Tsumugi Gionshirakawa

The house itself has a lot of traditional Japanese touches: two floors, tatami, a low table, a small tub for a half-body bath, utensils, and a washing machine. That part was nice. But this ended up being the worst place I stayed on the whole trip. Getting the key near Kyoto Station was the check-in arrangement, and checking in at the house cost an extra 3,000 yen. I don’t understand why. They did take our luggage and store it there. We were expected to wash the dishes and sort the trash, like at a pension, even though there was also a cleaning fee. I can understand the request, but it still felt odd. I was having a drink in the living room and could hear people walking past outside. They asked us to keep quiet after 10 p.m., but the neighborhood doesn’t block much sound. The location wasn’t great, either. The nearest convenience store was a 16-minute walk away.

There’s no meal service here, since it’s more of a pension than a ryokan, but there are plenty of good restaurants close by. For a late snack or something light, the 24-hour Fresco supermarket is along the main road from the bus stop toward Higashiyama Station. It has more choice and lower prices than the nearby Family Mart. The house has been renovated from an old private home, and still has that traditional Japanese feel. I especially liked the pretty bathtub and the snug backyard. I visited soon after the work was done, so the wood smell was strong, though the stay was comfortable. It had the things I needed, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a hairdryer, fridge, washer, microwave, dishes, cooking tools, electric range, and vacuum. The bedding was soft. The beds are upstairs, where the ceiling is a little low, almost attic-like; there’s extra bedding in the first-floor closet. Yasaka Shrine, where Gion Matsuri is held, Chion-in Temple, headquarters of the Jodo sect, Hanamikoji Dori, where you may see maiko, and the kabuki theater Minamiza are all nearby. Reception is at Tsumugi Cafe, a cafe about five minutes on foot from Kyoto Station. Staff speak Japanese, English, and Chinese, but not Korean. There’s an accommodation tax of 200-500 yen per person, around 2,000-5,000 won. It’s usually not included in the room price, so that’s normal. To get from reception to the house, walk to the Nanajogawara-machi bus stop, take City Bus No. 206 or 86, and get off at Chion-in-mae.

The Gion location is excellent, and the house is really beautiful. It’s been fully renovated but still has the original architecture’s classic feel. We visited in February and found it very cold. There is heating and cooling air conditioning, but the place still felt chilly. The bathroom is outside in a small interior courtyard, which was the one thing that cost it a star for me.