Kyoto machiya offer an excellent alternative to hotels and a chance to experience the Japanese lifestyle. We have combined traditional Japanese design, such as the main tatami room complete with horikotatsu (sunken seating area) and shoji (sliding paper screens) with contemporary comforts such as luxury bathroom, heated floors, the latest in Japanese toilet technology and a fully fitted kitchen. Externally, the house reflects traditional machiya design and the greatest of compliments have come from our neighbours who are delighted with how the place looks. Calm and quiet, Machiya Momiji presents an opportunity to relax and enjoy the design and space of your own house during a stay in beautiful Kyoto.

Restoring a Kyoto machiya (which translates as ‘town house’) was a long standing dream which we finally realized in 2013. As a professor at a local university, I originally purchased this property to be our family home but a new position has led to relocation away from Kyoto meaning that we can now offer our home as a vacation rental. We have been welcoming guests to our property since 2014 and have excellent reviews - you can also see the kind comments left in our guest book in the property itself.

We searched long and hard for the right sized property in the right place, and this it. Machiya Momiji (momiji translates as ‘Japanese Maple’ and we have one in our garden!) is located in the heart of a traditional neighborhood on the doorstep of some of Kyoto’s most famous and stunning cultural treasures such as Kiyomizu-dera which is just a ten minute walk away. A short walk along the Kamogawa river brings you to the bustling heart of Kyoto around Shijo Kawaramachi and the Gion entertainment district, famed for Geisha and Kabuki. On purchase, the property needed complete renovation and we worked with a local company, Hachise, that specializes in the renovation of traditional Kyoto machiya. They are also renowned for their high standards of craftsmanship which comes from working exclusively with local specialists.