The ancient capital of Kyoto has long enchanted people from around Japan and the world with its charms. Situated on the top floor of the Hotel Granvia Kyoto with its own separate presence, Coto Ciel offers sweeping views of the city from windows on three sides that seem to jut out from the building. The concept that we envisioned from this location was “Kyo-butai” (“Kyoto stage”). The restaurant space is a stage for the food as well as a stage to enjoy Kyoto’s aesthetic sense of beauty, and is designed in the image of a stage for savoring ingredients grown in the four seasons and Kyoto traditions.

First, the entrance design gets inspiration from a folding fan and creates anticipation as the beginning of the stage that will continue from there. Next, guests enter the dining hall and set their eyes on the original “dancing” checkered pattern. The pattern dances up to and decorates a ceiling designed to look like the sky and recalls seasonal Kyoto imagery of falling cherry blossoms dancing in the wind and fallen maple leaves in autumn. Another symbolic art installation is made of Nishijin brocade, a traditional Kyoto craft, and decorates a central wall in the restaurant. We asked Masataka Hosoo of the venerable Nishijin brocade maker HOSOO to create the installation and breathe updated Kyoto artistic beauty into the space.

We hope that the space, embellished with Kyoto scenery, draped in the distinctive atmosphere of Kyoto, and weaving together its traditions and innovation, serves as a stage to showcase extraordinary hospitality and expand guest creation along with the food.