Hotel Okura Kyoto (321) - Classic Elegance on the Kamo River

Direct subway link, five-minute stroll to Gion, and a ballroom with built-in Noh-stage façade are catnip for planners wanting walkable culture. The hotel coordinates private “kawayuka” river-deck dinners each summer, and closes an entire arcade of retro bars for speakeasy-themed networking.

Marble columns and stained glass recall 1920s glamour; step outside and lantern-lined Shirakawa canal awaits. Delegates taste seasonal kaiseki overlooking the water, then watch maiko perform in a ballroom whose fretwork mirrors temple transoms. Past and present clasp hands to greet every guest.