[Kyoto] Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the ancient capital! 5 luxurious townhouse-style hotels and ryokan

Kyoto is a tourist destination that attracts attention from both within Japan and overseas. Shrines and temples where you can feel the elegance of history, a variety of delicate gourmet foods, and beautiful scenery in every season. No matter how many times you visit, the charm never fades. If you are traveling to Kyoto, why not try staying in a "machiya" that blends in with the ancient capital? You will surely be able to rediscover the charm of Kyoto in a new way.

Kyoto's townhouses are called "Kyoto machiya" and retain a beautiful architectural style that blends in with the streets of the ancient capital. If you stay in a Kyomachiya, you can fully enjoy the atmosphere of Kyoto and make your trip even more memorable. There are many types of Kyomachiya, from affordable accommodations to renovated luxury accommodations. In this article, we will introduce 5 ryokan and hotels where you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the ancient capital in a luxurious space.

A corner near Shijo Omiya. When you pass through the entrance of Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St.-dori, you will be transported to a world that will make you feel as if you have traveled back in time. This is an extraordinary inn that has been renovated from an area lined with townhouses that are over 110 years old and has been reborn as ryokan. At dusk, the soft light of lanterns illuminating the stone pavement is truly magical.

All 23 rooms come with a semi-open-air bath. Privacy is guaranteed. The theme of the guest room interior is "Kyoto's natural beauty." There are five themes, including "TAKE" and "MIZU," and each has a different atmosphere. This is "TAKE," where the first floor is the living room and the second floor is the bedroom. The elegant and calming interior is typical of Kyoto, making it perfect for an adult trip.

Inside Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St. is Wagyu Restaurant Bungo, where you can enjoy a yakiniku kaiseki course meal using a variety of Wagyu beef, including Oita Wagyu beef. Watching the chef prepare each dish right in front of you is a thrill! The pairing of the dishes with the Japanese tableware carefully selected to match each dish is also beautiful. Why not add some color to your trip with a slightly more luxurious dinner than usual?

For breakfast, you can enjoy vegetarian cuisine typical of Kyoto. Many dishes lined up in small bowls are colorful and very healthy. It will gently soothe your stomach and intestines after eating too much on your trip. Let's touch the heart of Zen from the morning and start the day with a clear mind ♪

"Sowaka" is located about 10 minutes on foot from Gion Shijo Station. This hotel is a renovated 100-year-old long-established restaurant. Passing through the quiet entrance, you will find a luxurious space that you cannot imagine from the exterior. Each of the 23 guest rooms has a playful design with different layouts and interiors. The best gastronomy in an atmospheric Japanese garden. Spend a memorable and luxurious time at a special inn.

The guest rooms in the main building, which was originally a traditional Japanese restaurant, are comfortable spaces that make use of the traditional sukiya-style architecture. This is the Garden View Suite on the second floor of the main building. The retro architectural beauty and modern furniture match perfectly. You can simply gaze out the window from the sofa, sit in a chair by the window and get lost in a book, or doze off on the large bed... It seems like you'll feel fulfilled without doing anything special.

The new wing of Sowaka has been designed to minimize contact with other guests, so it feels very private. You can spend some quiet time just for yourself. Why not stay in a room with a semi-open-air bath where you can take a relaxing bath while looking out at the greenery of the garden? Let's fully enjoy the extraordinary feeling.

meal will be served at the attached restaurant, "La BOMBANCE Gion." The chic interior is a sophisticated space for adults. The dinner served here is a creative dish that boldly transcends genres. Adults with particular tastes will be very satisfied and can have a memorable evening.

*La BOMBANCE Gion will close on June 30, 2024. For details about the newly opened restaurant, please check the hotel's official website.

About an eight-minute drive from JR Kyoto Station, Toshiharu Ryokan is ryokan townhouse inn built in the late Meiji period. The main house and storehouse are designated as national registered tangible cultural properties, so staying here is a special experience. Why don't you enjoy the atmosphere of Kyoto created by a townhouse built more than 100 years ago, which you can never experience in a new hotel?

There are a total of five guest rooms. Each room is full of atmosphere that will liven up your trip to Kyoto, including the "Tsuki no Ma" room, which was modeled after the imperial villa "Katsura Imperial Villa," and rooms that were renovated from storehouses and tea rooms. In the rooms facing the courtyard, you can relax while looking out at the small garden typical of Kyoto townhouses. All rooms are pure Japanese-style rooms with Kyoto tatami mats, allowing you to relax and unwind.

Every part of the building is picturesque. In the lush courtyard, you can feel the nature of the four seasons, and the lanterns enhance the worldview of the townhouse. When the courtyard is lit up in the evening, the scenery becomes even more tasteful. Enjoy a night filled with the travel atmosphere that only a townhouse can offer.

For breakfast, you can enjoy homemade, heart-warming Kyoto cuisine, such as grilled fish, miso soup, and Kyoto vegetable obanzai. Spending the night in a historic building and savoring traditional Kyoto cuisine... It's a truly luxurious experience that will satisfy both your heart and your stomach. You can enjoy freshly cooked, warm food in your room or at the breakfast venue.

Nazuna Kyoto Gosho is about a 5-minute walk from Marutamachi Station. This is ryokan that has been renovated into a modern style, connecting two Kyoto townhouses that were once used as lumberyards, connected by a courtyard. There are many places where remnants of the past, such as beams and fittings, remain, so you can feel the history. A stylish space with mud walls and stylish furniture. I'm so excited to see what kind of day we'll have from now on♪

There are only 7 guest rooms, so you can have a relaxing stay. The guest rooms have the theme of Japanese sweets such as "Monaka", "Yatsuhashi", and "Kushidango". Each guest room is decorated with contemporary art based on a theme, making your trip to Kyoto even more exciting. This is a room with the theme of "Kashiwamochi". The elegant garden and porch, as well as the harmony of Japanese and modern interiors, make you want to live here forever.

This is the bathroom of the guest room "Kuzugiri," which comes with a private garden and a semi-open-air cypress bath. You can enjoy the view of the garden from the bathtub. Relax in the bath while soaking in the sunlight. How about spending your time in such a luxurious way?

The building also has a unique bath, the "kuraburo" (storehouse bath), which can be used for an additional fee. In this renovated storehouse space, you can enjoy a bath while watching a 40-minute art performance program. The synergistic effect of the light and sound, themed around the four seasons, will surely provide you with a deep sense of relaxation like you've never experienced before.

For breakfast, you can enjoy charcoal-grilled irori cuisine made with seasonal ingredients unique to Kyoto. You can choose between fish or meat as your main dish. Gather around the hearth with everyone and be enveloped in the fragrant aroma... you can enjoy a luxurious morning. In the "Irori Lounge," the breakfast venue, you can enjoy alcoholic and soft drinks from the evening until night.

Mogana, located about a 5-minute walk from Nijojo-mae Station, is a new type of hotel that expresses the Kyomachiya style in a new way. At first glance, the modern building, which looks far from the image of a townhouse, was designed by Takashi Yamaguchi, one of Japan's leading architects. A sophisticated modern space with a 38m long passage inspired by the ``eel bed'' that is characteristic of Kyoto-machiya houses, and plantings throughout the atrium that vertically expresses ``Kyoto's traditional courtyard.'' Would you like to experience the "Kyomachiya"?

There are 23 guest rooms. Some of them face a small courtyard garden and are equipped with traditional tea ceremony utensils. You can feel the atmosphere of Kyoto in various places in each room. This room is "Mogana BLACK." The chic interior, inspired by the color of Japanese roof tiles, stands out against the vibrant greenery, making it seem like a work of art. All the furniture is said to have been made by Japanese craftsmen. It is a carefully designed space where you can feel a high level of aesthetic sense.

Breakfast is served in your in-room dining. Ingredients grown in the rich sea and soil of Awaji Island are beautifully arranged. The ingredients are served on original tableware from Awabi ware and Rakutogama, a brand of tableware that also makes use of the soil of Awaji Island. Beautiful tableware for beautiful meal. You can enjoy a rich and luxurious time from the morning.

If you want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the ancient capital, stay in a Kyomachiya. Architectural beauty told by history, time passing slowly. A luxurious time that can only be tasted there flows. Your trip to Kyoto will be even more memorable.