Six Senses to enter Japanese market with Kyoto retreat

Six Senses is set to enter the Japanese market with a new urban sanctuary in Kyoto. 

Opening in 2024, Six Senses Kyoto is billed as an ‘oasis in downtown Kyoto’ and will boast spa and wellness facilities to complement 81 guest rooms located around a central courtyard, aiming to connect guests to nature.

Blending spa cultures

Details of the spa have yet to be released, however it will blend Japanese Zen culture with traditional healing techniques, focusing on calm and wellbeing by offering traditional tea ceremonies, healing rituals and signature treatments.

The spa will feature a spa lounge with a boutique retail experience offering skincare, lifestyle, fashion and homeware products.

Aiming to appeal to guests seeking ‘culture, history, shopping and gastronomy’, the guest experience will be designed to reflect the city’s energy, from the sensory stimulation and movement of the streets to the stillness and calm of a Zen garden. 

Privacy and space

Interiors will be designed by Blink Design Group, aiming to maximise space, privacy and views through elegant designs, simple lines and an earthy colour palette.

Facilities at the retreat will include several dining venues, including a speciality sushi restaurant, a cocktail bar, an all-day dining restaurant and a brew bar.

Six Senses Earth Lab

An Earth Lab, dedicated to environmental engagement, and meeting rooms equipped with a fireplace will also be available.

The retreat will also offer a plethora of activities aimed at children. Called ‘Grow with Six Senses’ the programme will include arts and crafts, wellness and ecological activities designed to immerse younger guests in Japanese culture in a fun and playful way. 

The property is being developed in partnership with Wealth Management Inc., an asset- and hotel-management company based in Tokyo.

“We’re delighted to announce our entry into Japan’s cultural heart, Kyoto,” said Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs.

“Together with our partners, Tokyo-based Wealth Management, we’re tapping into Kyoto’s rich cultural significance and our brand ethos of sustainability and uplifting experiences to develop a premier wellness-focused destination. 

“The food, impeccable and thoughtful service, gardens, lanes architecture, and healing and bathing rituals create an exciting addition for us, and downtown location for guests to relax and reconnect,” he added. 

Partnering with Wealth Management Inc

Kazutoshi Senno, representative director and president of Wealth Management Inc., said: “We’re delighted to welcome Six Senses as our partner to launch Six Senses Kyoto, it’s first hotel in Japan.

“The development carefully incorporates the historic and cultural essence of the locale. It’s design concept, which is reminiscent of an ancient temple, along with the gardens cradled within the site, will be fused with Six Senses’ brand values. This allows us to offer a one-of-a-kind hotel to guests from around the world.”