The Ideal Lover

Two properties from Marriott's The Luxury Collection—Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto and Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara—offer an intimate gateway into Japan's rituals, cultural depth, and enduring sense of place.

- Haziq Yusof

A Singaporean saying they love Japan is like a woodpecker professing its love for wood. Like a maiden with many suitors, Japan has no shortage of admirers who are eager to share their passion (and annoyingly long lists of recommendations) with the uninitiated. “It’s the culture,” they say. “The food. The natural beauty.” Hiroyuki Hatori, general manager of Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, however, puts it best. “Here, there is little distance between the ordinary and the extraordinary,” he says.

He articulates the sentiment in the way so much in Japan appears to be expressed: with measure and sincerity. It is this sense of restraint and self-assuredness that has aroused devotion among the country’s many admirers. While the poetic romanticism of continental Europe and the unbridled energy of South America can stir the heart into a frenzy, where else but Japan inspires a gentle and slow-burning love?

But any love affair requires its supporting acts. And when the love proffered is earnest and delicate, it’s only natural that we turn to those who can help us uncover its depths. Luckily for us, Marriott’s The Luxury Collection in Japan appears attuned to the undercurrents that make the country special. On a recent week-long sojourn to Kyoto and Nara, I stepped into two of the brand’s properties—Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto and Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara—and found myself immersed in the latent charms of Japan.

Sense of Place