destinations
Visitors to Japan invariably flock to Tokyo’s
trendy neighborhoods in search of manga
entertainment, neon-lit towers and cutting-edge fashion. When they’ve had enough of the
Harajuku district’s goth girls and Akihabara’s
geek boys, they take the next bullet train to the
“real” Japan. In the old capital of Kyoto, they find
a city whose modern bustle accompanies a lush
riverside “philosopher’s path,” a still-flourishing
geisha district and countless golden temples. In
Kyoto, tiny storefronts display intricately painted
fans, freshly woven tatami mats and impossibly
gleaming lacquered bowls—all handcrafted on
the premises. During July’s extensive Gion Matsuri
Festival, the Byobu Matsuri brings open doors in
the old kimono-making district, where private
residences display family heirlooms for all to
see. Kyoto has a long and rich history as the seat
of fine Japanese decorative arts. But now, the
city’s continually evolving relationship between
creative heritage and contemporary ideals is
yielding innovative results, like the city’s new
boutique Hotel Screen, a heavenly masterpiece
of ancient arts and fresh ideas.
At Hotel Screen, a baker’s dozen of guest
rooms showcases the handiwork of 13 designers.
Not all of them are Japanese, nor are they all
interior designers. But each one was armed
with the notion of using design to transmit mood
and grand ideas. Milanese architect Salvatore
