its modern architecture
Kyoto’s modern architecture (buildings built from the Meiji period through to pre-war) is starting to disappear as developers grow increasingly keen on grabbing new sites for development.
280-yr old Inn to be demolished
The owner of a 280-year old Inn in Muko City, Kyoto, has made an inevitable but unfortunate decision to demolish the historic property as maintenance becomes too costly.
Kyoto hotels outperform Osaka in 2018
In 2018, the Kansai area was struck by an earthquake in June and typhoon Jebi in September. Although the effects of these two events had very little impact on Kyoto’s tourism industry, they did affect Osaka which saw a drop in visitor arrivals from other Asian countries. STR’s Global Hotel Study for 2018 reported a 7.7% drop in the room revenue index for Osaka, while Kyoto saw a milder 0.2% decrease.
Given that these two cities are only 13 minutes apart by bullet train, why did Kyoto perform better than neighboring Osaka?
Kyoto may have no surviving machiya townhouses by 2066
Kyoto’s traditional merchant townhouses (machiya, or kyo-machiya) form an integral part of the historic city’s charming streetscapes and culture, yet are being demolished at a shockingly fast pace.
New owner for long-abandoned temple in Kyoto
On December 7, 2018, the Shinshu Otani-ha Buddhist movement announced that they were acquiring the former Ryotoku-ji temple in Kyoto City free of charge, and looking to find a new use for the property with the cooperation of Kyoto Prefecture.
40% stake sold in The Ritz Carlton Kyoto
The Sekisui House Reit has acquired 40% joint ownership of the trust beneficiary rights to the The Ritz Carlton Kyoto for 17.8 billion Yen (approx. 160 million USD). The sale took place on January 31 and the seller was the Reit's sponsor, Sekisui House.
Mitsui to open luxury hotel in front of Nijo Castle
On February 7, Mitsui Fudosan released details on a luxury hotel planned for the eastern side of Nijo Castle in Kyoto.