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 … [Read more...]
The Benten Residences; Machiya House Accommodation in Kyoto’s Higashiyama District
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 … [Read more...]
Mosaic Machiya KSK (Kamishichiken)
Mosaic Machiya KSK is a great little guesthouse in a quiet area of north west Kyoto. This guesthouse is located in a beautifully renovated machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse, in Kamishichiken, which is the oldest geisha district in Kyoto. Mewby and I were recently invited to their 2nd year anniversary party and we were very impressed with what we saw there. Prior to … [Read more...]
Villa Pontocho – A Luxury Two-Roomed Hotel in Kyoto’s Geisha Quarter
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 … [Read more...]
Hotel Material – A Stylish New Hotel in the Heart of Kyoto
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. Guest rooms This hotel has just six rooms, all of them tastefully decorated and equipped with a fridge, flat-screen … [Read more...]
Kyoto Brighton Hotel
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 - - Whoa! Check out that massive interior atrium! Six floors high and flooded with natural light, the … [Read more...]
Campton Luxury Lodges: The Future of Kyomachiya
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; … [Read more...]
Shinkamanza Machiya Resort Named “Village Kiramachi”; New Photos from Our Stay
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 … [Read more...]
Hyatt Regency Kyoto
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 … [Read more...]
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
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 … [Read more...]
Shinkamanza: An Innovative Machiya Townhouse Resort in Downtown Kyoto
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 … [Read more...]
Book & Bed (+Beer) Hostel Opens in Kyoto
The Book & Bed Hostel who opened their first branch in Tokyo in late 2015 are opening a new hostel in Gion entertainment district of Kyoto this December. This time the minds behind this bibliophile's dream have added a crafty bar space into the mix. I've written all about it for the ZenVita blog and you can read that right here: Browse and Carouse at Kyoto’s Newest Hostel: … [Read more...]
Machiya Stay in Kyoto: The Matsui House
Today we have a guest post from Lucinda Cowing. Looking for an authentic, conveniently-located, quiet Kyoto accommodation? Travelling on a budget? The Matsui House is a 100 year-old machiya townhouse in Nishijin, the old textile district of Kyoto. It is the family home of Mrs Matsui, who resides there with her husband. The house was previously a workshop for making kimono … [Read more...]
Ryokan Pleasures & Possibilities
Ian Ropke writes… The exotic world of the Japanese inn 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 … [Read more...]
