About the Kyoto State Guest House | Kyoto State Guest House

The place that offers the finest hospitality where the best essence of Japanese traditional skills are integrated

The Kyoto State Guest House was built in 2005 as facilities to welcome distinguished guests from all over the world with the warmest hospitality and allow them to deepen their understanding of, and cultivate friendly relations with, Japan in Kyoto, which symbolizes Japan's history and culture.
In order to make the structure harmonize with its historic landscape and surrounding natural environment, its external appearance draws on half-hipped roofs and the sukiya-style, a simple and austere style used in tea ceremony houses, creating a noble Japanese appearance.
Craftsmanship of a wide variety of traditional skills that represent Kyoto is applied to the building and furniture, including sukiya carpentry, plastering, landscape gardening, kirikane (metallic foil cut into strips or other shapes to form decorative motifs), Nishijin brocade and makie (lacquerwork) to name but a few.

Facility Overview

Location: 23 Kyoto Gyoen, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Site Area: Approx. 20,140m²
Structure of the Main Building: Reinforced concrete; one above and one below ground
Total Floor Space: Approx. 16,000m²

History

1990

To commemorate the twelve-hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the ancient capital of Heian-kyo in 1994, the momentum toward building a Japanese-style guest house in Kyoto gained force.

October 1994

Cabinet approval obtained for "the construction of a guest house facility"
The government decided to build a state guest house within the Kyoto Gyoen National Garden.

March 2002

Construction of the Kyoto State Guest House (main structure) started

February 2005

Construction completed

April 2005

The Kyoto State Guest House opened

An image of the ribbon cutting at the Kyoto State Guest House Opening Ceremony. Standing before the front entrance, from left are Supreme Court Chief Justice Machida, Speaker of the House of Representatives Kono, Prime Minister Koizumi, and President of the House of Councillors Ogi at the far right dressed in kimono. A red carpet is spread beneath the four. Their scissors are in the process of slicing through the tape.

July 2016

The Kyoto State Guest House's all-year public opening started

For those who wish to pay a visit

You may pay for a visit without prior reservation/with sign-in reception on the day of your visit.

Japanese Governments Internet TV

The Kyoto State Guest House