Kyoka

Overview

From its exterior, Kyoka looks like a charming machiya, but those who have the pleasure of staying know that its interior exceeds expectations. This stylish traditional Japanese house blends the best design elements from the home’s history with modern flourishes to ensure guests can enjoy both the most comfortable and most authentic machiya experience out there. 

Kyoka is a two-story complex with living quarters on the ground floor and bedrooms on the upper floor. It also boasts a delightful self-contained Japanese garden perfect for sitting out in the golden Kyoto sun and contemplating the day’s adventures. 

Kyoka emphasizes the home’s deep connection to Kyoto’s historical legacy and the designer’s love of simple Japanese elegance with tatami mat flooring throughout. The home is located in the heart of the city, but far enough off the main roads to ensure peace and quiet, offering both accessibility and tranquility in equal balanced measure. If you love the free-flowing feel of traditional machiya but want to retain your creature comforts, then Kyoka is the ideal choice.

Location

This simply gorgeous two-story home is located less than 500 meters from Nijo Station, a central station that connects guests to the city’s far-reaching network of railways. 

Less than a 10-minute walk from the house is the UNESCO World Heritage-recognized Nijo Castle. The castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of the Edo Period Tokugawa Ieyasu’s first shogun, and it’s one of the city’s most important landmarks. 

A scenic 30-minute stroll from the house heading east and guests will reach Nishiki Market, Kyoto’s unofficial kitchen. This market is overflowing with excellent fresh produce and unique local snacks, making it an ideal spot to pick up some delicious ingredients to take back home and whip up something special in Kyoka’s fully equipped kitchen.  

Next to Nishiki Market is also Kamo River. This vibrant waterway cuts through the city and is lined by countless restaurants and cafes serving up delicious food and spectacular water views. It’s an easy five-kilometer round trip to Kyoto Imperial Palace, and its stunning garden is an excellent jogging circuit. Kyoka is also well positioned to offer easy bicycle access to many of the city’s other landmarks like Kinkakuji, Heian Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera, and Nanzen-ji Temple.

Description

From the front entrance to the back garden, Kyoka is a house that epitomizes a sense of elegant Japanese flow. With two elegant bedrooms, one with a double bed and the other with two single beds, Kyoka is a great option for a variety of travel groups, from friends and couples to families. Its prime location in Kyoto’s center makes it ideal for those who want to explore the city and its attractions all day long before returning to this tranquil retreat.

The genkan (entrance area) opens up to the tatami mat living space, which feels cozy and organic, but also maintains an essence of minimalist interior design. The living and dining space features a low table and zaisu chairs (chairs without legs) so guests can embrace the classic Japanese interior design. This living space also features sliding doors that open up onto the back garden and a perfect little engawa (indoor/ outdoor space just before the garden) for reading in the afternoon sun.

The well-equipped kitchenette joins onto the living space via sliding doors, taking full advantage of the living area’s space and allowing guests to turn the space into a dining area or living area depending on how they feel. The living space also has a TV, perfect for a casual movie night after a long day of exploring. Nestled right by the back garden area also sits the bathroom and separate washroom to allow complete privacy.

Moving up onto the second floor, this section of the house is the sleeping quarters. Like the first floor, the majority of the space here is covered in tatami mat flooring, except for the restroom. Both of the rooms located here are spacious and light-filled and feature lush, high-quality cotton bedsheets to ensure complete comfort and a good night’s rest.