This reimagined ryokan is Kyoto’s most stylish stay

A lovingly restored ryokan found within the mysterious maze of the ancient city of Kyoto, Sowaka artfully fuses the time-honoured tradition and artisanal design with 21st century comforts. Check in and embrace the fascinating past of one of Japan’s most beguiling destinations.

The moody aesthetic is thanks to 100-plus artisans and craftspeople whose generational skills have transformed the former teahouse into a labyrinth of winding creaky wooden corridors, sliding shoji screens, circular rice-papered windows, exquisite carvings, abstract portraiture, and minimalist speakeasys that ooze all shades of storied and contemporary Japanese design. The overall Sowaka essence is peaceful sanctuary meets throwback living, and the inn delivers on all accounts.

The overall Sowaka essence is peaceful sanctuary meets throwback living, and the inn delivers on all accounts.

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