Imperial Hotel Ltd. öppnade sitt nya Imperial Hotel Kyoto den 5 mars 2026 i Kyotos Gion-distrikt – varumärkets första nya anläggning på tre decennier. Det sju våningar höga hotellet integrerar och bevarar delar av den nationellt utsedda kulturfastigheten Yasaka Kaikan och blandar historiska element med modern lyx i 55 gästrum.
Läget på Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theatres område, cirka 3,5 km från JR Kyoto Station, återupplivar hotellet Yasaka Kaikan – en scenkonsthall från 1936 för musikaler och konserter som hade fallit i glömska på grund av ålder och dålig motståndskraft mot jordbävningar. Den bevarade exteriören, inklusive karakteristiska kakelplattor, behåller den ursprungliga silhuetten samtidigt som den integrerar renoverade och nya sektioner. The property features 55 rooms: 47 in the main building and 8 in the north wing. Rooms are divided into preserved (southwest side, overlooking the theatre and Hanamikoji Street, with original pillars, beams, window frames, and some balconies), renovated (northeast side with modern updates), and new north wing areas blending with Gion's streetscape via tatami flooring—the first such rooms in the company's history. One suite commands 3 million yen ($19,000) per night. Interior design by Tomoyuki Sakakida of New Materials Research Laboratory draws from Yasaka Kaikan's style using traditional Japanese materials for a relaxing atmosphere. Facilities include French restaurant REN, all-day dining YASAKA, Old Imperial Bar, rooftop bar The Roof Top, The Pastry Shop, guest lounge, pool, sauna, hot-bath, and fitness gym. Reiko Sakata is General Manager, and Koji Imashiro is Executive Chef. Reservations opened November 17, 2025, with a completion ceremony on December 18, 2025. The March 5 opening featured a traditional Gion Teuchi ritual performed by 20 geiko. At the ceremony, President Jun Kazama stated, 'We will work hard to maintain this place's unique appeal, serving as a bridge to the future.' The hotel aims to enhance Imperial Hotel's global presence in tourist-heavy Kyoto.