Capella Kyoto Showcases Special Installation by Artist Kaoru Hirano
Capella Kyoto will host a limited-time installation by artist Kaoru Hirano, featuring artwork made from "koinobori" (carp streamers). This exhibition deconstructs and reconstructs traditional "koinobori" under the concept of "kezai" (subtle presence), offering guests a unique cultural experience that merges Japanese tradition and contemporary art.
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Capella Kyoto (Location: Komatsu-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture; General Manager: John Blanco) will host a limited-time installation by artist Kaoru Hirano, offering guests an opportunity to experience culture during their stay.
In Japan, "koinobori" (carp streamers) are traditionally flown on Children's Day to wish for the healthy growth of children, and they are a beloved sight coloring the early summer sky. This artwork, displayed to coincide with the fresh green season, uses actual "koinobori" that once swam in the sky as its material. It has been meticulously deconstructed thread by delicate thread and reassembled to embody "kezai" (a subtle presence or atmosphere), swaying with the wind, people's movements, sunlight, and the changing space. At Capella Kyoto, we aim to introduce Japanese culture from a new perspective through the exhibition of art, providing new depth and lingering impressions to the time guests spend with us.
As part of creating a space that merges the history and culture deeply rooted in Kyoto with contemporary sensibilities, Capella Kyoto displays over 100 art pieces throughout the facility. Guests are welcomed at the entrance by Momoko Fujii's Shimenawa artwork, and guest rooms feature headboard panels woven with calligraphic works by Dairo Shinjo, produced by HOSOO, among various other art pieces placed throughout the hotel. These are not merely decorations but exist to offer new discoveries and expand the sensibilities of visiting guests.
From April 29th to May 15th, Kaoru Hirano's installation will be exhibited for a limited time. The "koinobori" that once grandly swam in the blue sky are gently unraveled into their materials, spreading throughout the space and adorning the hotel's entrance. Hirano defines "kezai" as the concept behind her work. She states that "kezai" is the "memory that objects possess," which, while not existing in a tangible form, lingers there. The "koinobori" in this work are memories carefully preserved for about 60 years in a mountain village storehouse. Hirano says, "The process of unraveling the 'koinobori' I received into cotton threads was like tracing back through time, evoking the presence of memories and recollections that lingered there. Many people have told me that the countless threads, vaguely forming a shape, resemble a screen. I hope that guests visiting Capella Kyoto will find it a moment to project their various travel memories."
We invite you to enjoy this artwork, where "koinobori," beloved as a symbol of children's growth, has been reinterpreted as an art piece. Capella Kyoto will continue to offer special experiences where seasonal landscapes and contemporary art intersect during your stay.
## Exhibition Overview
- Exhibition Period: April 29 (Wednesday) - May 15 (Friday)
- Artwork: Kaoru Hirano "untitled -koinobori red-"
- Venue: Capella Kyoto, 1st Floor Entrance
## Artist Profile
Kaoru Hirano
Born in Nagasaki Prefecture in 1975, she completed her master's degree at Hiroshima City University in 2003. In 2007, she received the 1st Shiseido Art Egg Award. In 2008, she trained in New York through the ACC Japan-US Arts Exchange Program, and in 2009, she trained in Berlin under the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists. After training in Berlin as an overseas researcher for the Pola Art Foundation in 2010, she is now actively pursuing her career. In 2025, she received a grant from the Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation (NY), and in 2026, she received the Fukuoka Art Award Excellence Prize. She creates delicate installations by unraveling used clothes and umbrellas down to individual threads, then retying and reconstructing them. Her works are currently on display at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art and the Fukuoka Art Museum.
## About Capella Kyoto
Entrance Living Room
Address: 130 Komatsu-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Phone Number: 075-541-8877
Number of Rooms: 89 rooms total (29 suites)
Facilities: Signature Restaurant, Bar & Japanese Restaurant, French Brasserie, Pastry Boutique, Spa, Banquet Halls
## About CAPELLA HOTEL GROUP
Capella Hotel Group continues to elevate exceptional hospitality with artistry and a spirit of heritage. Based in Singapore, the group develops luxury brands "Capella Hotels & Resorts" and "Patina Hotels & Resorts," reinterpreting historically significant locations as "living cultures" and creating travel experiences that foster deep connections with the land. The globally acclaimed group builds iconic hospitality based on respect for people and place.
In Japan, "koinobori" (carp streamers) are traditionally flown on Children's Day to wish for the healthy growth of children, and they are a beloved sight coloring the early summer sky. This artwork, displayed to coincide with the fresh green season, uses actual "koinobori" that once swam in the sky as its material. It has been meticulously deconstructed thread by delicate thread and reassembled to embody "kezai" (a subtle presence or atmosphere), swaying with the wind, people's movements, sunlight, and the changing space. At Capella Kyoto, we aim to introduce Japanese culture from a new perspective through the exhibition of art, providing new depth and lingering impressions to the time guests spend with us.
As part of creating a space that merges the history and culture deeply rooted in Kyoto with contemporary sensibilities, Capella Kyoto displays over 100 art pieces throughout the facility. Guests are welcomed at the entrance by Momoko Fujii's Shimenawa artwork, and guest rooms feature headboard panels woven with calligraphic works by Dairo Shinjo, produced by HOSOO, among various other art pieces placed throughout the hotel. These are not merely decorations but exist to offer new discoveries and expand the sensibilities of visiting guests.
From April 29th to May 15th, Kaoru Hirano's installation will be exhibited for a limited time. The "koinobori" that once grandly swam in the blue sky are gently unraveled into their materials, spreading throughout the space and adorning the hotel's entrance. Hirano defines "kezai" as the concept behind her work. She states that "kezai" is the "memory that objects possess," which, while not existing in a tangible form, lingers there. The "koinobori" in this work are memories carefully preserved for about 60 years in a mountain village storehouse. Hirano says, "The process of unraveling the 'koinobori' I received into cotton threads was like tracing back through time, evoking the presence of memories and recollections that lingered there. Many people have told me that the countless threads, vaguely forming a shape, resemble a screen. I hope that guests visiting Capella Kyoto will find it a moment to project their various travel memories."
We invite you to enjoy this artwork, where "koinobori," beloved as a symbol of children's growth, has been reinterpreted as an art piece. Capella Kyoto will continue to offer special experiences where seasonal landscapes and contemporary art intersect during your stay.
## Exhibition Overview
- Exhibition Period: April 29 (Wednesday) - May 15 (Friday)
- Artwork: Kaoru Hirano "untitled -koinobori red-"
- Venue: Capella Kyoto, 1st Floor Entrance
## Artist Profile
Kaoru Hirano
Born in Nagasaki Prefecture in 1975, she completed her master's degree at Hiroshima City University in 2003. In 2007, she received the 1st Shiseido Art Egg Award. In 2008, she trained in New York through the ACC Japan-US Arts Exchange Program, and in 2009, she trained in Berlin under the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists. After training in Berlin as an overseas researcher for the Pola Art Foundation in 2010, she is now actively pursuing her career. In 2025, she received a grant from the Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation (NY), and in 2026, she received the Fukuoka Art Award Excellence Prize. She creates delicate installations by unraveling used clothes and umbrellas down to individual threads, then retying and reconstructing them. Her works are currently on display at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art and the Fukuoka Art Museum.
## About Capella Kyoto
Entrance Living Room
Address: 130 Komatsu-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Phone Number: 075-541-8877
Number of Rooms: 89 rooms total (29 suites)
Facilities: Signature Restaurant, Bar & Japanese Restaurant, French Brasserie, Pastry Boutique, Spa, Banquet Halls
## About CAPELLA HOTEL GROUP
Capella Hotel Group continues to elevate exceptional hospitality with artistry and a spirit of heritage. Based in Singapore, the group develops luxury brands "Capella Hotels & Resorts" and "Patina Hotels & Resorts," reinterpreting historically significant locations as "living cultures" and creating travel experiences that foster deep connections with the land. The globally acclaimed group builds iconic hospitality based on respect for people and place.