hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto by withceed to Host 'Concerto of Tradition' – Four Nights Harmonizing Traditional Culture ~Praying with Colors, Preparing Tea, Wearing Garments, Beating Drums~

Withceed Hospitality Management Inc. (Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takayuki Koyata), which operates the hotel 'hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto by withceed' (General Manager: Toru Shimamoto), has been holding free 'Calligraphy Experience Workshops' by Kyoto-based calligrapher Souyu since January 2025, aiming to create opportunities for interaction between travelers and locals and to provide a memorable travel experience by allowing them to experience traditional Japanese culture in ancient Kyoto. This time, as the second special project, with the total production by Mr. Souyu, who has jointly promoted cultural dissemination from our hotel, we will consecutively host the event 'Concerto of Tradition,' an intertwining of Japanese traditional culture by three leading specialists and calligraphy, starting at 5:00 PM on various dates in April 2026.

■ Event Outline

・Name: 【hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto】Four Nights of Harmonizing Traditional Culture 'Concerto of Tradition'

・Location: hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto 1F Cafe & Bar oku

・Date: April 8 (Wed), 10 (Fri), 13 (Mon), 17 (Fri), 2026

・Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM each day

・Fee: Free admission

・Target: Hotel guests and external visitors (no reservation required, participation on the day)

■ April-Limited Special Event Schedule (All dates 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM)

Night 1. 【Praying with Colors, Writing Calligraphy】Colors of Prayer, Signs of Cherry Blossom Blizzard (April 8)

・Performers: Souyu (Calligrapher) × Hiroshi Shimura (Dyeing Artist)

・Content: A special experience of dyeing Washi paper with safflower, a traditional Japanese dye. Participants freely write on the faintly crimson-dyed Washi to create a unique piece. Alongside, on a 4-meter safflower-dyed cloth stage, Souyu will perform a powerful calligraphy piece with a large brush, writing spring words of literary figures. With the immersive experience of colors slowly transferring to the Washi, the story of how vegetable dyeing has been passed down with people's prayers will be deeply unraveled through the five senses.

・Highlights: The overwhelming dynamism of the large brush and the delicate moment when colors emerge from plants. This is a luxurious moment where the beauty of tradition and the joy of creation unite, offering a unique artistic experience at tou where participants can take home their self-dyed Washi artwork as a lasting memory.

Night 2. 【Preparing Tea, Composing the Mind】Tranquil Brushwork, a Moment of Peace (April 10)

・Performers: Souyu (Calligrapher) × Saya (Tea Culture Performer)

・Content: A collaboration where the movements of the tea ceremony and calligraphy resonate. Participants quietly savor the "spirit of hospitality" embodied in a cup of tea prepared by Saya, experiencing a moment of tranquility as the calm of the tea room permeates their minds. With this composed mind, under the guidance of Souyu, participants will engage in a calligraphy experience, writing Zen phrases that embody their own thoughts onto Tanzaku strips, creating a rich time to confront "now, here, self" (即今、当処、自己) by elevating a momentary stillness into visual expression.

・Highlights: The serene space unique to tou's "oku," where the sway of steam and the scent of ink intermingle. Participants can take home their own "poem of the heart" written on a beautiful Tanzaku. The fusion of the spirit of the tea ceremony and the artistry of calligraphy in this space invites everyone into the depths of their hearts.

Night 3. 【Wearing Garments, Reflecting Spring】Inherited Attire, Beauty of Transformation (April 13)

・Performers: Souyu (Calligrapher) × Saya (Kimono Dressing Artist)

・Content: A collaboration where the beauty of kimono and calligraphy resonate. Through graceful movements, the process of unraveling and re-enveloping a person in attire reveals the beauty created by overlapping textures and colors. In response to this changing form, Souyu performs powerful calligraphy with a large brush on a 4-meter paper, depicting spring scenes loved by literary figures. This creates a Japanese scene where the delicate yet bold brushwork and the beauty of ink, interwoven with the elegance of kimono, come to life.

・Highlights: The expression of traditional attire transforming from a "flat surface" to a "three-dimensional form" is the essence of Japanese aesthetics. In the intersection of movement and stillness, participants can experience the flow of eternal time inherent in kimono and calligraphy up close, a program filled with intellectual resonance where the narrative of kimono and the artistry of calligraphy merge.

Night 4. 【Beating Drums, Stirring the Soul】Reverberation of Dynamism, Resonating Heartstrings (April 17)

・Performers: Souyu (Calligrapher) × Jubei Asano (Japanese Drum Performer)

・Content: From a powerful solo performance themed "bumper harvest" to a session where the brush moves in response to the rhythm of Japanese drums. The layered rhythms created evoke the breath of nature and the pulse of the earth, elevating each sound into visual expression. Furthermore, guests can experience "rhythmic harmony" by actually beating drums while professionals provide accompaniment. Drums, which allow participants to feel the sound with their entire body, generate a sense of unity and exaltation that transcends words.

・Highlights: A special opportunity for participants to become the "performers." The improvisational performance with professionals concludes tou's spring events, offering an energetic artistic experience that will create lifelong memories and stir one's soul beyond words.

■ Artist Profiles

• Souyu (Calligrapher / Graphic Designer / Event Producer)

  Based in Kyoto. Pursues unique creations under the theme of "ancient wisdom, new creation." Boasts numerous awards in calligraphy and Chinese poetry, while also producing goods utilizing brush lettering design. A member of the "Association for Connecting Japanese Culture and Cultural Properties," dedicated to cultural property protection activities. Leads workshops at this hotel since January 2025 and is responsible for the total production of this performance. Representative of Souyu.Art. 【Official Website】https://souyu.art/index.html

• Hiroshi Shimura (Dyeing Artist / Representative of General Incorporated Association Shimura's Dyeing)

  FUKUMI Inc.

  Serves as a dyeing instructor at SHIMURA. Established the "General Incorporated Association Shimura's Dyeing" in 2024. Through pioneering production areas, education, and craftsmanship, he develops activities that convey a rich lifestyle in harmony with nature.

• Saya (Kimono Dressing Artist / Tea Culture Performer)

  20 years of experience in tea ceremony. First-class kimono dresser. Has ties to the Honzan Koshoji Temple of the Shinshu Koshoha sect, and disseminates kimono dressing and tea ceremony as cultural expressions. Engages in activities to convey Japanese spirituality and the "spirit of hospitality" to the world.

• Jubei Asano (Japanese Drum Performer / Representative of Neikyoza)

  Apprenticed under the head family of Onsuwa Taiko. After performing in New York, he now focuses on producing and conducting workshops based in Kansai. He conveys the charm of traditional culture from multiple angles through powerful drumming performances.

■ A Word from General Manager Toru Shimamoto

"The cultural dissemination we have been pursuing with Mr. Souyu since 2025 will deepen further this spring with the arrival of wonderful artists. The concept of 'oku' that our hotel values is not merely the depth of space, but also the depth of history and spirituality flowing through it. Through this event, which shines with Producer Souyu's sensibility, please experience the moment when travelers and locals intersect, and new culture is born, within the space of tou."

■ Hotel Overview

Located about 10 minutes walk from JR Kyoto Station, between the World Heritage site 'Nishi Hongan-ji Temple' and the Important Cultural Property 'Higashi Hongan-ji Temple,' along Nishinotoin Street, is a lifestyle hotel with 121 rooms based on the concept of "the profoundness of Kyoto culture."

We have also designed the hotel interior to allow guests to continue to feel the profoundness of Kyoto's traditional culture that has been built over a long time, even during their stay. Furthermore, all our staff members welcome guests with the intention of becoming Kyoto concierges, aiming to make their trip to Kyoto a more memorable and valuable experience.

The spatial design was handled by SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE, an architectural design firm led by architects Makoto Tanijiri and Ai Yoshida. By designing "light and shadow," "間合い (maai - spacing/interval)," and "艶 (tsuya - gloss/charm)" into the space, we express "oku." We aimed to create a space where one can feel the profoundness of culture and the depth of intervals through the design of senses such as vision, premonition, and imagination, such as the inner space suggested by light leaking through lattices and shoji screens, or the existence of a garden imagined from a single stone.

Please experience the concept of "oku" created from the layering of many creators, and the desire to enhance the value of travel through encounters and interactions with people, during your stay at 'hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto.'

【Rooms】
　Total number of rooms: 121
　Maximum capacity: 294 people
　Room types: All 11 types

【Hotel Facilities】
　Main public bath: B1F 'grand bath uro' / East 34㎡, West 52㎡
　Restaurant bar: 1F 'cafe & bar oku' / 140㎡
　Library: 1F 'Library'
　Japanese garden: 1F '窟 (kutsu)'

　　　　　　B1F East side of main bath '深海/碧 (Ao)', West side of main bath '深海/白光 (Hakko)'
　　　　　　4F Room 403 '天/四・五 (Yontengo)', Room 434 '天/夕 (Seki)'

【Hotel Information】
　Official name: hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto by withceed / ホテル トウ 西洞院 京都 バイ ウィズシード
　Abbreviation: hotel tou nishinotoin kyoto / ホテル トウ 西洞院 京都
　Location: 455 Nishinotoin-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
　TEL: 075-744-0144(Main)
　Homepage: https://www.hotel-tou.com
　Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoteltounishinotoin

　Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoteltounishinotoin/

　TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hoteltounishinotoinkyoto

【Operating Company】　

　Withceed Hospitality Management Inc.

　Location: 5F Komatsu Bldg., 3-3-2 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

　Official website: https://withceed.co.jp