Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto is located in the Higashiyama District, which is a significant part of the city where the past is still very much present.

Berjaya Land fashions a luxury destination while keeping local culture alive

The property arm of Berjaya Corporation Bhd, Berjaya Land is touted to be one of the largest property groups in Malaysia with significant acquisitions and an array of global projects with its core activities surrounding property development and investment, hotels and resorts, recreation developments, gaming and lottery management as well as motor retailing.  

As one of the largest property groups in Malaysia, it has a positive history of strong finances as well as many global business interests allowing the conglomerate to rise above economic upheavals and unforeseen calamities. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic was one of the greatest challenges. Nevertheless, due to strategic planning, the results are positive – with all important matrixes on an upward trajectory,” according to a statement from Berjaya Land. In addition, their quarter on quarter on performance has seen significant changes since the pandemic with Q2 2022 results showing a 68.89% increase. 

With many international interests under its belt, Berjaya Land has stellar developments in Japan namely the Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto, Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Yokohama and Four Seasons Resort & Private Residences Okinawa.

Cultural capital luxury 

Touted to be the first luxury residence in Japan, Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto is located in the Higashiyama District, which is a significant part of the city where the past is still very much present. 

Situated at the foot of Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and next to three other temples including Chishaku-in, Myoho-in and Sanjunsangen-do – further immersing in the cultural capital of Japan.

“Berjaya Land’s Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto site was chosen largely because it houses an 800-year-old pond garden known as Shakusui-en, one of the few remaining pond gardens created during the end of the Heian Period. 

“Shakusui-en is a priceless cultural asset that is the natural focal point of the project and the layout of the building is designed to optimise coverage without affecting Shakuseien, while an organic buffer is allocated to ensure seamless integration with the townscape,” said the Berjaya Land statement. 

Keeping Kyoto’s unique aesthetic, the Shakusui-en is a circuit-style ikeniwa – pond garden - where the traditional Japanese Shikkui plaster and timber wall panels were generously used for the facade, while the existing walls surrounding the Shakusui-en were refinished and reinstated by traditional Japanese craftsmen to preserve the architectural heritage. 

The architectural structure of the hotel and residences also incorporates the local culture with the porte-cochere (porch) designed by Jun Mitsui & Associates Inc was inspired by the wagasa – the traditional Japanese paper umbrella.

Stunningly lined with young bamboo shoots, the porte-cochere motif is intrinsic to the Japanese way of life and even more significant in Kyoto City. 

Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto site was chosen largely because it houses an 800-year-old pond garden known as Shakusui-en.

Bringing ESG to stunning Kyoto

While keeping the cultural integrity of the location intact, Berjaya Land also weaved in some modern elements such as their environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives to bring this project up-to-date.

For instance, the Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto has solar panels on the roof of the building and uses LED technology throughout the development for energy efficiency, while adopting automated energy-efficient programming for lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) for both occupied and unoccupied Rooms.

What’s more, Berjaya Land also installed Lutron system controls for meeting spaces and guest room lights as well as incorporating energy efficiency landscaping lights on timers for Shakusui-en.

In terms of water efficiency, they employed watering systems that draw from the well because they are used in Shakusui-en and water flow efficiency faucets are installed in all rooms.

Berjaya Land also instils a recycling culture at the Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residences Kyoto as well as a reduction in carbon dioxide output with energy-efficient type V belt implementation.

Four Seasons Hotel Yokohama development is slated to be a luxury destination, the development spans across a two-hectare land parcel in Yokohama’s waterfront Minato Mirai 21 District.

Luxury destinations across Japan

Aside from Kyoto, Berjaya Land is also developing stunning projects in Okinawa and Yokohama. 

Located along the western coast of the island, known as the Sunset Strip, the Four Seasons Resort & Private Residences Okinawa are near the picturesque Manzamo Cape.

This project is slated to be the highest-end luxury hotel resort as well as a popular resort destination that will be furnished with stellar architectural designs collaboration such as Japanese architect Kengo Kuma – who designed Tokyo's new Olympic Stadium for the 2020 games – and Kuniken – the biggest architecture firm in Okinawa.

Berjaya Land is also incorporating sustainably-focused structures and landscapes and collaborating with internationally-acclaimed planning, landscape architecture and urban design firm EDSA Inc.

Also slated to be a luxury destination, the development spans across a two-hectare land parcel in Yokohama’s waterfront Minato Mirai 21 District, which is one of Japan’s three largest trade ports where it garnered the nickname Golden Port.

Berjaya Land’s developments in Japan weave in the local culture and incorporate modern sustainable features that are not just current but better for the planet. These stunning architectural designs are set to be an attraction in and of itself – a luxury destination. 

For more information, https://berjayaproperties.com/project/four-seasons.

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