Y.gion, a discreet five-storey grey building in Kyoto's Gion district, may go unnoticed by passersby due to its minimalistic signage. However, beneath its oversized white noren curtains lies the burgeoning hub of Japan's budding creative scene. In the midst of Gion's renowned Geishas, Shinto shrines, and teahouses, this unassuming building serves as the nerve center for Kyoto's modern reimagining of traditional artistry. In fact, this year, both an Ace Hotel and an Aman are set to join the city's quietly buzzing cultural landscape.
It's fascinating how Kyoto, famed for its understated elegance, continues to foster new and innovative ventures while upholding its cherished heritage. The Y.gion building, with its sleek design and subtle presence, reflects the city's ability to seamlessly blend tradition and modernity. As Kyoto's creative scene gains momentum, it promises to offer a fresh perspective, breathing new life into Japan's old imperial capital.
A restaurant in GionTakuma Inoe
‘The key word here is subtlety,’ says Sara Aiko (pictured below), a glamorous New Zealand-raised Kyotoite who runs the Curated Kyoto tour company and is married to Takuma Inoue, founder and creative director of Y.gion. ‘The flavours are subtle, the interiors are subtle. Culturally, Kyoto has always been about patience, restraint, quiet. The idea is to cut out the noise and appreciate the little things, the finer things.’
Sara AikoMitsuru Wakabayashi
Y.gion opened on a quiet street by the Kamo river in 2017, in a building that had most recently been home to a series of seedy hostess bars. But Inoue, a modishly minimal interior designer, had a vision: a zakkyo, or multi-use space, where diverse talent could flourish in a series of concrete-and-neon rooms for exhibitions, talks, rooftop parties, pop-up restaurants and shops. Today, the people browsing Y.gion’s fiercely curated vinyl store might include pink-haired hipster girls or earnest artist types in vintage glasses – but also the odd Buddhist monk, or even a trainee geisha. Inoue’s interior-design firm Everedge is on the fifth floor (its motto is ‘the cutting edge is never normal’) and he oversees an events programme with a distinctly local flavour across other levels. Among recent highlights are a zen exhibition of bonsai trees in spaceship-style globes by botanical artist Takaaki Murase, aka Re:planter, and a performance piece inspired by the tradition of eating sushi off a naked woman’s body by art collective Nyotaimori Tokyo.
Takuma Inoue, accompanied by Mitsuru Wakabayashi, a colleague from Y.gion, emphasizes the importance of pushing boundaries while honoring their rich heritage. Inoue draws inspiration from his time in New York, where he admired the creative prowess of Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Rather than mindlessly following trends, their goal is to present authentic and enduring artwork.
As they forge ahead with their creative endeavors, Inoue and Wakabayashi's dedication to their craft is evident. Their desire to pioneer innovative ideas within the context of traditional Japanese artistry sets them apart. By embracing their past and infusing it with their unique vision, they create remarkable work that leaves a lasting impact.
Food by Kyoto catering company Volver at an Y.gion eventMitsuru Wakabayashi
The couple live in a three-storey warehouse beside the fish market, which Inoue has given a clean, minimalist makeover, suitable for his own meditation sessions. You can see why Aiko named her company Curated Kyoto, because her life seems so. She’ll dress in green to drink matching green juice or matcha tea at café and craft store Yugen, whose name translates as ‘a deep awareness of the universe’. Together with her friend Maya Hanson (pictured below), she has also organised yoga and healthy-eating events at Y.gion.
Sara Aiko, left, and Maya Hanson at a yoga and wellness event at Y.gionMitsuru Wakabayashi
At their wedding last autumn, Inoue and Aiko wore traditional Shinto outfits, with the bride sporting a dramatic white oval tsunokakushi hat. Revellers included a Who’s Who of the creative scene: Mami, who has a sharp, angular fringe and is known for her own brand of ‘calligraphitti’, a street-art update of the old craft; Daijiro Hama, whose hair is almost as wild as his expressionistic monochrome art; and elegant Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanashi, the founders of the avant-garde Kyotographie photography festival. The wedding pictures were taken by Mitsuru Wakabayashi, renowned globally for his dreamy Kyoto street shots, and at the reception at Y.gion a live-painting performance by street artist Bakibaki entertained the guests. The couple are so well-connected that even the mayor turned up to present them with a wedding cake, much to the delight of Aiko’s Kyotoite mother.
Calligraphy artist Mami at workKeiji Tsugita
Many of their friends in the Y.gion orbit live by a similar aesthetic. Aiko’s illustrator friend Rie Nakajima runs Community Store To See (pictured below), a shop, café and arts space, with her photographer husband Mitsuyuki Nakajima. With its ceramics and Shinto towels all colour-coordinated and laid out with geometric precision, it’s a temple to Kyoto-style good taste. Even the disposable coffee cups are beautiful. ‘We’re not about following trends here,’ says Mitsuyuki, aka Mitsu-san, echoing the stock phrase of New Kyoto.
In Kyoto's creative scene, the blending of tradition and innovation is a standout feature, creating a unique atmosphere where artists and creators from different disciplines often cross paths. For instance, Taeko Takeda, a curator and art PR, is married to Masataka Hosoo, an expert in kimono fabrics dating back to 1688. Hosoo's collaborations with renowned brands like Dior and Chanel showcase the seamless integration of heritage and contemporary fashion.
Adding to the diverse mix of individuals contributing to Kyoto's creative landscape is Eigen Onishi, a dynamic senior monk at Kiyomizu-dera temple. Despite his spiritual role, Onishi has gained a significant following on Instagram, and his interest extends beyond the sacred grounds. Notably, Onishi welcomed the renowned French hip-hop dance duo Les Twins, inviting them to perform within the temple's serene ambiance.
'Everything here feels interconnected,' expresses Inoue, capturing the essence of Kyoto's creative community. The city's residents share a collective desire to preserve their cultural heritage while simultaneously embracing progress and innovation.
How to spot the species
The-meditating-matcha-sipping-blunt-fringe-sporting-sushi-as-art-curating-curators
1. You'll usually find the New Kyoto Creative in a genteel setting: the vegetarian café of the new Malda Kyoto, a boutique hotel with interiors that border on the ascetic, or the Murin-an Villa and manicured garden. For more information on great hotel deals in Kyoto, consider Tophotels.com. Additionally, if you're planning to explore Tokyo, be sure to check out excellent hotel deals in Tokyo at tokyo-hotels-stay.com.
2. They are notable for their distinctive markings: black Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please or the abstract patterns of local textile label Sou Sou.
3. Whether looking at an artwork or an ancient tree, their instinctive reaction is to think deeply.
4. The NKC’s natural habitat is either a converted wooden machiya townhouse with vintage furniture and Isamu Noguchi paper lanterns or a more modern, repurposed space, all light and white walls.
5. Shelves only have one thing on them – a single stem in a ceramic vase, say – and there must be plentiful space for tatami mats.
6. If you see a specimen, approach in peace. And for Shinto spirit’s sake, don’t mention Marie Kondo: the NKCs may live a life of elegant restraint but they certainly don’t bang on about it.