Banyan Group, the Singapore-based hospitality group, has introduced its flagship Banyan Tree brand in Japan. Located in the Kyoto’s historic Higashiyama Ward, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto is inspired by its surroundings and blends Kyoto’s heritage with Banyan Tree’s standard of luxury.
Offering 52 rooms, the luxury hotel includes a Banyan Tree Spa, natural Onsen and two dining venues.
The hotel also includes a Noh stage, a square, curtainless stage with a roof and supported at its four corners with pillars. Noh drama is the oldest surviving form of theater in Japan and communicates Buddhist themes by combining music, dance and drama.
Sitting on a hilltop just steps from the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the hotel showcases traditional Japanese architecture with modern influences, surrounded by a bamboo forest and framed by the Higashiyama Mountains.
The hotel’s architecture has been designed by Kengo Kuma, while the guest rooms have been designed by Yukio Hashimoto. Similar to the hotel’s overall design, the rooms reflect a mix of traditional Japanese techniques and modern, natural elements. With some of the rooms offering panoramic views of the city, the Onsen Retreat rooms include private Onsen baths overlooking the small garden or a bamboo garden and the Noh Stage.
Guests can choose from two dining venues at the hotel. Ryozen, the Kappo-style restaurant, can accommodate up to 48 guests and has a private room for up to 10 persons. Bar Ryozen offers an intimate space for 20 guests and features a selection of Japanese sake and cocktails.
The hotel includes the signature Banyan Tree spa, with traditional Japanese healing treatments. Treatment rooms have Onsen baths and steam saunas.
The Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto joins Banyan Group’s existing Japanese portfolio and expands its presence in the country to eight hotels under five brands — Banyan Tree, Garrya, Dhawa, Folio and Homm. Banyan Group has four additional hotels in its pipeline — Banyan Tree Ashinoko Hakone, Banyan Tree Hakuba, Cassia Hirafu Niseko and Dhawa Ballpark Hokkaido.
Banyan Group’s global portfolio includes 80 hotels and resorts under 12 brands, more than 60 spas and galleries and over 20 branded residences across 20 countries. The group has been expanding its presence globally. Earlier this month, it grew its presence in Vietnam and opened a 156-key Angsana-branded hotel in the Bai Tu Long Bay. In 2026, the company partnered with Accor to mark its debut in Europe with the upcoming opening of Banyan Tree Varko Bay in Greece. The company is aiming to achieve its goal of doubling its global footprint by 2025, as part of its five-year expansion plan.
