MODERN ITALIAN FOOD MEETS OLD JAPANESE CULTURE
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto sits on the banks of the Kamo River in a central area favored by nobility since the 17th century. It’s an architectural treasure box designed to feel like a city within a city, with interiors that evoke Kyoto’s enchanting backstreets and restaurants offering stellar fine dining experiences.
Classic Italian restaurant La Locanda is inside and around a restored 114-year-old traditional Japanese house, built into the structure of the hotel. This was the former villa of Denzaburo Fujita, a Meiji era (1868-1912) industrialist in fields such as mining and railroads. Rice paper sliding doors, original wood fittings and an internal garden featuring a stone lantern weave a tranquil ambiance.
LA LOCANDA’S GRAND DINING ROOMS REFLECT THE IMPERIAL BEAUTY OF THE SURROUNDING STREETS OF KYOTO.
Guests can also view walk-in cellars with charcuterie and cheeses from around the world and marvel at live dessert preparations.
Another option is the acclaimed Chef’s Table by Katsuhito Inoue. In 2021, Inoue debuted these menus for groups of six, featuring ever-evolving dishes themed to Japan’s 72 micro seasons. Japanese court astronomer Shibukawa Shunkai wrote Japan’s concept of microseconds in 1685, greatly influenced by archaic Chinese almanacs. Each micro season lasts about five days.
魚上氷 Uo kori o izuru (Fish emerge from the ice)
土脉潤起 Tsuchi no sho uruoi okoru (Rain moistens the soil)
雉始雊 Kiji hajimete naku (Pheasants start to call)
From imported Italian truffles to Kyoto’s unique heirloom vegetables, Inoue handpicks every ingredient and transforms these slivers of Japan’s annual natural calendar into edible poetry.
Dining at the Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto is a mix of modern elements and the soulful expression of ancient Japanese culture radiating from the heart of Kyoto.
Address: Kamogawa Nijo-Ohashi Hotori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
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