Prayers for the Peace of the Four Seas
The Heian Shrine was built to pray for the peace of the four seas.
The hotel is located at the intersection of Jinguma-do, the approach to the shrine, and Sanjo-dori.
The "four seas" refers to the four directions of the sea, representing the world and the world under heaven.
In Higashiyama, Kyoto, people gather from all over the world,
so each room is decorated with the concept colors of the four gods,
which are the guardians of the four directions, in the image of a variety of guests.
Wave and cloud brocade
The mural "Waves and Clouds" painted on the wall inviting guests
from the lobby to the guest rooms by the muralist Ki-Yan (Mr. Hideki Kimura).
The waves represent the "Four Seas," the birds and swallows represent "Peace,"
and the cherry blossoms and autumn leaves represent clouds and brocade, respectively.
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The hotel's mural, painted against a background of dynamic waves, is a slightly different style of expression from the traditional Ki-Yan style, in which only plants and animals are painted in a plain space to create movement. It will be a pleasure to visit Ki-Yan's murals in various places in Kyoto.
The Muralist Hideki Kimura (Ki-Yan)
After graduating from Kyoto City University of Art and Design,
he worked as a lecturer at the same university and produced many legendary events as an organizer in the early days of Japanese rock music.
In Kyoto, Ki-Yan's art can be seen in various places such as
the "Monkey House" at the Kyoto City Zoo,
the "Zest Oike Mural" at the Kyoto City Hall Station Underground Mall,
and the "Fusuma-e" ("Sliding door paintings") at Shoren-in Temple