Accomodation Archives

Kyoto Granbell Hotel

April 13, 2022 By Michael Lambe

Kyoto Granbell Hotel is a 4-star hotel with friendly staff and excellent facilities in the Gion area of Kyoto. We stayed there for one night last weekend and found it to be very comfortable and reasonably priced. The hotel is in a very central location, and very convenient for Gion Shijo Station, but at the same time it is tucked away in a quiet area away from the busy shopping streets and crowds. This is a big, modern tourist hotel, but it pays its respects to traditional Kyoto style with a sophisticated design that incorporates both old and new elements. On the outside, the latticework and tiling is reminiscent of an old-fashioned machiya building, only on a much larger scale. Inside, soft lighting, antique furnishings, and traditional materials all help to create a relaxing space with an authentic atmosphere of old Kyoto.

Book your stay here.

Contents
Guest Rooms
Breakfast
Services & Facilities
Coronavirus Preventative Measures
Location

Guest Rooms
Kyoto Granbell Hotel has 105 guest rooms over four floors. All guest rooms are non-smoking. Guest rooms come in Japanese or Western styles, the Japanese rooms being distinguished by their tatami mat floors and kimono-patterned headboards. There are six types of room altogether.

*A double bed in a Standard Japanese-style room*

Japanese-style Rooms:
The Standard Double Room with a Tatami Floor is 17.6m² with a 150cm bed.
The Superior Twin Room with a Tatami Floor is 23.3m² with two 110cm beds.

*A bathroom in a Standard Japanese-style room.*

Western-style Rooms:
The Standard Twin is 17.6m² with two 110cm beds.
The Universal Twin is 23m² with two 110cm beds. This room is located on the ground floor and is easily accessible by wheelchair users. It also looks out onto a small inner garden.
A Standard Double is 17.5m² with a 150cm bed.
A Superior King is 17.7m² with a 195cm bed and a sofa.

All rooms come with air conditioning, a mini-refrigerator, a safe for your valuables, a TV with English language channels, a writing desk, a hair dryer, an electric kettle, and coffee and tea making facilities. Complimentary bottles of water are also supplied. Private bathrooms have a bathtub and shower and are supplied with a full set of towels and complimentary amenities (shampoo, soap, toothbrushes etc).

*A seating area on the left and a mini-fridge and coffee/tea making facilities on the right.*

We stayed in a Japanese-style Standard Double Room with a Tatami Floor, which was compact, but big enough for a short stay and the bed was very comfortable! The walls are apparently sound-proofed and I can attest that we slept very well here and we were not disturbed by any noises from adjoining rooms.

Make a booking now at Kyoto Granbell Hotel.

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Breakfast
Breakfast is served in the ground floor restaurant between 7.00 and 11.00 am (with last entry at 10.30).

This is a fairly typical buffet breakfast with the usual mix of Japanese and Western items with eggs, fish, fruit, bread, and veggies. I enjoyed a mixed breakfast of miso soup and croissants with plenty of juice and coffee!

Check room rates at Kyoto Granbell Hotel.

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Services & Facilities
Kyoto Granbell Hotel has a 24-hour reception with friendly, helpful staff who will give you a warm welcome. Check-in time is from 15.00 and check-out is at the unusually generous time of 12.00. If you wish to leave your baggage at the reception desk before checking in or after checking out, that is no problem at all. Look out for the antique drawers stacked behind the reception desk – they are over 150 years old. Other services and facilities at this hotel are listed below:

The money exchange machine.

If you need to exchange money, there is a money exchange machine by the ground floor restaurant. This machine can exchange currencies from the following countries: the US, the UK, the EU, Australia, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
One of the big perks of staying at this hotel is the big communal bath in the basement. There are two baths separated by gender and each one looks out onto a Japanese garden. The bath is just perfect for taking a long relaxing soak after stomping about town all day checking out the sites. The communal bath is open between 6.00 and 10.00 and 15.00 and 1.00.
Free coffee is available in the ground floor lounge and there is also a soft drinks vending machine and ice machine on the same floor.
There is also a bar on the ground floor which is open between 18.00 and 3.00 am. Beer, whisky, wine, cocktails, and local sake varieties are all available here to drink at a counter stool or take to a nearby table.
The hotel bar.
This hotel has a self-service laundry with coin-operated washing and drying machines in the basement.
Bicycles are available to rent from the ground floor for 1,100 yen a day. These bicycles have baskets for your shopping and are a handy way to explore the neighborhood.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building.
The following bank cards are all accepted at Kyoto Granbell: VISA, JCB, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay, UC, DC, and NICOS.

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Coronavirus Preventative Measures
This hotel adheres to all the common safety measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Guests have their temperature checked upon arrival, all staff and guests are required to wear masks inside the hotel, transparent screens are installed at the reception desk, hand sanitizers are available throughout the building, and guest rooms and common facilities are regularly disinfected.

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Location
Kyoto Granbell Hotel is located on the east side of Yamatooji-doori Street, just a short walk south of Shijo-doori Street. It is a 2-minute walk from Gion Shijo Station on the Keihan Main Line, 7 minutes from Yasaka Jinja Shrine, and just 4 minutes from Kenninji Temple. Here is a map showing its location.

For further details, room rates, and bookings check the Kyoto Granbell booking page.

This hotel is part of the Granbell and Holic chain of hotels which has several branches in Tokyo at Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akasaka, Ebisu, and Meguro.

Komatsu South – New Machiya Serviced Accommodation in Kyoto’s Gion District

April 26, 2019 By Michael Lambe

Komatsu South is a new machiya-style residence offering fully serviced vacation accommodation in the heart of Kyoto’s Gion district. Each of the building’s four apartments have their own self-catering and laundry facilities and guests are also provided with daily housekeeping and an e-concierge service. This is the perfect holiday location for independent travelers who want a taste of tradition and all the comforts of home.

Book your stay here.

Last October, Mewby and I were given the chance to stay at the Benten Residences; two traditional machiya townhouses that have been beautifully restored as holiday accommodation by the Shimaya Stays company. Shortly after we stayed there, Shimaya Stays opened up a new property in Kyoto, called Komatsu South. Unlike the Benten Residences, Komatsu South is not a renovated townhouse, but a brand new machiya-style structure built to combine traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern comfort and convenience. In February last, we were invited once again to enjoy Shimaya Stay’s hospitality at this exciting new development. Naturally, I took lots of pictures.

Komatsu South is a two-story building with four apartments. The whole building has been designed and built by local architects and artisans as a recreation of Kyo-Machiya style, but with modern enhancements such as heated flooring, air conditioning, hot running water, and bathing facilities. There are two one-bedroom apartments, and two two-bedroom apartments, with one of each on each floor. We stayed in the one-bedroom apartment on the 1st floor, but also had a peak inside the 2nd floor two-bedroom apartment.

*The coffee area in the 1st floor one-bedroom apartment*

Our apartment had a coffee area with a kitchenette, a tatami room where we slept on futons, and a separate bathroom and toilet.

Every apartment has its own well-stocked kitchen. Here’s ours:

As you can see I opened all the drawers and cupboards so you could see how well stocked it is. There’s a refrigerator, an induction hob, cutlery, crockery, cooking utensils, a microwave oven, a rice cooker, an electric kettle, a toaster, and a Nespresso machine. Each apartment also has a combined washer/dryer for your laundry.

The bathroom is nice and big and has a good-sized bathtub and shower.

Make a booking now at Komatsu South.

While staying at Komatsu South, Janice Tay, the local manager, was good enough to give us a brief tour of the building. Here’s a look at 2nd floor two bedroom apartment.

*The living room as seen from the entrance*

*The living room from the opposite angle*

Both of the two bedroom apartments have living rooms, kitchenettes, a single bedroom with twin beds, and a tatami room that can be used as a second bedroom with futons.

The apartments are decorated with prints by the esteemed local photographer John Einarsen.

Open-air Tea Ceremonies
Komatsu South has some unusual features, such as a tree growing all the way through the center of the building, and a rooftop space that can be used as an open-air tea room.

Traditional tea ceremonies can be arranged for guests who are interested in this aspect of Japanese culture. Last year, we attended a tea ceremony here to celebrate the building’s opening, and the atmosphere under the open sky was invigorating.

Komatsu South Advantages
Staying in a serviced apartment like this, you get a greater measure of independence and personal space than you would in a hotel, but Shimaya Stays also have a system of services in place, so that you never feel isolated. Staff will greet you on your arrival, are available for enquiries at any time during your stay, and will perform daily housekeeping and cleaning with a clean set of towels supplied each day. The apartments are comfortable and stocked with all the amenities you need (including free Wi-Fi) and the building interior is well-lit with night lights and motion sensor lights so you can find your way in and out with ease. I would recommend Komatsu South for couples, small groups, and families with children. I’m also told that Komatsu South recently hosted a wedding group (both the happy couple and their friends) who rented the whole property.

The eConcierge Service
Once you have booked your stay in one of the Shimaya Stays properties you can have a highly-customized itinerary made just for you based on your own interests; whether they be Japanese cooking classes, zen meditation sessions, or simple restaurant bookings. All of this can be arranged by email with the help of a team of local experts, and then when you arrive everything is planned out, including walking routes on Google maps, right down to train and bus times. This is done so that you can maximize your time in Kyoto and get the very best out of your stay.

Tours
Shimaya Stays can also organize complete guided tours to explore the best of Kyoto’s culinary and artisanal culture. Possibilities include gourmet excursions, sake tasting experiences, traditional sweet making workshops, and shopping trips to flea markets and antiques stores for ceramics, lacquerware, and other unique souvenirs.

Location
Komatsu South is located a short distance from Kenninji Temple and is also convenient for the picturesque Sannenzaka lane and Kiyomizudera temple. The nearest stations are Gion-Shijo Station which is a 12 minute walk to the north, and Kiyomizu-Gojo Station which is a 12 minute walk to the south. Both stations are on the Keihan Line. Here is a MAP of the location.

For further details, room rates, and bookings check the Komatsu South booking page.

The Benten Residences; Machiya House Accommodation in Kyoto’s Higashiyama District

October 29, 2018 By Michael Lambe

The Benten Residences are two beautifully restored traditional machiya townhouses sitting side-by-side in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. Shimaya Stays, the Singapore-based company responsible for their restoration, recently invited us to stay in the Benten West house for a couple of nights, so we could see for ourselves what good work they have been doing. We also had the opportunity to meet one of the founders of the company, Lee Yong Chye, along with local manager Janice Tay. They showed us round both properties, and explained how the company was born partly out of a love of traditional Kyoto, and partly out of a desire to create a form of “serviced accommodation” with more personality than would be possible in a generic hotel.

To achieve this they employed local architects and artisans to restore these buildings, which are over 100 years old, and they have done a magnificent job. Take a look at the pictures below and imagine renting one of these heritage houses, steeping yourself in the atmosphere of old Kyoto, while also enjoying all the comforts and facilities you might expect from a boutique hotel.

The Facilities
I would recommend the Benten Residences for couples, small groups, or families. Both properties have two floors and are spacious enough to accommodate a family with children. Benten East is big enough for up to 6 guests, and Benten West can happily house up to 5. Both properties have western-style bedrooms, but also tatami-matted rooms with extra futon bedding. They also both have a living room and dining area, a bathroom with an interior garden view, a kitchenette, two toilets, and separate showers. One of the things I thought was great about these houses was the heated flooring. Machiya are famously cold in the winter, but that won’t be a problem in these warm and cozy homes.

Inside Benten East

*The living/dining area on the 1st floor*

*2nd floor landing “reflection space” – a nice touch!*

Inside Benten West

*Everything you need for a short self-catering holiday is right here*

*Note the Nespresso machine on top of the microwave!*

*The 1st floor Japanese style room with tatami matting on the floor*

*The 2nd floor Japanese room which can also be used as an extra bedroom*

*The entrance hall viewed from the upstairs air well – with Mewby!*

Make a booking now at Benten Residences.

Amenities
Both properties are supplied with heating, air-conditioning, and high speed WI-FI internet access. The kitchenettes have a refrigerator, an induction hob, cutlery, crockery, cooking utensils, a microwave oven, a rice cooker, an electric kettle, a toaster, a Nespresso machine, and a dish washer. There is also a washer/dryer for your laundry. A full set of towels, a hair dryer, and complimentary toiletries are supplied in the bathroom. To secure your valuables, there is a combination safe box in the dressing room on the 2nd floor of both buildings.

Services
Staff will greet you on your arrival, are available for enquiries throughout your stay, and will perform daily housekeeping and cleaning with a clean set of towels supplied each day.

The E-Concierge System
Once you have booked your stay in one of the Shimaya Stays properties you can have a highly-customized itinerary made just for you based on your own interests; whether they be Japanese cooking classes, zen meditation sessions, or simple restaurant bookings. All of this can be arranged by email with the help of a team of local experts, and then when you arrive everything is planned out, including walking routes on Google maps, right down to train and bus times. This is done so that you can maximize your time in Kyoto and get the very best out of your stay. I was told that these plans appeal to the more independent and discerning customers, and although personal guides can also be arranged, most people are more than satisfied with their personalized itineraries.

Location
The Benten Residences are located a stone’s throw away from some of Kyoto’s key attractions: Kiyomizudera Temple, Kodaiji Temple, Gion Corner, and Yasaka Shrine. They are just a 12 minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Main Line, or 15 minutes from Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu-Kyoto Line. Here is a map of the location.

For further details, room rates, and bookings check the Benten Residences booking page.

The All-New Machiya: Komatsu South
Shimaya Stays have recently opened a new property in Kyoto, which unlike the Benten Residences is not a renovated townhouse, but a brand new machiya-style structure built to combine traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern comfort. I will be writing more about this exciting new development in a later post!

Villa Pontocho – A Luxury Two-Roomed Hotel in Kyoto’s Geisha Quarter

March 1, 2018 By Michael Lambe

The narrow alleyway of Pontocho is one of the most atmospheric and best-preserved traditional areas of Kyoto. One of five geisha quarters in Kyoto, it lies between the Kamogawa River and leafy Kiyamachi Street and is a popular spot in which to imbibe the scenery and mood of the old capital. In March 2018 a new luxury boutique hotel opened in this prime location: the Villa Pontocho.

Villa Pontocho is located in one of Pontocho’s traditional townhouses.

Guest Rooms
Villa Pontocho has exactly two guest rooms: one on the ground floor and one on the floor above. Both rooms have wide windows overlooking the Kamogawa River, but the ground floor room also has a seasonal ‘yuka’ balcony between the months of May and September. Every year the restaurants of Pontocho install these summer balconies over the river for the enjoyment of their diners. However, guests who take the ground floor room in Villa Pontocho during the summer can have their very own private yuka balcony and enjoy it at any time of day.

The rooms are decorated with delicate Kyoto textiles, silk glass, cypress wood and bamboo furnishings. The second floor room also has a tatami matted area. Beds in both rooms come with soft Simmons mattresses to ensure a wonderful night’s sleep. Each room comes supplied with “handy” brand smart phones that can be used for free local and international calls as well free internet access. Both rooms have a refrigerator stocked with Ippodo tea, Kyoto nihonshu (rice wine) and Kyoto craft beers. Both rooms have Nespresso coffee machines as well.

Dining & Drinks
In the basement of Villa Pontochi is an Edo-style sushi restaurant with just 7 seats called Nishiki Sushi Shin. This is the second branch of a restaurant that opened its main branch in Nishiki Food Market last August. Nishiki Sushi Shin serves carefully selected seafood with high quality rice from a Gion shop of long-standing, Kome Ryotei Hachidaime Gihey. This restaurant also uses akazu, a kind of red vinegar made from fermented sake lees which is quite unusual these days. Akazu gives the sushi rice a rich, strong, but mellow flavor. This hideaway restaurant opened its doors on February 22nd 2018.

Opening Hours
Lunch: 11.00 – 14.30 (Last orders: 14.00) Prices from 3,500 yen
Dinner: 17.00 – 21.30 (Last orders: 21.00) Prices from 9,000 yen
Tel: 075-744-1953

From 22.00 the restaurant closes and is replaced by Bar Chidori. Make yourself cozy in this moody space and enjoy the night in Kyoto with lip-smacking specialty cocktails.
Opening Hours
22.00 – 2.30 am（Last orders: 2.00 am）
Tel: 075-744-1953

KYOTO MIDTOWN COLLECTIONS 先斗町別邸「VILLA PONTOCHO」opened in March 2018. The projected price for one night’s stay in this luxury spot starts at 80,000 yen per room, but prices may vary (up or down) according to the season. The convenience of the location does somewhat justify the luxury rates, as Pontocho is located in Kyoto’s town center and has easy access to two railway lines: the Hankyu Railway Line at Kawaramachi Station and the Keihan Main Line from Gion-Shijo Station. Here is a map of the location.

Make a booking now at Villa Pontocho.

Villa Pontocho is directly managed by Leaf Publications Inc. which also produces “Leaf” magazine: a well-known local guide to Kyoto and Shiga. This hotel is the company’s third boutique hotel in Kyoto. The other two are listed below:

Villa Aneyakoji Kyoto opened in July 2013 and has just 7 rooms. Guests can choose between Aneyakoji Premium rooms which are 32㎡ and come with a terrace (14.5㎡) or Aneyakoji Superior rooms which are 25~27㎡. The hotel is located in a traditional machiya townhouse and is convenient for Nijo Castle and Kyoto Manga Museum. Nijojo-Mae Subway Station is just 7 minutes walk from the hotel. Here is a map of the location.
Visit the Villa Aneyakoji booking page for further details.

Villa Sanjo Muromachi opened in July 2016 July and has 12 rooms. Guests can choose between one Maisonette Twin room (65㎡), six Deluxe Twin Rooms (42㎡) and five Superior Double Rooms (25㎡). This hotel is located 5 minutes from Karasuma Oike Subway Station. Local attractions include Nijo Castle, Nishiki Food Market and Kyoto Manga Museum. Here is a map of the location.
Visit the Villa Sanjo Muromachi booking page for further details.

For further details, room rates, and reservations at Villa Pontocho visit the hotel booking page.

Hotel Material – A Stylish New Hotel in the Heart of Kyoto

March 1, 2018 By Michael Lambe

Hotel Material is a stylish new boutique hotel tucked away in a quiet corner of the Higashiyama sightseeing district. Newly opened in December 2017, the hotel already has a good reputation for its comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and optimal location.

*Hotel Material and Cafe Detail in Higashiyama, Kyoto*

Guest rooms
This hotel has just six rooms, all of them tastefully decorated and equipped with a fridge, flat-screen TV, free WI-FI internet access, and air conditioning.

There are two Mini Rooms which are 18m² and suitable for couples. These have their own balconies and are fitted with king-sized beds.

There are two Modern Rooms which are 24m² and are also fitted with king-sizes beds. These are also suitable for couples.

There are two Material Rooms which are 30m² and can sleep up to four guests. These rooms are fitted with a king-sized bed and a bunk bed with single-sized mattresses.

All rooms have a separate bathroom with a bath, shower and a full set of complimentary toiletries.

Check room rates at Hotel Material.

Cafe Detail
Cafe Detail is a cafe and bar located on the ground floor of the hotel. You can get yourself a tasty American style breakfast here for an additional fee. Hotel Material prides itself on serving guests of all ages, genders, and cultures, and this is reflected in the variety of dishes on the full cafe menu which combines Spanish, Italian, French, and Japanese cuisines in a happy profusion of styles. Kyoto Distillery Gin and Kyoto craft beer are also available in the bar. For a more detailed look at food, drink and prices you can download this PDF menu.

*One of the more unusual items on the menu are the black potato fries.*

Cafe Detail Opening Hours:
Breakfast: 7.00 – 11.00
Lunch: 11.00 – 16.00
Dinner: 16.00 – 0.00 (Last orders: 23.00)

*Rooftop dining and drinking is also possible when weather permits and offers guests a great view over the scenic Higashiyama district.*

Location
One of the best things about this hotel is its location which gives you immediate access to some of Kyoto’s top sites and attractions. Here is a short list of highlights with walking times:

Maruyama-koen Park – 2 minutes from the hotel
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art – 5 minutes from the hotel
The National Museum of Modern Art – 6 minutes from the hotel
Heian Shrine – 8 minutes from the hotel
Konchi-in Temple – 10 minutes from the hotel
Nanzen-ji Temple – 12 minutes from the hotel

Hotel Material is also just a 10 minute walk from Higashiyama Station which gives you direct access to Kyoto’s subway network. Take the Tozai Subway Line to Karasuma Oike Station, change to the Karasuma Line and you can be at Kyoto Station in under 15 minutes. Here is a map of the hotel’s location.

Available Services and Facilities
Staff at reception will be happy to help guests with their inquiries and give advice on local sites of interest, restaurants, and nightlife.

Hotel Material is completely non-smoking both in the guest rooms and public areas.

This hotel does not offer bed making or room cleaning services.

This hotel does not have a car park, so the best way to access it is via public transportation.

For further details, room rates, and bookings check the Hotel Material booking page.

Many thanks to Jeff Toko for first contacting me about this hotel.

Kyoto Brighton Hotel

October 25, 2017 By Michael Lambe

Kyoto Brighton Hotel is a lovely, old-style, upscale hotel close by Kyoto Imperial Palace Park. This hotel is renowned for its hospitable service and top-notch dining facilities. To be honest, this hotel doesn’t look so impressive from the outside, but step inside and –

*Behold the grandeur of Kyoto Brighton Hotel’s gigantic interior atrium.*

– Whoa! Check out that massive interior atrium! Six floors high and flooded with natural light, the atrium is the central hub of the hotel and here you will find both the reception desk and the stylish lobby lounge bar Cour au Midi.

Guest Rooms
Kyoto Brighton Hotel was built in the late 1980s, but all 182 rooms and suites were completely renovated in 2010, so they are in tip-top condition. Guest rooms are clean, comfortable and noticeably spacious, and come with a range of double, twin, triple or quadruple beds. All rooms are non-smoking and because of the size of the rooms this hotel is really ideal for families with children. All guest rooms have free Wi-Fi, a big screen TV with DVD player, a combined air purifier and humidifier, a hairdryer, slippers, nightwear, a bathrobe and a safe for your valuables. All rooms have their own private bathrooms with both a bathtub and shower, and are supplied with a full set of towels and complementary toiletries.

*A Executive Twin room. Click the pic for room rates.*

Check room rates at Kyoto Brighton Hotel.

Dining Facilities
Kyoto Brighton Hotel has a great range of on-site restaurants to serve all tastes. In addition to the lobby lounge bar Cour au Midi (which is popular for its afternoon tea and cake sets), there is a terrace buffet restaurant called Feerie, a Chinese restaurant called Kakan and two more restaurants serving the very best Japanese cuisine. Hotaru serves traditional Kyoto style multi-course kaiseki meals, and Himorogi is a teppanyaki restaurant where you can watch the cooks prepare and serve up steaks and seafood hot off the griddle.

Breakfast is served from 7.00 to 10:00 am at two venues: you can enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast at Hotaru, or a Western style hot buffet breakfast at Feerie. You should check your accommodation plan for inclusive deals and prices.

Other Services & Facilities
Kyoto Brighton Hotel has an excellent reputation for the quality of its service, with friendly and accommodating reception staff, and an English speaking concierge team who can direct you to all the major sightseeing locations, and help with special bookings such as taxis, tours, and restaurants. This hotel also has a beauty salon on site, and other shops selling souvenirs, flowers, and accessories.

*The concierge desk is located right beside reception.*

Access
Kyoto Brighton Hotel is close to the Imperial Palace Park which is a short walk to the east, and Seimei Jinja Shrine (dedicated to the legendary astrologer Abe no Seimei) is a 10 minute stroll to the west. The Raku Museum and Nishijin Textile Center are also nearby. This hotel is not in the most central location, but it does have regular free shuttle bus services to and from Karasuma-Oike Subway Station between 8.10 and 21.30. The shuttle bus takes just 7 minutes, and to get from Karasuma-Oike to Kyoto Station is just a 5 minute train ride. The hotel also has rental bicycles available to help you explore the local area. Here is a MAP of the location.

*Kyoto Brighton Hotel’s low-key exterior belies its top quality facilities.*

For further details, room rates, and bookings check the Kyoto Brighton Hotel booking page.

Campton Luxury Lodges: The Future of Kyomachiya

September 20, 2017 By Michael Lambe

As regular readers know, I am a big fan of Kyoto’s machiya: the traditional wooden townhouses that once formed an integral part of this ancient city’s streetscape. As such I am always keen to support and promote local business that have wised-up to the great potential of these old houses as shops, restaurants, cafes, and hotels. I recently wrote about one such exciting venture; a new machiya resort in the Shinkamanza district of central Kyoto, and today I will introduce another which is equally ambitious and holds much promise for this city’s future.

CAMPTON Head Office is located close to Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto

Recently Janic Kuehner, an intern at local company CAMPTON, wrote to me about their good work restoring and renovating old machiya for use as luxury holiday lodges. Founded by real estate entrepreneur Masao Ono in 2015, this company has been active in reinventing these residential buildings as upscale luxury lodges that blend traditional grace and simplicity with every modern comfort for the perfect holiday home in Kyoto.

*Masao Ono named CAMPTON after a historical hotel in San Francisco which is his personal favorite.*

The company is centered on the CAMPTON Head Office on Nene-no-Michi Lane in the scenic Higashiyama district of Kyoto. Fittingly for a company so concerned with preserving Kyoto’s traditional architecture the CAMPTON headquarters are housed in a stately residential building, constructed in the classic sukiya-zukuri style, with beautifully preserved tea rooms overlooking a very fine traditional garden. As well as being the hub of CAMPTON’s activities this building is also used as an event space and has hosted several “Genius Table” roundtable discussions for local artists, scientists, educators, and business leaders.

To begin with, CAMPTON’s focus was on renovating old machiya with a view to preserving these historical buildings for posterity. The destruction of old machiya is an ongoing tragedy in Kyoto, as property developers ceaselessly demolish them without mercy in favor of yet more parking lots or high rise apartment buildings. CAMPTON’s business strategy however, recognizes that a house of 100 years old or more has a special value, a character, and a presence, both in itself as an integral part of the community. Once you knock something like that down, you can’t bring it back. So as the first stage of their business plan CAMPTON have now renovated and opened 6 luxury machiya lodges in different locations around Kyoto. In seeking to protect and reutilize these properties CAMPTON and their CEO Masao Ono are certainly to be commended.

*Luxurious beds at CAMPTON Lodge 2 Nishi-no-Toin*

However, where this company shows its true vision, is in the next stage of its plan. This summer CAMPTON broke ground on a new construction site near Ninenzaka Street close by Kiyomizudera Temple. Here work has begun on a set of completely new machiya buildings, faithful in style, substance, and structure to the traditional designs and materials of the original iconic Kyoto townhouses. How wonderful! Here is a business that views machiya not just as a treasured aspect of Kyoto’s past, but as an essential element in its future development. I was delighted to hear about this fantastic development and can only hope that other businesses follow this brilliant example.

*Design plans for CAMPTON’s new Yasaka Project on Ninenzaka*

If you are interested in CAMPTON’s properties or business why not stop by the Head Office on Nene-no-Michi? Or you can contact them via their website here: http://kyoto-campton.com/contact

*A traditional tea room at CAMPTON headquarters.*

The CAMPTON Lodges
CAMPTON’s new machiya buildings are scheduled to be ready for business by the summer of 2018. Below are the six CAMPTON Lodges that are currently available. All lodges are supplied and fitted with a full set of amenities, bedding, wooden bathtubs, heated floors, Shigaraki-ware ceramic wash basins, and Imabari luxury towels. To learn more about the unique features of each lodge or to make a booking for your holiday stay, click on the links or photos below.

CAMPTON 1 – Ushitora

CAMPTON 1 – Ushitora has two bedrooms, one Japanese style room, a living room, a bathroom with a wooden bathtub, a shower room, and two toilets. This lodge is a 15 minute walk north of Kyoto Station and an 8 minute walk south of Gojo Subway Station. It is convenient for Higashi Honganji Temple, Nishi Honganji Temple, the Ryukoku Museum, and Kyoto Tower. Here is a MAP of the location.

Check room rates at CAMPTON 1 – Ushitora.

CAMPTON 2 – Nishi-no-Toin

CAMPTON 2 – Nishi-no-Toin has two bedrooms one of which is Japanese style, one Japanese style room, a living room, a bathroom with a wooden bathtub, a shower room, and two toilets. This lodge is a 15 minute walk north of Kyoto Station and a 9 minute walk south of Gojo Subway Station. It is convenient for Higashi Honganji Temple, Nishi Honganji Temple, the Ryukoku Museum, and Kyoto Tower. Here is a MAP of the location.

Check room rates at CAMPTON 2 – Nishi-no-Toin.

CAMPTON 3 – Gosho-Minami-Hotei

CAMPTON 3 – Gosho-Minami-Hotei has two bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom with a wooden bathtub, a shower room and two toilets. This lodge is a 10 minute walk north of Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Subway Station, an 11 minute walk south-east of Marutamachi Subway Station, and a 10 minute walk south-west of Jingu-Marutamachi Station on the Keihan Line. It is convenient for the Imperial Palace Park, the antique shops on Teramachi Street, city center shopping and dining, and is exactly 3 minutes south of the best bakery in Kyoto: Dough. Here is a MAP of the location.

Check room rates at CAMPTON 3 – Gosho-Minami-Hotei.

CAMPTON 4 – Gosho-Minami-Ebisu

CAMPTON 4 – Gosho-Minami-Ebisu has one bedroom, a living room, a Japanese style room, a bathroom with a wooden bathtub, and two toilets.This lodge is located beside the CAMPTON 3 Lodge.

Check room rates at CAMPTON 4 – Gosho-Minami-Ebisu.

CAMPTON 9 – Nishijin Itsutsuji & CAMPTON 10 – Nishijin Arima

CAMPTON 9 and 10 are located together. CAMPTON 9 has one bedroom, a living room, a Japanese style room, a bathroom with a wooden bathtub, and two toilets. CAMPTON 10 has two bedrooms, one living room, one Japanese style room, a bathroom with a wooden bathtub, a shower room, and two toilets. These lodges are an 18 minute walk west of Imadegawa Subway Station in Nishijin which is a traditional silk weavers district. You can see many machiya buildings here, and it is convenient for Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine and Nishijin Textile Center. Here is a MAP of the location.

Check room rates at CAMPTON 9 – Nishijin Itsutsuji & CAMPTON 10 – Nishijin Arima

Many thanks to Janic Kuehner and Campton for their assistance with this article.

Shinkamanza Machiya Resort Named “Village Kiramachi”; New Photos from Our Stay

September 6, 2017 By Michael Lambe

A few months ago I wrote about an innovative machiya townhouse revival project in the Shinkamanza district of central Kyoto. Under the supervision of local architectural company, Good Design Works, not just one traditional townhouse but a whole group of houses has been renovated and reinvented as a single integrated resort hotel. I have now been informed that the resort has received a new official name: 宿きらまち (yado kiramachi) in Japanese, or “Village Kiramachi” in English. This new name partly reflects the close communal atmosphere that Good Design Works have strived to create in this project, and also honors the name of the chief designer Moatesu Kiraeri.

Mewby in the Village Kiramachi machiya resort.

Mewby and I were recently invited back to the Village Kiramachi resort to see how much the construction work has progressed and also to spend a night in these beautiful surroundings. The resort will not be opened to guests until later this year, so we were very fortunate to be able to have a preview of the facilities. Here are some images from our stay.

A village view. At the center of the resort is a small community shrine.

Each machiya building has been lovingly restored with respect to its individual character – no two buildings are exactly alike.

A small stream runs throughout the resort offering natural background music.

Two lanes lead into the resort from the street outside. One is original…

…And one was newly created to add more air and light. Can you tell which is which?

Everywhere you see tremendous attention to detail, from the traditional latticework on the windows…

…to specially selected momiji maple patterned ceiling paper….

…or in this room the simple beauty of a wooden ceiling.

In this house guests can enjoy moon viewing in all seasons.

A traditional tea room is also available for the guests’ enjoyment.

This house has a traditional hinoki wood bath.

And in this house you can enjoy a view of the inner garden while taking a shower.

Imagine going to sleep with this as your view…

Many thanks to Good Design Works for letting us stay at Village Kiramachi and for permission to take these photographs. For more information about this beautiful new resort and to view the design plans, see my original article: Shinkamanza: An Innovative Machiya Townhouse Resort in Downtown Kyoto. Village Kiramachi will open to guests later this year.

For further details, current room rates, and bookings check the Village Kiramachi booking page.

Hyatt Regency Kyoto

June 20, 2017 By Michael Lambe

The Hyatt Regency is a lovely hotel on Shichijo Dori Street that occupies the affordable end of luxury. Mewby and I have a special fondness for this hotel because we stayed there on our wedding night. Imagine this – after a very happy, but of course very busy and honestly quite nerve-wracking day, we arrived at the hotel tired and relieved to be greeted with warm smiles and were told we had been given an upgrade! A big old Deluxe Balcony King was ours with a complementary bottle of wine to boot! This particular room features a balcony overlooking the hotel garden (very nice garden!), and a massive hinoki cypress wood bath which we were particularly happy to soak in whilst enjoying the aforementioned wine. It was the perfect end to our day, so to express our thanks, a brief review of this fine establishment is the very least I can do and certainly well overdue.

Our room on arrival with wedding gifts strewn across the comfy sofa!

The Hyatt Regency has three basic room types which are on an ascending scale of price and comfort: Standard, Deluxe, and Suites. All rooms have the same distinctive style of interior decor which manages to be simultaneously both modern and traditional with stylish lamps, colorful silk kimono tapestries hanging behind the bed, and simple wooden furnishings. Standard rooms come with either a King sized bed, or twin beds and have everything you need: free Wi-Fi, a writing desk, a minibar, a TV with cable and satellite channels, a closet, a safe for your valuables, and a private bathroom with a decent sized bathtub. Deluxe rooms have seating areas with sofas and some of them also have those fantastically huge hinoki baths. Book a suite and you get bigger windows, better views, and (depending on the suite) separate living/dining or sleeping areas. Some suites also feature tatami matted tea rooms.

The first floor dining area overlooks the garden.

Breakfast is served in the ground floor dining area which overlooks the hotel garden. It’s a buffet breakfast and one of the better ones with plenty of fruit, salad, cheeses, smoked salmon, eggs cooked to your preference, and freshly baked bread. The hotel has three main dining areas: an Italian restaurant, a traditional Japanese style restaurant, and a grill serving juicy burgers, steaks and seafood. There is also a pastry shop for sweets and a cozy bar where you can try cocktails made with the locally distilled Ki No Bi dry gin. Happy hour is between 17.00 and 19.00.

Reception. High praise to the staff at the Hyatt Regency for their warm and friendly service!

The Hyatt Regency also has room service; a fitness gym; a spa offering a variety of massages, aromatherapy treatments and enzyme baths (!); a business centre; a souvenir shop; and a 24-hour concierge service with staff who can help you with restaurant reservations, currency exchange, booking tours, or ordering taxis.

This hotel is convenient for the National Museum (just across the street), Sanjusangendo Temple, and is an 8 minute walk from Shichijo Station. This station gives you access to the Keihan Line which runs north to south through Kyoto and so makes it easy to reach the city center, sightseeing locations further north such as Shimogamo Shrine, and also further south such as Tofukuji, Fushimi Inari, and Uji.

We only spent one night in this hotel but we loved it and would happily stay there again. Here is a MAP of the location.

For further details, room rates, and bookings check the Hyatt Regency Kyoto booking page.

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

June 15, 2017 By Michael Lambe

Last week I happened to be in the area of the Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, and decided to have a bit of a snoop around inside. What a place!

The Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto is Kyoto’s newest luxury resort having opened just last autumn, but it feels like it has been around a lot longer. Everything about this hotel from the softly lit interiors, and the magnificent gardens, to the warm and good-humoured smiles of the staff, suggests stately grace, calm, and tranquility. If you really want to spoil yourself then this is clearly the place to stay. It feels like a palace!

The interior design is a perfect blend of modern comforts with traditional style. This extends to the guest rooms which are decorated with artisanal touches like paper lamps, and fusuma screens. Some rooms also have their own balconies and suites also have their own dining areas and walk-in closets.

Dining options include a Brasserie stocked with local craft beer and a varied cosmopolitan menu, a sushi restaurant, a traditional tea house and a combined bar and lounge. In-room dining is also available and breakfast is buffet style.

From the Brasserie’s panoramic windows you can enjoy a view onto the 800-year-old pond garden.

For the full resort experience, this hotel also has a fitness center and a luxury spa with massage services, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, and a swimming pool. Should you want to venture out from this haven, the hotel can organize a variety of sightseeing tours, local outings, and cultural experiences.

Should you need it, a computer and printer are freely available for the guests to use.

Four Seasons Kyoto is a large hotel, but is well hidden from the hurly-burly of the city. Occupying a world unto itself it is tucked away on the slope of Onnazaka, and is convenient for visits to Sanjusangendo Temple, and the National Museum.

A bamboo lined pathway leads from the outer world to the tranquility within.

I was very impressed with my brief look round the Four Seasons Kyoto, not just by the beautiful interiors but by the charming manners of the staff. Not even a guest, I was simply there to take a few cheeky snaps, but they made me feel most welcome. I just wish I could afford to stay there myself!

For further details, room rates and bookings check the Four Seasons Kyoto booking page.

Shinkamanza: An Innovative Machiya Townhouse Resort in Downtown Kyoto

May 16, 2017 By Michael Lambe

Last year I was invited to view the ongoing work on an exciting machiya revival project in central Kyoto. Overseen by a local architectural company called Good Design Works the plan is to renovate not just one traditional townhouse but an entire unit of houses as a single integrated resort hotel.

Machiya are the traditional wooden townhouses of Kyoto. Their dark lattice fronts once lined all the streets of the city, and their low-lying tiled rooftops formed a gentle rolling city skyline with here and there a palace or a temple rising up above them. Though the palaces and temples remain, that distinctive machiya skyline has now all but disappeared. Over the last 60 years or so, machiya have increasingly been torn down in favor of high rise blocks and parking lots. Though this destruction of old Kyoto continues today, there have been some efforts in recent years to find new ways to preserve these buildings. Famed Japanologist Alex Kerr was a pioneer when he founded the Iori company to renovate old houses for use as hotel lodgings. Other businesses have transformed machiya into attractive modern cafes, restaurants, and shops, and both the city and local banks offer attractive investments for new home-owners who wish to buy, restore, and refurbish these buildings.

This all represents something of a boom in machiya revival, but up until now most projects have focused on single buildings. Where Good Design Works are showing a new and rather daring approach is in seeking to redevelop an entire connected group of houses. This is actually really important. Traditionally, machiya were (and some still are) grouped together in small neighborhoods, and everybody in that neighborhood knew each other. Typically a narrow lane would run off the main road and around it there would be a close knit community of houses, with many neighbors employed in the same kind of work. People would see each other daily, meet up for gossip at the local public baths, and watch over each other’s kids when they played outside in communal areas. Restoring a single machiya is always a worthwhile enterprise, but on its own it does nothing to preserve this old communal spirit and there really is nothing quite as sad as the sight of an old townhouse hemmed in on all sides by looming apartment buildings.

This is why it is so wonderful that Good Design Works have taken a block of buildings in Kyoto’s Shinkamanza-cho district and renovated them as a group. The new resort is named “Shinkamanza” after this district, and it is an ambitious project, but having viewed the construction site I am happy to say it looks splendid. The resort sits in a well-preserved area on a quiet side street not far from the Shijo-Karasuma intersection, and despite its central location it forms a natural sanctuary from the busy urban surround. Within the resort are 9 houses containing separate apartments. Each house has its own individual design, its own facilities, and its own inner courtyard garden. All of these houses offer unique views on the rest of the resort complex that provide a nostalgic glimpse of old Kyoto. The resort has been conceived as a small village, and to bind this village together there is a communal garden with carefully chosen rocks, a small café bar area where guests can mingle, a traditional public bath for group or family bathing, and a flowing stream that provides both cool air and natural background music to calm the soul.

And the houses are comfortable! These houses have been fully refurbished, so that they will be warm and snug in winter, and cool and breezy in the hot summer months. I was also highly impressed by the attention given to each house’s bathing and toilet facilities. The chief designer, Moatesu Kiraeri, spent a lot of time explaining to me how important he felt these areas are. Machiya houses are generally not that big, and traditionally they didn’t have their own bathrooms, so modern refits tend to skimp on the space and materials used for these modern conveniences. Not so at Shinkamanza! Here you will find not a cramped plastic toilet, but an elegant room with a ceramic bowl, a spacious hinoki wood bath tub, or a piping hot shower, and in each area you can enjoy piped music, or a cleverly angled view of your inner garden (with your privacy preserved intact). As Kiraeri-san enthused on these areas I could see that he conceived of the toilet and bathing areas not simply as facilities, but as comfortable spaces for quiet contemplation. I was instantly reminded of Junichiro Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows where he waxes lyrically upon the Japanese toilet as a “place of spiritual repose”:

“No words can describe that sensation as one sits in the dim light, basking in the faint glow reflected from the shoji, lost in meditation or gazing out at the garden… surely there could be no better place to savor this pleasure than a Japanese toilet where, surrounded by tranquil walls and finely grained wood, one looks upon blue skies and green leaves.”

Furthermore, I was assured that each building is fully soundproofed, so you can play your music at top volume, and they won’t hear a thing next door.

Overall I was really excited by this project, both for its overall vision, and for the attention to detail in choosing the perfect materials: just the right paper for the ceilings, the very best cedar wood for the baths, and not this rock but another for the garden display… Clearly no expense or effort has been spared on this project and quite rightly it has been given full backing by the city government too. Shinkamanza looks to be not only a great place to stay when visiting Kyoto, but a brand new model for machiya revival projects elsewhere. Three cheers for Good Design Works and may others be inspired to follow their example!

The Shinkamanza machiya resort will be officially opened in ~~July~~ late 2017. All images from the Shinkamanza resort were taken by Elsa Arribas (aka BunnyTokyo). For more information visit the official Shinkamanza Facebook page or follow the project on Twitter.

Update September 6th 2017: The Shinkamanza machiya resort has now been renamed Village Kiramachi. For more information and pictures see my latest article: Shinkamanza Machiya Resort Named “Village Kiramachi”; New Photos from Our Stay

Update September 13th 2017: The Shinkamanza machiya resort is now taking bookings. For further details and room rates check the Village Kiramachi booking page.

Ryokan Pleasures & Possibilities

July 14, 2010 By Michael Lambe

The Exotic World of the Japanese Inn

Ian Ropke writes…

At the beginning of the 20th century in Japan and Europe and elsewhere, there was a class of people, often men, who spent great portions of their life living in inns and hotels. Yasunari Kawabata, the first Japanese to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, was one of the last people to live in ryokan in what could only be called “the age of the gentleman”. Indeed, Japan’s great ryokan inns still are and probably always will be connected with wealth and leisure. Some of the finest of these host the stars and nobility of the world when they come to Kyoto, the Old Capital.

The Hiiragiya Ryokan, Fuyacho, Kyoto

The best ryokan of Kyoto continue to inhabit a world that expresses the very essence of tradition and perfection. The traditions run to the very generations of families that clean, cook and otherwise service the guests. In some inns in Kyoto, one can still request the services of a blind masseuse at bed time. Reposed and relaxed in the comfort of your exquisite futon the masseuse adds the final touch and puts you to sleep long before the massage ends. In the morning, as always, the perfection and patina of master craftsmen and time awaits you. This is another of the wonders of the ryokan world. The flagstones and wood have been worn smooth in places by the long vanished guests of centuries past. The gardens breathe with a sense of time that only generations of care by skilled landscape artists can create.

The ryokan world of Japan was strung out on the major highways connecting the major places of wealth and power. In this respect they are similar to the great inns of Europe. However, many of the inns in Japan and this includes some of them in Kyoto also came into existence in the 17th century when the Tokugawa shogunate decreed that either the daimyo lords or their wives and children had to be residing in Edo (present day Tokyo). And so every other year the great processions would move from the lord’s fiefdom of power up to Tokyo and back. Naturally, a great number of Japan’s most powerful lords had to pass through Kyoto and stay at an inn appropriate to their level of power. Some lords moved with hundreds or even a thousand servants and vast amounts of luggage.

Today, the charm of the ryokan is all about sinking into past. This includes as well the pace of the past, something that has become a priceless experience in the modern world of “Hurry, hurry, hurry.” Things move slowly but surely behind the fine closed doors of Kyoto’s ryokan; slowly enough to relax and yet surely enough to get everything done on time.

The Tawaraya Ryokan, Fuyacho, Kyoto

Entering a ryokan is like entering a world of the past. All the materials around you are natural and exquisitely hand crafted. Much of the design, including your room, will express the wisdom: less is really much, much more. Thus the bedroom is really a fine sitting room (the futons are hidden away). In the best rooms, there will be view of a traditional garden. However, most rooms have a ceremonial alcove with a scroll and a ceramic vase filled with flowers. If the room has more than one room, then expect elegantly designed and painted sliding doors (probably priceless antiques) and white translucent sliding paper doors.

Some will wonder at the expense of staying in a good inn. It is understandable if you don’t understand, but only then. First you must consider the staff and their duties, then the upkeep of the place and then the food. Ryokan specialize in serving masterpiece meals. In Kyoto this means the multi-course kaiseki meal. These meals take hours to prepare (if you already have years of training behind you) and require the very finest and fresh seasonal ingredients. Such a meal by itself in a restaurant usually costs over 15,000 yen. This does not, however, include the extraordinary space and luxuriant ambience where the meal will be enjoyed.

Many of them do not advertise, preferring instead to do business with the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of their guests. A great number of ryokan lie in areas that are discreet. Indeed, if you didn’t know you would never guest it was a ryokan. Some of the best and, in a way, oldest ryokan in Japan are located in Kyoto. Many of them do not advertise, preferring instead to do business with the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of their guests. A great number of ryokan lie in areas that are discreet. Indeed, if you didn’t know you would never guess it was a ryokan. For a listing of nearly all the best ryokan see the accommodation section below.

Kyoto’s Best Ryokan

Hirashin Matsubaya Ryokan

Matsui Honkan Nishiyama Ryokan

Ryokan Kohro Ryokan Shimizu

Ryokufuso Sawaya Honten

Watazen Yadoya Nishijinso

Full text by Ian Ropke. Photographs 1 and 2 by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.

Ian Ropke is the author of the Historical Dictionary of Osaka and Kyoto and director of Your Japan Private Tours. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here.

Disclosure: Links on this page may be affiliate links from which the owner of this wesbite may earn a commision.

Learn more:

Japanese Inns & Hot Springs
“Richly illustrated and exhaustively researched, Japanese Inns & Hot Springs is the definitive guide to Japanese spas and hot springs known as ryokans.”
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.jp Ryokan
“Chris McMorran spent nearly two decades researching ryokan… He presents the realities of ryokan work and introduces the people who keep the inns running by making guests feel at home.”
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.jp

Ryokan: A Japanese Tradition
“In the Ryokan, the traditional Japanese guesthouse, building and landscape are melded in harmonic unity. Art, architecture, and the culture of daily life are elucidated and explored in richly illustrated articles.”
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.jp Ryokan: Japan’s Finest Spas & Inns
“This book features Japanese inns, or ryokan, handpicked by the authors for their strong design aesthetic, commitment to service and purity of their spring waters.”
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.jp

Gojo Guesthouse

September 11, 2007 By Michael Lambe

Gojo Guesthouse is a clean and friendly English-speaking hostel conveniently located on Gojo Dori and so not too far from either Kiyomizu Gojo Station or the town center. A short walk north of here towards Gion, will take you into some of the traditional machiya streets of old Kyoto, and it also happens to be a very good maiko-spotting area. A short hike east will take you up to Kiyomizudera, one of Kyoto’s most famous tourist spots.

Futons and linen are provided and each guest receives a drink ticket for each night they stay that they can use in the café downstairs. There are also showers, laundry facilities, a kitchen, a common room with TV, free internet access and a bicycle rental service for 500 yen a day. Light meals and cheap drinks are available in the Gojo Guesthouse Cafe from 13:00 ~ 22:00 pm, and (most importantly), they also have Guinness on tap.

Reception is open from 8:00 am ~ 22:00 pm. Check in time is from 15:00 ~ 22:00pm. There is no curfew. Tel: 075-525-2299.
Please note that credit cards are not accepted and you will have to pay on arrival.

Here is a MAP with the location of Gojo Guesthouse. You can check for more details and room rates on the Gojo Guesthouse booking page. There is also an Annex close to the Yasaka Jinja Shrine and thus not far from the main bus routes between Kyoto station and the north of the city. Please check the Gojo Guesthouse Annex booking page for differing rooms, prices and reception hours. Tel: 075-525-2298