Find Your Zen

Is there a better place to immerse yourself in Japanese traditions than in the ancient capital of Kyoto?

While it’s one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, the city has only recently seen an increase in design-driven hotels—from the opening of Aman Kyoto in late 2019 to the upcoming launches of Ace Hotel Kyoto and Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto, designed by Kengo Kuma and Andre Fu respectively.

For those looking for a more local experience, the starting point is to find a a traditional Kyoto townhouse. Enter Maana Homes, a start-up hospitality brand founded by an interior designer and creative director who wanted to create vacation homes that marry style, substance, and a strong sense of place.

“We look for homes with character and properties with intrinsic qualities such as good light, natural scenery and, of course, a charming neighbourhood,” says co-founder Irene Chang.

“We look for homes with character and properties with intrinsic qualities such as good light, natural scenery and, of course, a charming neighbourhood”

Through their thoughtful renovation of centuryold houses in Kyoto, guests are currently able to enjoy two soulful spaces: Maana Kyoto and Maana Kamo. The former sits on a quiet street in a central district and the latter on the bank of the buzzing Kamo River. By the end of 2020, they will be introducing another four homes into the mix as well as a restaurant, all situated in Kyoto’s buzzing Higashiyama neighbourhood.