An artful way to show off green maple leaves at studio in Kyoto

by YOKO HIBINO
May 11, 2025

Green maple leaves are reflected on a polished desktop in the “Marumado no Heya” (room with round windows) of the Arashiyama Yusai-tei dyeing studio in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward on May 8. (Yoshiaki Arai photo

KYOTO--A surreal scene awaits visitors to dyeing studio Arashiyama Yusai-tei in the city’s Ukyo Ward at this time of year.

The leaves of the green maple trees outside are perfectly reflected on a polished desktop in one of the rooms.

Dyeing artist Yusai Okuda took over the building, which used to be a “ryokan” inn, and opened it to the public as a gallery.

In one room, visitors can view the green maples through round windows. There is also a terrace where visitors can enjoy the reflected green maples swaying when ripples are created from drops of water from a brush onto a water mirror.

The building is where Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata is said to have written his novel “Yama no Oto” (The Sound of Mountains). The room he used has goldfish bowls with artificial hydrangea flowers floating in them placed by the window to create a cool atmosphere.

The bowls received rave reviews on social networking sites when they were displayed for the first time last year.

Visitors must be at least 13 years old and can visit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is 2,000 yen ($13.80). Reservations are preferred. Closed on Thursdays.

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