THE RYOKAN COLLECTION

Karakami refers to washi paper with decorative patterns applied by hand with carved woodblocks. In Kyoto, the heart of Japanese karakami, the craft has been practiced for more than a millennia, with the elegant papers created used for everything from waka poetry canvases to wallpaper in the imperial palace.

The Karacho house was founded in 1624 by master karakami craftsman Karakamiya Choemon. Over the centuries, the house has created a treasure trove of hundreds of master woodblocks, preserving them through fires, wars, and natural disasters. Today, it is the oldest continuously operating karakami house in Japan.

Higashiyama Shikikaboku is proud to use both classic and modern karakami paper from Karacho house atelier Kira Karacho throughout the hotel. The first-floor lobby also features a tile mural depicting a Kira Karacho pattern called The Clouds of Tenpyo , auspicious bringers of life-giving and purifying water.