A bamboo-framed chapel and a silk-lined ballroom around Kyoto's 800-year-old Shakusui-en pond garden.
The Setting
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto sits in the historic Higashiyama district, wrapped around Shakusui-en, a pond garden of about 10,000 square metres that dates back some 800 years to the end of the Heian period. Kiyomizu-dera and Tofuku-ji are minutes from the door, and Gion, where you may glimpse geiko and maiko on their way to appointments, is close by.
It is a city hotel with a proper garden at its heart, so a wedding here feels calm and very Kyoto. Late April and May bring late cherry blossom and fresh green maples, and the autumn colour draws visitors from all over the world.
The day itself
There are three settings. The bamboo-framed chapel fills with daylight, the ballroom is dressed in Nishijin silk textiles, and a garden tea house suits something more intimate. After the ceremony, toasts can be held beside the pond garden as night falls. A multilingual wedding specialist on site runs the day from first idea to final detail, and curated packages are offered. Dining on site includes EMBA Kyoto Grill, SEY, Fuju and Sushi Ginza Onodera, which serves a seasonal omakase. The chapel holds up to 120, and the ballroom seats 220 for a banquet or 360 for a reception. Ask the team about exclusive use and the music curfew.
Where your guests stay
Rooms look over the courtyard or the pond, and the range runs from Deluxe Rooms through Heritage Garden suites and residences to a Two-Bedroom Presidential Suite. There are 110 rooms and 13 suites, plus 57 residences, so ask the team about block bookings for guests. Days around the wedding fill themselves with temples, Gion and the old lanes of Higashiyama, and the hotel suggests a day trip to Miyajima for the honeymoon. Itami airport is about an hour from Kyoto and Kansai International about 90 minutes, both in Osaka Prefecture, and Tokyo is a little over two hours away by Shinkansen.
If your connection allows, land at Itami, which is about half an hour closer to Kyoto than Kansai International. Then save the pond garden toasts for after dark, when the hotel suggests raising a glass under the stars.
Questions couples ask about Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
Where can we hold the ceremony at Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto?
The hotel has a bamboo-framed chapel for up to 120, a ballroom dressed in Nishijin silk that seats 220 for a banquet, and a garden tea house.
Can we celebrate outdoors?
Toasts after the ceremony can be held beside the Shakusui-en pond garden. Ask the team about outdoor dinners.
How do guests get to the hotel?
Itami airport is about an hour from Kyoto and Kansai International about 90 minutes. Tokyo is a little over two hours by Shinkansen.
When is the best time to marry in Kyoto?
Late April and May for late cherry blossom and fresh maples, or autumn for the famous foliage. Ask the team which dates are open.
Will someone help us plan from the UK?
Yes. A multilingual wedding specialist on site manages the wedding from first idea to the day itself.
Facts checked against the hotel's own website, weddings page and fact sheet and the Japan National Tourism Organization website. Final layouts are confirmed by the hotel for each wedding.
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