Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building, a modern architecture built in 1914 which is a Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. Since its opening in 2019, TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo has welcomed many tourists and visitors from abroad, and we interviewed the leader of TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo, Ms. Nozomi Nishimura.

What is TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo, using a registered tangible cultural property

ーーPlease tell us what kind of hotel TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo is.

TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo is part of THE SHARE HOTELS group, which operates nine hotels nationwide. As a hotel brand that aims to "coexist with the local community," TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo creates hotels in cooperation with local cultural players and creates places open to the local community. This is a hotel that has inherited a modern building that is over 100 years old, and as such, it offers a space that makes the most of its historic architecture. Based on the concept of "coexistence with the local community," the hotel provides a living room and kitchen space for guests to share, creating an environment conducive to communication among guests. In addition, traditional handicrafts are sold next to the lobby on the first floor, allowing guests to experience local culture.

In the past, there were dormitories and other shared rooms, so there was a sense of sharing, but now only private rooms are available.

ーーTHE SHARE HOTELS itself has hotels all over Japan; why did you choose Kyoto Sanjo?

TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo uses the former Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building, a 105-year-old registered tangible cultural property, as part of the hotel. We opened our hotel in Kyoto Sanjo because we believe that renovating and preserving a traditional building can make it more distinctive.

Hakodate and Kyoto Sanjo are the only hotels in THE SHARE HOTELS group in Japan that use modern architecture as part of their hotels. While other hotels have renovated office buildings and other structures, it is rare to find a hotel that uses modern architecture, and Kyoto Sanjo is unique among the many hotels in Japan.

To preserve the quality of modern architecture and make the hotel more enjoyable

(Junior Suite room, the only room where you can stay in a tangible cultural property).

ーーTSUGU Kyoto Sanjo is housed in the former Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building, a modern building. What kind of impression did you had about the building?

The former Nihon Seimei Kyoto Sanjo Building was designed by two famous architects, Kingo Tatsuno and Yasushi Kataoka, who designed Tokyo Station as well. We felt that it must be a familiar place as well as a place that has been cherished by the local community.

ーーWhat was important to you in designing a hotel utilizing such modern architecture?

TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo was designed by architectural designer Yusuke Seki, and the interior of the hotel is designed in a concrete style so as not to destroy the stone-clad image of the registered tangible cultural property. When designing the exterior, we consulted with the Kyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council to ensure that the hotel's exterior would blend in with the streetscape of Sanjo Dori.

TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo's design features, for example, a window in the shared LIVING + KITCHEN on the fourth floor. This window was originally made by hollowing out a part of the wall, but we renovated it so that guests can see the steeple of the registered tangible cultural property from inside the hotel.

The Modern Architecture Week, organized by the Kyo No Sanjo Machizukuri Council (a city walking tour introducing modern architecture on Sanjo Dori to the general public who are interested in modern architecture), has been very well received by participants, who also enjoy the modern architecture seen from the windows.

We also offer the Junior Suite room where you can stay in a registered tangible cultural property. This is the only room in the hotel where you can stay in a 100-year-old registered tangible cultural property.

(Modern architectural spire seen from the hotel common area)

Feel the history and culture in the heart of Kyoto.

ーーWhat kind of customers has TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo had since its opening in 2019?

While 70% of our guests are from overseas, we have a wide range of age groups, from people in their 20s to the elderly. What is unique about our hotel is that many of our guests are architecture enthusiasts. Some are fans of modern architecture, while others are fans of the designer, Yusuke Seki. Perhaps due to the simple and stylish interior design, we feel that many of our guests are connoisseurs in the field.

TSUGU also has an affiliate hotel, RAKURO Kyoto, in Marutamachi, north of the center of Kyoto, which is located near the Kyoto Imperial Palace, so many visitors to RAKURO Kyoto are looking for nature, but many visitors to TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo are more interested in Kyoto culture.

ーーWhat can guests enjoy during their stay at TSUGU Kyoto Sanjo?

The hotel is located in the main area of Kyoto, so you can enjoy easy access to everywhere you need to go. Nishiki Market, the kitchen of Kyoto, is only a 6-minute walk from the hotel, and there are many sightseeing spots around the hotel that are typical of Kyoto.

Of course, you can enjoy the modern architecture that lines Sanjo Dori, but Sanjo Dori is not only about architecture; the entire city has value, and we recommend it to those who want to enjoy their trip while experiencing Kyoto's history and culture.

Bring the charm of the hotel and the region through architecture.

ーーHow do you see it in terms of community involvement since its opening in 2019?

To be honest, since the opening, we have not been able to interact much with the local community, partly due to the effects of the pandemic of Covid-19. Recently, we have been able to participate in a photography exhibition event called KG+ (an open call art festival that aims to discover and support promising photographers and curators), as well as Modern Architecture Week and Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival (an event in which modern architecture that is normally closed to the public is opened to the public for a limited period of time).

At the Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival, nearly 700 people came over the two days, and we were happy to finally be able to interact with the community as well.

ーーIs there anything that your staff is working on in communicating the appeal of the community to guests?

Our hotel has an exclusive page called "Local Guide" that can only be viewed by our guests. The stores listed in the guide have been approved by the hotel staff to be included in the guide, and it is a good opportunity for us to communicate with local residents as well as to introduce them to our guests.

We have many repeat guests, and the fact that they choose us out of the many hotels in Kyoto is proof that many of them find this area and building attractive.

ーーFinally, is there anything you would like to do in the future on Sanjo Dori?

We would like to participate in more events. We feel that our hotel has attracted a lot of attention because of its renovation of a registered tangible cultural property, but we also receive many comments from people who say that they were curious about the hotel but could not get in. In the future, we would like to actively participate in events that we were not able to attend due to the pandemic, and work to deliver not only the charm and recognition of modern architecture, but also the charm of the hotel and Sanjo Dori.