On Wednesday, March 31, 2027, "THE THOUSAND HIEI ── 無為奥山" (Mui no Okuyama, hereafter THE THOUSAND HIEI) will open on Mt. Hiei, home to Enryaku-ji Temple, a World Heritage site. The hotel is operated by Keihan Hotels & Resorts Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City; President: Yukio Yamada). Reservations open on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, through the official website.
Alongside the start of reservations, the full lineup of retreat experiences unique to THE THOUSAND HIEI has been revealed for the first time. It includes personalized care in collaboration with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a wellness area for restoring balance of body and mind, and suites with tea rooms.
Overview: "Shi" (Stillness) and "Kan" (Observation) as Keywords for the Stay
Carrying on the spirit of the "THE THOUSAND" brand, THE THOUSAND HIEI is a 33-room Eastern retreat rising on Mt. Hiei, home to the World Heritage site Enryaku-ji Temple. It offers a special time of wellness (養生, yojo) that can only be experienced in a tranquil, profound setting steeped in 1,200 years of history. Mt. Hiei has a history in which Saicho brought Buddhism together with continental wisdom for nurturing health, and enshrined Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of medicine, as the principal image. Suisei Inc. (株式会社水星, Headquarters: Kyoto City; CEO: Shoko Ryuzaki) took part in the basic concept, aiming to pass on to the future the history of healing cultivated in this land and its rich natural environment through spaces and experiences based on Eastern thought and sensibility.
For 1,200 years, Mt. Hiei has been a place of training in pursuit of "mui" (無為), a state of enlightenment free from artifice and attachment. What has been valued there is the idea of "shikan" (止観): "shi" (止) calms the movements of the mind, and "kan" (観) looks at things as they are. The idea is to step slightly away from busy daily life, quiet the stirrings of the mind, and look at the present moment. By noticing changes in body and mind that are usually overlooked, and the richness of what is right in front of you, guests regain their own natural sense.
At THE THOUSAND HIEI, guests can carefully savor each moment: eating, indulging, tending to the body, and spending quiet time. The facilities include personalized care (therapeutic baths and therapeutic teas) in collaboration with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., the fire-and-fermentation restaurant "無為奥山 HO-MA" (Head chef: 小長谷 英之; Culinary supervision: Ken Sakamoto of "cenci"), the water basin terrace "水の庭" (Water Garden), the bedrock bath "温堂" (Ondo), an acupuncture and moxibustion clinic, an oil treatment facility, and the bar "日枝薬酒堂". Through food-based wellness, meditation, warm bathing, acupuncture and moxibustion, the stay is designed to carefully restore balance of body and mind, surrounded by the nature of the quiet deep mountains.
Collaboration With Rohto Pharmaceutical: Personalized "Yojo Yu" and "Yojo Cha" Experiences
The starting point of a stay at THE THOUSAND HIEI is the "千草研究所" (Chigusa Kenkyujo, Chigusa Laboratory) and the "茶席" (tea seat). Through a collaboration with Rohto Pharmaceutical, which aims for well-being and healthy longevity, the hotel offers personalized experiences of facing one's own body and mind.
At 千草研究所 (Chigusa Laboratory), filled with the scent of herbal medicines, guests can blend their own "養生湯" (yojo yu, a therapeutic bath blend), which can then be used in the Shigaraki ware bathtub in their guest room. At the tea seat, a variety of herbs and Japanese-Chinese medicinal plants are blended to brew an original "養生茶" (yojo cha, a therapeutic tea), letting guests take in the aroma and flavor with all five senses. The aroma that spreads with the soft steam gently loosens body and mind in preparation for the Eastern retreat experience that follows.
About Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Under the banner "Connect for Well-being & Longevity," Rohto Pharmaceutical takes on challenges in a wide range of areas that lead to healthy living, from pharmaceuticals and skincare to food and regenerative medicine, going beyond the framework of a pharmaceutical company.
Aiming to let each person live in good health of body and mind, in their own way, the company draws on the science and technology it has built up while also focusing on the potential of nature and plants. Through co-creation with various partners, it works to create new value in well-being.
For this collaboration, Rohto Pharmaceutical shares the idea of "yojo," tending to one's days by turning attention to one's own mind and body, and proposes a moment of facing oneself through the "yojo yu" and "yojo cha" experiences.
Guest Rooms: 33 Rooms in Dialogue With the Stillness of Mt. Hiei
The guest rooms have no televisions or other audio-visual equipment. Stripped of everyday noise, the rooms are filled with the swaying of leaves and the mountain light that changes moment by moment. The rooms offer a time of fulfillment in the quiet of Mt. Hiei.
Superior Twin / Deluxe King (31 m², 26 rooms, up to 2 guests)
A room that brings the nature of Mt. Hiei close. Guests can soak in a Shigaraki ware bathtub and quietly enjoy reading and contemplation while looking out at the scenery beyond the window.
Premier Room (62 m², 2 rooms, up to 2 guests)
A spacious room with two Shigaraki ware bathtubs. Guests can look out at the view from the window or sink into the sofa, spending time in their own way and at their own pace.
Premier Maisonette Twin (131 m², 1 room, up to 4 guests)
The living room is on the first floor and the bathroom on the second, with a bedroom on each floor. By gently separating the places for spending time from the places for resting, the room lets guests enjoy the stay itself more fully.
Suite Room (74 to 97 m², 4 rooms, up to 4 guests)
A room for a special stay, with a notable sense of expanse even within the hotel. Light enters through large windows into spaces that draw on the character of Japanese architecture, such as an earthen-floor entrance (doma), a veranda (engawa), and a coffered ceiling (gotenjo). Every suite has a tea room, and the bedroom is a separate, calm space. Sitting, gazing, lying down: a quiet time apart from daily life, spent facing oneself while placing oneself in each part of the space.
Room Types
| Room category | Room type | Size | Rooms | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior / Deluxe | Superior Twin | 31 m² | 13 rooms | 2 guests |
| Superior / Deluxe | Deluxe King | 31 m² | 13 rooms | 2 guests |
| Premier | Premier Corner Twin | 62 m² | 1 room | 2 guests |
| Premier | Premier Corner King | 62 m² | 1 room | 2 guests |
| Premier | Premier Maisonette Twin | 131 m² | 1 room | 4 guests |
| Suite | Suite Room | 74 to 97 m² | 4 rooms | 4 guests |
Facilities
1. 水の庭 (Water Garden) | Water Basin Terrace
A water garden that looks out over Lake Biwa and connects as one with the scenery of Mt. Hiei. Guests can immerse themselves in the water and the landscape all year round. Feeling the ultra-soft water "日枝の霊水" (Hie no Reisui), which blends gently into the skin, with the whole body, guests can take in the air of Mt. Hiei and simply float and drift.
2. 無為奥山 HO-MA | Restaurant
The restaurant is named after "Homa," the Sanskrit word for "goma," a ritual of burning fire. The head chef is 小長谷 英之, who grew up at the foot of Mt. Hiei, and the culinary supervisor is Ken Sakamoto of "cenci," a Michelin-starred restaurant in Okazaki, Kyoto. Centered on ingredients from Kyoto and Shiga nurtured by the nature of Mt. Hiei, each dish is prepared by layering the wisdom of fermentation with the primal fire of firewood and charcoal. Guests can enjoy a time of "food-based wellness," tending to body and mind through eating itself, by savoring the dish in front of them and paying attention to changes in texture and flavor.
3. 日枝薬酒堂 | Bar
A bar stocked with herbal liqueurs, craft spirits, and drinks that draw on the gifts of nature. The aroma rising from the glass, the taste spreading across the tongue, the lingering finish. Guests can spend a quiet time unwinding on Mt. Hiei while paying attention to each sensation.
4. 温堂 (Ondo) | Bedrock Bath
In a dimly lit space filled with stillness, guests surrender to the heat that gradually radiates from the rock. It is a time of turning attention to one's own body and restoring body and mind to their natural state.
5. Acupuncture and Moxibustion Clinic and Oil Treatment Facility
The hotel offers acupuncture and moxibustion, which work on the body's circulation while carefully assessing each person's condition, and oil treatments that let guests rest in the warmth of the hands. Based on Eastern wisdom handed down since ancient times, guests can choose the wellness care they need.
6. 書堂 and 暗堂 | Sutra-Copying Room and Meditation Room
The dignified "書堂" is for activities such as sutra copying, and the meditation room "暗堂" is for facing oneself in profound silence. Meditation in "暗堂," a space that blocks out all light and sound, brings healing to the depths of the heart.
Floor Map
Facility Information (Planned)
- Location: Hieizan Ipponsugi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City 606-0000
- Opening date: Wednesday, March 31, 2027
- Reservations open: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
- Guest rooms: 33 in total (26 Superior / Deluxe rooms, 3 Premier rooms, 4 Suites)
- Floors: 1 basement level to 2 floors above ground
- Facilities: Restaurant "無為奥山 HO-MA," bar "日枝薬酒堂," tea seat, 千草研究所 (Chigusa Laboratory), 温堂 (bedrock bath), acupuncture and moxibustion clinic, oil treatment facility, 水の庭 (water basin terrace), 書堂, 暗堂
- Conditions of use: Guests aged 13 and over (children cannot be accommodated, including co-sleeping)
- Official website: https://www.keihanhotels-resorts.co.jp/the-thousand-hiei/
- Social media: Instagram @thethousandhiei / X @thousand_hiei
The information is at the planning stage and may change. All images are for illustration purposes.
