A design boutique hotel near the Imperial Palace with only 13 rooms, each uniquely designed by different Japanese artists and designers. The Screen offers an intimate, arts-focused alternative to larger hotels with thoughtful Japanese design throughout. Popular with creative travelers and design professionals.
The Screen is a design boutique hotel in Kamigyo Ward, north-central Kyoto, occupying a converted building on a quiet side street a short walk from the outer moat of the Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds. The Imperial Palace Park, one of the city's largest open green spaces and freely accessible to the public year-round, begins approximately five minutes' walk to the east. The Nishijin textile district — the historic weaving neighbourhood that supplied Kyoto's imperial court for centuries — lies within walking distance to the northwest. Karasuma Oike subway station, providing direct connections to Kyoto Station and the Sanjo-Shijo commercial area, is a ten-minute walk south.
The Screen opened in 2009 with a founding concept that distinguishes it from every other hotel in Kyoto: its 13 rooms were each designed by a different Japanese interior designer or architect working independently, without a shared brief. The result is a property where no two rooms share the same spatial character, material palette, or conceptual approach. Some rooms employ sharp graphic contrasts; others favour severe minimalism with single material gestures; others layer historical references against contemporary forms. Each room is named rather than numbered. Repeat guests frequently book a different room on each visit, and the hotel is widely discussed in Japanese interior design and architecture media.
Public areas share a refined, gallery-like atmosphere appropriate to the design focus. The restaurant on the ground floor serves contemporary Japanese cuisine with a focus on seasonal Kyoto ingredients, and a small bar serves cocktails in the evening. Room sizes are modest — a characteristic of Kyoto's mid-range category — but the quality of design attention invested in the smaller details makes the spatial compression feel intentional rather than economical.
The Screen attracts guests from the creative industries, architecture and design professionals, repeat Japan visitors, and travellers who have exhausted standard hotel categories and seek something genuinely singular. At its price point it represents strong value for a property with genuine design credentials.
Amenities
- designer rooms
- wifi
- restaurant
- bar
- concierge
Location
640-1 Shimotachiuricho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0915
35.0218, 135.7534 View on map
Highlights
- 13 rooms each individually designed by a different Japanese architect or interior designer
- Near the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park and the historic Nishijin weaving district
- Gallery-like design hotel unique in Kyoto's accommodation landscape
- Restaurant serving seasonal contemporary Japanese cuisine in a refined setting
- Popular with design professionals and creative travellers seeking a genuinely non-standard stay
Tips for visiting
- Each room has its own design identity — review room-specific photos before booking to choose the aesthetic that appeals most
- Repeat visitors often book a different room on each stay to experience the full range of the designer commissions
- The Imperial Palace Park, immediately to the east, is freely accessible and uncrowded on weekday mornings
- Nishijin textile workshops offering weaving demonstrations are within walking distance — the concierge can advise
- Karasuma Oike subway station, a ten-minute walk south, provides direct metro access to Kyoto Station
Accessibility
The Screen Hotel is a converted building with lift access to upper guest floors. The hotel has a small number of rooms and limited common areas; wheelchair accessibility provisions are modest relative to purpose-built hotels. Guests with mobility requirements should contact the property directly before booking to confirm room and access suitability.
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Frequently asked questions
How many rooms does The Screen have?
The Screen has 13 guest rooms, each commissioned from a different Japanese designer or architect. Rooms vary in scale and character; the hotel recommends reviewing individual room descriptions before booking.
Where is The Screen Hotel located in Kyoto?
The hotel is in Kamigyo Ward, approximately five minutes' walk from the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park and within walking distance of the Nishijin textile district. Karasuma Oike subway station is about ten minutes on foot to the south.
Is The Screen suitable for business travellers?
The hotel's quiet Kamigyo Ward location is better suited to leisure guests than corporate travellers needing conference facilities or immediate business-district access. Individual rooms have desk areas suitable for working, and wifi is strong throughout.
Does the hotel have a restaurant?
Yes. The ground-floor restaurant serves contemporary Japanese cuisine using seasonal Kyoto-region ingredients for both dinner and breakfast. A small bar operates in the evenings.