The beauty of coexisting contradictions.
GIAPPO FRANCA KYOTO showcases a diverse collection of art installations curated around the theme of “contrast and harmony.”
We have placed the harmonious fusion of history and art at the heart of our design concept. While honoring the traditional imagery guests expect when visiting Kyoto, we offer experiences unique to GIAPPO FRANCA.
Our tea room features historically significant original woodblock prints from Utagawa Hiroshige’s Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō series, dating back approximately 200 years. While maintaining an authentic traditional tea room layout, we have designed the space with a cyber-inspired aesthetic. This intentional approach aims to “capture 200 years in a single moment,” expressing artistic wonder and delight.
Along the pathway to the tea room, you’ll find a miniature Japanese garden (hakoniwa) that depicts natural mountain and water landscapes using stones, sand, and moss—without water. This space embodies “wabi-sabi,” the Zen-inspired aesthetic central to Japanese sensibilities. From the ceiling hangs a yarn installation by Minneapolis-based contemporary artist HOTTEA (born Eric Rieger). By merging works that evoke joy and positive emotions with the contrasting “world of wabi-sabi,” we express contemporary Kyoto as an internationally vibrant city welcoming visitors from around the globe.
At the entrance, we feature a mural by emerging artist 醪 – LOW MOROMI. The artwork depicts figures from cool-toned and warm-toned sections gracefully reaching out to take each other’s hands, embodying our commitment to transcending race, gender, and age.
The name GIAPPO FRANCA is a portmanteau combining “Lingua Franca”—a common language used for mutual communication among people of different native tongues—with “GIAPPONE,” the Italian word for Japan.
Through the harmony of history and art, we invite you to enjoy a hotel experience where people and cultures intersect.
HOTTEA
We are currently obtaining HOTTEA’s profile and artist photo.
醪 (Low moromi)
Born in 1995 in Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture, I experienced a profound connection to the beauty of the plants that adorn shrines and temples during my childhood. This led to the creation of the distinctive cloud pattern called “Yu-Un.”
“Yu-Un” is an art piece that visually represents a mental landscape inspired by clouds. The flowing shapes of the clouds symbolize the fluctuations and uncertainties of the mind, prompting viewers to reflect on the transience of life.
Clouds block out light and cast gentle shadows while simultaneously providing warmth and serenity.
Much like the clouds that stretch across the sky, “Yu-Un” possesses the ability to absorb and resonate with each person’s thoughts, experiences, and emotions. I hope that viewers will seek out the clouds within their hearts, discovering healing and peace along the way. Through this work, I aspire for you to appreciate the diverse charm of clouds and their connection to our inner worlds.
