Kyoto has long served as the cultural heartbeat of Japan going back centuries. Millions of tourists descend on the city each year to enjoy its Edo-style architecture, age-old onsens, historic Shinto temples and artisanal teahouses with some of the finest blends found anywhere in the world. Mixing heritage with modernity, Ogata at The Shinmonzen is a new teahouse nestled into a boutique hotel designed by master architect Tadao Ando that merges traditional Japanese tea sensibilities through a contemporary lens.
The minimalist space is founded by Shinichiro Ogata, who helms a similar hybrid teahouse-salon-restaurant in a chic 17th century hotel in Paris' Marais district. Ogata's Kyoto flagship upholds a minimalist design aesthetic, emphasizing the relationship between natural and manmade materials, accentuated by swaths of natural light to emit an ethereal and contemplative atmosphere throughout. Ogata will offer traditional wagashi sweets alongside a curated selection of tea leaves, ceramic homeware and fragrances.
"I created ten blends in pursuit of the possibilities of Japanese tea for people around the world to enjoy in their daily lives," said Ogata in a statement. "The blends not only reveal the myriad flavors of Japanese tea, but each was created with intention and a proposal of how to enjoy them. There are more invigorating blends to start the day, others I recommend to pair with meals, and even a tea to calm the mind in the evening."
Ando designed the space to reflect Kyoto's gridded streets, with one half featuring natural stone sourced from Japan's southernmost island, Kyushu, along with a more regimented section that houses goods and accessories. Visit The Shinmonzen for more information.
Ogata at The Shinmonzen
235 Nishinocho, Shinmonzen-dori,
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0088
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