What is the appeal of BnA Hotel, an art hotel in Kyoto that attracts tourists from all over the world?
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Located in Kyoto, BnA Alter Museum is a museum with a unique concept of "staying in art." Each guest room is a different work of art, designed by a different artist. We will introduce you to a special Kyoto stay where you can immerse yourself in art all night long.
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Table of Contents
- Staying in the midst of art, an unknown experience
- What is BnA Alter Museum?
- Staying at the hotel supports the artists
- Immerse yourself in the artist's world as you think and feel.
- Being surrounded by "art" makes you a part of it
Staying in the midst of art, an unknown experience
What image comes to your mind when you hear the word "art"?
What image comes to mind when you hear the word "art"?
Some people regularly visit art museums to appreciate art, while others may feel that art has a somewhat lofty image and is intimidating, or may not know how to appreciate it.
This time, we would like to introduce you to " BnA Alter Museum ," an art hotel that offers the closest accommodation experience to art in Japan.
As the name Museum suggests, all rooms at this hotel have been designed by artists, making for an experience that truly makes you feel like you are part of art.
One of the great attractions of this hotel is that you can listen to the artist's origins and thoughts directly through the audio guide while immersing yourself in the art. What kind of world awaits you after listening to the artist's words as you enter their world?
What is BnA Alter Museum?
The BnA Alter Museum is located on Kawaramachi Street, close to the center of Kyoto, including Shijo Kawaramachi, Pontocho, and Gion. If there is a building that stands out in this quiet area, a little away from the bustling center, it is the BnA Alter Museum.
The slender, skeletal exterior makes the edgy artworks clearly visible from afar.
This long, narrow, skeletal space is actually a gallery space called the "SCG (staircase gallery)" that uses a 30m-high, 10-story emergency staircase. There are five gallery spaces connected by stairs, and special exhibitions are held once a year .
The gallery, which can be viewed while climbing the emergency stairs, is not only a place to see art, but also offers a panoramic view of central Kyoto that is rarely seen. It is open to the public as well as guests staying at the hotel, so it is recommended that you visit the gallery as a way to prepare for your stay.
Staying at the hotel supports the artists
The hotel's 31 rooms are all works of art, and the greatest attraction of this hotel is that no two rooms are the same. Each room has a completely different theme, and the individuality of the artist and the strength of his or her feelings towards the work make you want to return again and again.
Artists include Rhizomatiks' Manabe Daito , EY∃ from the rock band BOREDOMS , and installation and sound designer Umeda Tetsuya .
One of the hotel's great attractions is the system in which a portion of the accommodation fee is returned to the artists . This system, which goes beyond just exhibiting the artworks and leads to ongoing support for artists , not only connects the hotel, guests, and artists in a friendly cycle, but also allows people to experience art from a hotel where they can easily enter, which may help increase the number of people interested in art .
Immerse yourself in the artist's world as you think and feel.
The room I stayed in this time was Room 904, called "Travel Dream, Dream Journey," which is a room featuring the artwork of young artist Lulu Kono.
LULU KOUNO : https://lulukouno.studio.site/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabO96fdH2bQLbTBJHJygTnmpD2LMkDezuRFVl5pbpee06n4zye7CkuU1Jc_aem_wAEeZHWUlwT5HQgBNd3EsA
Opening the door, you are greeted by a dazzling brightness. The white walls are decorated with colorful and cute illustrations of iconic images from various countries and symbols typical of Japan.
Just stepping inside this room makes you feel instantly cheerful and excited. What stories does it have?
Dream of Travel Dream Trip
Once we had packed our bags, we started listening to the audio guide.
The ON THE TRIP audio guide can be downloaded when you check in at the front desk, or listened to on the tablet devices provided. The guide begins with a narration by singer and artist KOM_I . If you actually spend time in the room listening to the concept of the room and the artist's thoughts, it will be a completely different experience. For example, it starts like this.
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904 | Travel Dream Dream Trip
The artist, Lulu Kono, began her career in Mexico after a long trip. During her travels, she started painting, which became her job, and now she travels around the world to paint.
What did she see and feel on her journey? We want you to experience the journey she experienced. This room is a picture diary of her dreams.
Lie down on the floating oval bed while listening to what they saw and felt during their trip, and before you know it, you too will be transported to a dream journey of your own.
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As I lay down on the floating bed following my guide, I saw the ceiling covered with pictures of dreams, starting with a rippling starry sky, cheerful pineapples, hot spring marks, footprints, hearts, and more. I realized that the reason they all seemed so cohesive despite the lack of uniformity was because it was her dream. I was excited by the new world that I could see by lying down, which I couldn't see just by entering the room .
After KOM_I's guidance, a radio-style conversation between Kono Lulu herself and curator Oguro begins. During the 25-minute conversation, Kono candidly discusses what inspired her to start painting, the title of the book and the connection between " travel" and her work as an artist .
Kono quit his job and set out into the world, but when he finally arrived in Mexico he ran out of funds. At this point, he came up with the idea of " staying there for free by painting murals ." From there, his life as an artist began, a series of unknowns and miracles.
While I was amazed by his powerful actions as he spoke in a natural and relaxed tone, talking as if it were the most natural thing in the world about inspiring stories that stem from his passion for art, his purity in simply facing the paintings seemed to embody the atmosphere of the paintings he painted.
The reason why you feel comfortable just listening to the art is because you feel the same energy of "fun" that overflows from the paintings you are surrounded by. Listening to the artist's words while surrounded by art may be the sensation of being one with the artist .
From the interview, we will introduce a little bit about how Kono thinks about interacting with his work. Please enjoy the whole conversation, which is full of sparkling fun, with your ears, eyes, and senses, and experience Kono's art.
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Daikoku: When you paint, is there a theme you have in mind, or a feeling you want the viewer to have?
Kono-san) I'm sure there will be people from many countries other than Japan staying here, and people from many different countries. I hope that they will look at each picture and have something to talk about. Each person has different memories of when they went to India or America, for example.
So, for example, when people see Ganesha, they might talk about something different, like, "This happened in India," or "I want to go to India." I hope that each person will have a fun conversation like that while looking at the paintings.
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Being surrounded by "art" makes you a part of it
"Travel is art" is the phrase that came to mind during my experience in Room 904. This is not just true for Room 904, but for all rooms, where the feelings of each artist towards their artwork come to mind.
A new lodging experience where you can spend time surrounded by art and listen to the voices of artists . This experience of being immersed in the artist may awaken sensibilities that lie dormant within you.
Come and enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found here in the world while listening to the story of the art .
How to get to "BnA Alter Museum" from JR Kyoto Station
By subway (approx. 15 minutes)
Take the Karasuma Line from Kyoto Station to Shijo Station, then walk 15 minutes to the hotel.
By bus (approx. 30 minutes)
[City bus 205]
Take the bus from Kyoto Station bus stop A2, get off at "Kyoto Station" after 5 stops (about 10 minutes), then get off at "Kawaramachi Matsubara" and walk for 1 minute to the hotel.
Interview cooperation: BnA Alter Museum
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Tokyo
We are creating an audio guide app that allows you to enjoy cultural assets such as temples, shrines, and art museums, and the stories of the city while touring spots mapped out on a map. Each guide is a moving work of art like a movie or a novel, and listening to the guide deepens your understanding of the destination and expands your travel experience. This account will introduce the charms of Japan that you can't find in guidebooks, which can be discovered by using the audio guide app, and new ways of traveling that can only be experienced with an audio guide.
The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.
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