Thank you for considering for your holiday rental our 2,100 Sq. ft., fully renovated, traditional Machiya complemented by its 150y old garden. We are located a short 10-12mn walk from Kyoto station in a peaceful and traditional environment. We hope our house will offer a unique experience to the most discerning of travelers.
Registered by the city of Kyoto as a significant cultural asset, our Machiya was built around 1875 by a wealthy Kyoto merchant.
Recently renovated by the same team of award-winning Tokyo-based hotel architects who redesigned our first house, we have included the same high level of amenities, modern appliances, thermal insulation, anti-seismic equipment, refurbished antique materials etc. to harmoniously combine tradition and elegance with safety and comfort.
Our house operates as a fully licensed hotel business and has passed the rigorous city of Kyoto fire department safety tests.
The ground floor offers a luminous, spacious open-space from every part of which you can enjoy our garden. The modern counter kitchen area and dining-sitting space face each other while the tatami room with its own tsubo-niwa (private pocket garden) completes the layout.
The semi-detached former tea pavilion has been converted into a sleeping area. The bathroom is on the lower level and the bedroom on the higher one.
Going slightly against tradition and for the comfort of our guests all parts of the house have been remodeled to be indoor.
For beddings, the tatami room next to the sitting area provides traditional Japanese futons while the converted tearoom has a Western style double bed.
The 500 Sq. ft. studio area, on the second floor, enjoys its own entrance, kitchen area, western bed, and bathroom and can operate as an independent unit.
Quick layout:
1) Main house:
1st floor: Kitchen, Dining area, Japanese Sitting area, Japanese bedroom that can sleep 3, Bathroom, Toilet, 2 Japanese Gardens.
2nd Floor: One Western style bedroom.
2) Independent Studio:
1st floor: Entrance, Toilet, Washing machine area.
2nd floor: Kitchen/dining area, sleeping area with Western style bedding.
Our house is located in Kamisuzuya-cho, a short 10-12mn walk directly to the north of Kyoto station.
Originally a tinsmith district supplying the Imperial court in ancient Japan, Kamisuzuya-cho has retained some of its old charms with many quaint machiyas, traditional old houses and workshops still lined up in the streets. Our garden actually faces one of Kyoto's oldest fabric and kimono factories.
Halfway between the station and our house, you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Nishi Honganji and Higashi Honganji.
The shopping district of Shijo-Karasuma is a short 12-15 mn walk away.
The Kamogawa River and the beginning of Kawaramachi with its nightlife and restaurants are also 15-20 mn away by foot.
Numerous bus and subway lines are very near, making all tourist areas easily accessible. The Gojo subway station is 5 mn away.
Kyoto station can be reached in 10-12 mn by foot.
We also have a taxi station just by the house.
We can also arrange bike rentals services, another popular way of sightseeing, especially in our neighborhood.
House rules:
We apologize for having to be strict but we want to make sure everyone has a pleasant experience and insist that the following is respected at all time.
1) With many wooden traditional houses around us and for safety reasons, we have an absolutely NO SMOKING policy inside but also outside the house.
This includes the gardens, the entrance area but also the street in front of our house. Smokers you will need to walk 150 m away in a specially designed smoking area.
If you break this rule, neighbors will report it and we reserve the right to cancel the booking with no refund and/or charge a 300 USD Yen special cleaning fee of the house.
2) May we ask our guests to please avoid making noise or having loud conversations outside of the house, including in the gardens at all time and especially after 9:30.
For the same reasons, we normally accept late check-ins up until 9:30 PM.
3) For the same reasons, we cannot accept parties in the house.
4) We are sorry but little kids cannot play unattended in the traditional gardens with its fragile plants and flowers.
5) Please respect the tradition in Japan of removing one's shoes at all time inside the house.
6) We are sorry but pets are not allowed.
7) End-of-stay cleaning is included but may we also ask from our guests that they extend the courtesy towards our cleaning staff with the state the leave the house at check-out.
8) A maximum of 7 people can stay in the house.
9) When accepting to rent, our guests agree and release us from all liability.
This includes any and all liability for personal and fatal injuries or damage and loss of personal belongings.
Again we apologize for being strict. Thank you for your understanding.
