ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts Marks 5th Anniversary With "Dive into RIMPA" Culture and Craft Event in Kyoto

ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts, set in the Takagamine district of Kyoto (Kita-ku, Kyoto; General Manager: Masashi Araki), is marking its 5th anniversary with a special three-day event, "Dive into RIMPA," running from Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Rinpa, the artistic movement at the heart of the event, took shape in the early Edo period, when artists built on classical tradition to forge a new aesthetic sensibility that grew into a defining school of Japanese art. Some 400 years later, ROKU KYOTO stands in Takagamine — the birthplace of Rinpa — and has brought together artisans, workshops, and companies whose work carries that same spirit for a program available only during these three days. Guests can explore products that bring traditional techniques into everyday life, try hands-on making sessions created especially for this event, and talk directly with artisans about the stories behind their crafts, for an experience that goes beyond a simple introduction to traditional craftsmanship and toward a new way of carrying Kyoto's culture and skills into the future.

The event is open to non-guests as well as hotel guests. As a hotel rooted in the local community, ROKU KYOTO aims to create new cultural value through collaboration with a range of makers, with hopes that the event will one day be remembered as a cultural touchstone of its era.

Dive into RIMPA

Dates: Friday, September 11; Saturday, September 12; and Sunday, September 13, 2026

Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (varies by activity)

Venue: ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts (44-1 Kinugasa Kagamiishi-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto)

Program details: https://www.rokukyoto.com/5th-anniversary/program.pdf

Reservations for each activity are scheduled to open on Saturday, August 15, with further details to be updated as they become available.

Featured Activities

Gold Leaf Application Experience — KINPAKUOSHI YAMAMURA Co., Ltd.

Using "entsuke hongold leaf," a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage material used by working artisans, guests can try the delicate technique of gold leaf application under the guidance of a skilled craftsperson. The artisan comes from a workshop that also handles restoration work on Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures at Kyoto's shrines and temples.

MeBu Fujin Raijin Vase and Pendant Loupe Making — NACACUE CORPORATION

MeBu is a brand from NACACUE, an optical lens manufacturer, that gives new value to off-spec glass materials. This newly created session lets guests try making a "Fujin and Raijin" single-flower vase and a pendant loupe. Combining recycled glass with gold-brocade textile, the pieces fuse traditional and contemporary design into a single work of art.

Nishijin-ori Loupe Pendant and Eyeglass Stand Making — Watabun Co., Ltd.

Developed specifically for this event, this product showcases the artisans' advanced "fukure-ori" weaving technique, which creates a raised, three-dimensional texture along with the shimmer of beautiful gold leaf. The finished piece works as both a loupe and a glasses holder, letting guests bring Rinpa's aesthetic sensibility into daily life.

Shibori Rinpa Wave-Pattern Tote Bag Making — KYOTO SHIBORI BIKYO Co., Ltd.

Using the traditional technique of Kyo-kanoko shibori, guests will make a mini tote bag, experiencing one of the more than ten steps involved in the process. The Rinpa wave-pattern design, newly discovered while developing this event, is available nowhere else.

Kyo-Uchiwa Fan Making — Shiomi Uchiwa Co., Ltd.

Guests can try their hand at making a Kyo-uchiwa fan, lining up bamboo ribs one by one and working with hand-dyed washi paper from Toyama and cut-paper designs across several stages of the process. It's a chance to connect with long-passed-down techniques and the spirit of the artisans who carry them forward.

Papermaking Experience — Kuka / Kazuya Yamaguchi

Using water from the Tenjin River, which flows through the hotel grounds, and kozo (paper mulberry) grown in Kyoto, guests can hand-make their own sheet of washi paper under the guidance of artist Kazuya Yamaguchi. Papermaking has long been part of the culture of this area, and the hotel's name, "ROKU," even echoes the on'yomi reading of the character for "suku" (to make paper). Guests can create a one-of-a-kind piece while connecting with the land's history and its spirit of craftsmanship.

Tea Ceremony Experience — Caren Co., Ltd.

In Takagamine, where Hon'ami Kōetsu once built an artists' village and nurtured the aesthetic sensibility of Rinpa, guests can enjoy a tea ceremony experience centered on the tea culture that represents Japanese culture. Guided by the spirit of "wa-kei-sei-jaku" (harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility), guests spend a quiet moment with a special upscale confection made only for this tea gathering, "Takagamine no Akezuru" (the Vermilion Crane of Takagamine). The single dab of vermilion on the confection carries a wish for the hotel's bright future and for the 5th anniversary to mark a new chapter ahead. The crane motif nods both to a crane depicted in a work by Hon'ami Kōetsu and to the crane's traditional symbolism of celebration and longevity.