Aya Hotel is nestled in the quiet neighborhood of Toji in Kyoto, drawing its design concept from koyo—the Japanese expression for autumn leaves as they shift through the season.
More than a moment of color, koyo captures a delicate transition: green slowly giving way to amber, gold, and deep crimson. Inspired by this fleeting transformation, our project translates the poetry of Kyoto’s autumn into space, allowing light, texture, color, and atmosphere to evoke the quiet beauty of seasonal change.
The Café Lounge offers all-day dining for both AYA guests and Kyoto locals. The journey begins at the entryway, symbolizing the moment when green leaves begin to turn gold.
In the lounge room, striking green marble with golden veining evokes the first arrival of autumn. The marble appears to waterfall seamlessly from the walls to the floor, naturally forming banquette seating and enveloping the space in a sense of tranquility.
The refreshing leaf green tone adds a delicate softness, recalling the crispness of early autumn.
Inspired by traditional Japanese temples, a glass-roofed structure serves as an extension of the hotel building, integrating historical Japanese elements into the modern architecture. Natural materials such as Japanese reclaimed wood and Taj Mahal stone, combined with refined architectural details, create a serene atmosphere reminiscent of a Japanese tea room while expressing the transformation of the autumn season.
As guests transition into the guestrooms, Aya Hotel continues its celebration of Japanese hospitality through a refined balance of tradition, nature, and modern luxury. The reclaimed wood introduced throughout the public spaces carries into the guestroom design, creating a sense of continuity. A rich palette of natural materials and tactile textiles adds depth and sophistication, while subtle Zen-inspired details evoke calm and quiet restraint.
Representing the final chapter of the autumn season, the guestrooms offer a tranquil retreat where the senses gently cool and settle. Seamlessly blending nature, tradition, and modernity, our Aya Hotel project invites guests on an immersive journey
through the poetic beauty of autumn in Kyoto.
