MOGANA
Monochromatic Japanese minimalism. Think ink-wash painting, but as architecture. No TVs. No clutter. Black granite baths, diatomite earth walls, stainless-steel tatami floors in the corridor, and floral arrangements maintained by the Hirugao flower studio. Staff dress in Issey Miyake. The hotel fragrance was custom-developed by scent artist Izumi Kan from Awaji Island.
Rooms on the 6th–8th floors face the vertical gardenia wall — worth requesting these when booking
Why It Matters
Won the 2020 International Architecture Award from the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago Athenaeum. Founded by Yoshifumi and Yuko Shigeta — who had zero prior hospitality experience — and inspired by years of travel in Sardinia. Built on the site of a former Nishijin-ori textile factory. Every single item in the rooms, from the Awabi-ware ceramics to the Matohu zori sandals, is made in Japan and specifically chosen. Currently the only hotel in Japan carrying Paris-based beauty brand Shigeta for bathroom amenities.
MOGANA is a 23-room design hotel in central Kyoto that takes the traditional kyomachiya townhouse form and strips it to its architectural bones. The name comes from an ancient Japanese word meaning 'what if' — and the whole place feels like that question answered in steel, black granite, and silence. Designed by Takashi Yamaguchi (a former Tadao Ando Architects collaborator), the building occupies a classic 'unagi no nedoko' plot: narrow at the street, extraordinarily deep. A 38-metre corridor of light and sound pulls you through the ground floor before the hotel opens up.
Where You'll Stay
6 room types available
MOGANA Black
The darkest room in the house — walls, ceilings, and furniture all unified in modern Japanese black tile. Faces the vertical tsuboniwa inner garden from the 6th–8th floors. Moody, deliberate, and the one guests most frequently call the most beautiful room they have ever stayed in.
50 sqmMOGANA Deluxe
Located on the east side of the building with a large window that draws in a generous arc of natural light. Walls finished in diatomite earth for a plaster effect, wooden floors, black granite bathtub. Soundproofed throughout.
50 sqmMOGANA Deluxe with Balcony
On the west side of the building, this is the only room type that sleeps three and the only one with a private balcony — a good perch for catching the light shift through the day. Walk-in closet, diatomite walls, wooden floors, black granite tub.
55 sqmMOGANA Garden
On the 6th floor, directly facing the vertical tsuboniwa gardenia wall. White walls contrast with black granite floor tiles and a black granite bathroom. One of three rooms that directly overlook the inner courtyard garden — mist rises between rocks at the base, and light streaks appear through the fog at night.
50 sqmMOGANA Standard
Entry-level room in the narrow Kyoto townhouse structure. Monochromatic palette, earthen diatomite walls, wooden floors, and the signature black granite bathtub. No TV — a projector is available to borrow. All the same in-room amenities as higher categories.
MOGANA White
On the 7th floor and flooded with light. The centrepiece is a large square window framing the shakkei 'borrowed scenery' of the vertical inner garden wall. An akari floor lantern and a living bonsai anchor the space. Spacious at 50 sqm and the most luminous of all room types.
50 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
A curated library of books and magazines focused on local Kyoto architecture, Japanese culture, and design. Guests browse in Matohu zori sandals and take reads back to their rooms. One of the better hotel libraries in Kyoto for design nerds.
A dedicated meditation room on the ground floor — a rare amenity for a city design hotel. Available for guest use.
A rotating programme of optional experiences inside and outside the hotel, planned specifically for guests seeking more than sightseeing. Contents vary and may include private access to Kyoto cultural activities. Hotel proposes itineraries tailored to interests.
A special plan combining seasonal flower bouquets created by Hirugao — the flower studio that maintains MOGANA's ikebana arrangements in Oike, Kyoto — with a watercolor art session to preserve the bouquet's beauty on paper. Available as a bookable add-on.
A dedicated anniversary experience for couples, with details curated by the hotel. Bookable in advance.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Small banquet hall available for group bookings. Additional charge applies.
Limited hours. Japanese-focused menu. Breakfast delivered to room at guest-chosen time.
A small entrance garden with bonsai at the street-level facade. Vertical tsuboniwa inner courtyard garden visible from upper-floor rooms.
There is no fitness facility at MOGANA.
There is no swimming pool at MOGANA.
Staff are consistently praised for their knowledge of Kyoto restaurants, cafes, and experiences. They can also arrange taxi service.
iPad-style tablet in each room controls temperature, room service orders, lighting, and more.
Guests can borrow a projector as an alternative to the absent television.
Limited private parking on site at JPY 2,000 per night. Reservation in advance is essential — if full, hotel directs guests to nearby facilities.
BUILD YOUR MOGANA PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning