Gion Shirakawa Kouki

I loved the relaxing Japanese bath at Gion Shirakawa Machiya. The house itself is a beautiful traditional Japanese home, tucked on a quiet street but close to the main road and lots of food and shopping. There are kitchen appliances too, if you’d rather stay in. If you want a stay with a different feel from an ordinary hotel vacation, a machiya is worth considering.

There are so many “wa” touches throughout the guest house that the Japanese atmosphere hits you as soon as you open the door. It also has plenty of up-to-date kitchen appliances, so you can bring food from Shijo-dori and enjoy it there. I had a great time and really want to visit Japan again. I definitely recommend staying here!

A good spot for remote work, with the feel of a traditional house.

The traditional house has lovely decor and interior design, and there’s even a small Japanese garden. It’s well equipped for simple meals and laundry, with a pour-over coffee maker, microwave, and washing machine. There’s also a traditional tea room, though we didn’t get to use it during our stay. There are three rooms: one has two beds, and the other two spaces can be set up with tatami, probably sleeping up to six people. When we opened the mats, they looked a bit dirty, so we hesitated to sleep on them. Check-in happens separately and was a little inconvenient, but staff could help with luggage after check-in if it wasn’t check-in time. Entry is by combination lock. This was our last stay in Kyoto, in Gion, and the location was quite convenient. I’d recommend it if you want to experience a traditional Japanese space. Just keep in mind there aren’t staff around to sort out problems whenever they come up, unlike at a restaurant. If you prefer not to see people, it’s perfect, hahaha.