Ritz-Carlton Kyoto

This riverside resort occupies a site once held by a historic Meiji-era villa on the banks of the Kamogawa River. The hotel was designed to honor the "Machiya" (traditional townhouse) aesthetic of Kyoto, using a horizontal layout that keeps it low to the ground and in harmony with the surrounding Higashiyama mountains. Its design is a collaboration between various Japanese master craftsmen, featuring intricate "shippo" enamels, zen rock gardens, and a water feature that cascades through the center of the building. It is a rare example of a contemporary luxury brand successfully dissolving into the strict architectural fabric of Japan’s ancient cultural capital.