House & Garden

【HOUSE】

In the seventh year of Showa (1932), the second home of Higashi-Fushimi no Miya (Emperor Showa's brother-in-law, then enrolled at nearby Kyoto University) was erected on the foothills of Yoshida-yama. After World War II, this imperial residence was preserved in its original grandeur and turned into a traditional Japanese inn named Yoshida-Sanso. A quiet paradise to savor fine Kyoto cuisine while enjoying true Kyoto hospitality, this family-run inn is not only the perfect spot to enjoy tea time after a leisurely walk, but also a unique event space for musicians and artists the year round.

Originally constructed for Prince Higashi-Fushimi by master carpenter Nishioka Tsunekazu, Yoshida-Sanso is an architectural treasure that skillfully blends the best of East and West. Used throughout the building, precious hinoki (Japanese cypress) imbues the structure with a dignified and distinctly Japanese appearance further enhanced by the Imperial Chrysanthemum crest, a recurring motif visible on the roof tiles and fusuma door pulls.

An abstract rendering of the syllabic characters for "Fushimi" is playfully hidden in the stained glass windows; the front rooms are a puzzle of fine wooden parquet. These subtle details amidst the purity of the Shoin-style interiors create a wonderful fusion of classical Japanese architecture and Art Deco-inspired Modernism.

【GARDEN】

The Japanese garden which surrounds Yoshida-sanso offers both subtle and dramatic views that change from season to season. Wild birds can often be seen playing among the spring cherry blossoms or the vibrant azaleas of early summer...there is a delicate hush in this calm and timeless place, a quiet refuge from the clamor of city life. At different times of the year, guests are invited into the garden to enjoy a bowl of invigorating matcha green tea, or a koto concert carefully orchestrated to relax and entertain the senses.

Philosophy & Owners

【 Philosophy 】

"Kyo no inishie" (the capital of old) signifies Kyoto as the spiritual home of Japan and for the proprietors of Yoshida-Sanso, every possible facet of traditional culture is bound together in this name. Since 1948, when the former villa of Prince Higashi-Fushimi was transformed into Ryori-Ryokan Yoshida-Sanso, we have aspired to the idea that Yoshida-Sanso be a place for all those in pursuit of beauty to gather and feel at peace. We have always striven to offer our guests the utmost in sincere and refined family ryokan hospitality. At the heart of this is our deeply seasonal and local kaiseki cooking, refined over many centuries from Japan’s classic arts of tea ceremony and Zen cuisine.

【YOSHIDA-SANSO Owners Kyoko & Tomoko NAKAMURA 】

Traditional ryokan inns in Japan are matriarchal, from mother to daughter, and the day-to-day management and guest care at Yoshida-Sanso is shared by Kyoko Nakamura and her daughter Tomoko.

Yoshida-Sanso’s relaxed atmosphere and the warm and homey sense of being hosted by a family is one of the things most appreciated by our guests. This is manifested in many small details, including the elegant hand-written calligraphy poems that are personally brushed by Kyoko to individually greet guests in every season..