Published date: August 5, 2024
I was able to make a reservation the day before the Gion Festival Eve.
Room Type Stayed
Some info has been automatically translated by AI.
Experience of the stay
I had a day off on the day of the Gion Festival's pre-procession, so I thought making a last-minute reservation might be impossible but searched for a stay on the eve of the festival, 16th, as a last resort.
Immediately, I was recommended to check in via the mobile app along with an email confirmation from the hotel.
When I checked in on the web, it seems I could enter the room directly with the room number and passcode without going through the front desk.
As I headed south on Tomikoji from Shijō Karasuma, I found KABIN and went straight to my room but encountered an error.
It turned out that this was KABIN Taka, not the KABIN KYOTO I had booked.
KABIN opened in September 2023 and already has five locations in Kyoto city.
The room was tidy, and the bathroom had only a shower.
The only staff member I encountered who was Japanese was the chef, and all the guests were inbound travelers, so it felt like I was staying at an overseas hotel.
I wish there was such a hotel in Hawaii.
Experiences during the trip
The closest mountain to the hotel is the Hoshō Mountain.
As per the story where Izumi Shikibu requested Heian Hoshō to pick the red plum from the Shishinden, at the eve of the festival, 'en-musubi' (marriage) amulets are granted, based on children's songs.
On the day of the procession, after witnessing the departure from Hoshō Mountain to the gathering point at Shijō Karasuma, I was able to see off the festival floats returning from Oike Dori to Shinmachi Dori.