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TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion

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Outdoor spa tub
"Tsubara" traditional Machiya house is over 90y old ! Lovely front look.
Bedroom 1 upstairs. Next room is a 2nd bedroom.
Please change to a Yukata (room & sleeping wear) and relax. Feel so Japan!
Entrance hall, welcome to Tsubara!

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 566 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

3 Single Futons

Bedroom 2

2 Single Futons

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub · Bidet · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Kitchenette
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion

Machiya Tubara is located in the Higashiyama area in Kyoto.
There are sooo many sightseeing spots, famous historical places, temples and shrines in this Higashiyama area. And are many shops of Kiyomizu-pottery and neighbours are very friendly.
Gion district where is so popular of Geiko-san girls(same Geisha girl) & Maiko-san girls, gorgeous Kaisei restaurants is also close.(10mins walk!)
And there are many kinds of restaurants, easy eating places(Izakaya, Ramen, Yakitori restaurants...), Bars, local shops, convenience stores, good grocerry and public baths near the house.
You can go to many places like that from Tsubara on foot.
We can tell you some good restaurants and nice Maiko-san stage or some Japanese experiences (for ex. Ninja class, Making Japanese sweets class, Tea ceremony class, amazing Japanese massage parlor ...etc). Also we know good guides for sightseeing.

The house is convenient for transportation(bus, train, taxi).
We recommend using taxi from Kyoto station (10mins).

Tsubara was over 100 year old Machiya(traditional Kyoto house), we lovely restored all possible to original style using antique fittings & materials by traditional craftsmanship.
Tsubara has many Machiya's features ~'Doma' long Japanese corridor from the entrance to the garden, 'Hibukuro' open ceiling in the kitchen, old hand made window glasses, 'Koushi' window lattices...etc.

And we prepared new comfortable equipments in it - air conditioning , internet, microwave, washing machine, IHcooker, clean comfortable Futon(Japanese bedding) ....more.

Especially, we set up “Roten-buro” out-door bath tub(Shigaraki pottery made) and “Suikinkutsu” in the Tsuboniwa garden(small Kyoto garden)!!
The out-door bath is great for tired bodies by sightseeing all of the seasons! You must feel like a hot spring!
“Suikinkutsu” is a decoration device in a Japanese garden that generates a sound like the Koto-Japanese harp~with drops of water. You could have relaxed bath time hearing its sound!

“Tsubara” is a very old Japanese word from “Manyousyu” (the oldest Waka poet collection over 1200years ago!).
It means “enough” or “detail” or “calmly”.
I thought it perfectly matches the house!

Experience a fascinating, peaceful and amazing Kyoto stay in Tsubara !

We're looking forward to meeting you!

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
But be careful about the steps and window glasses.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Non smoking in the house and the garden.

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Kyoto

Located on a river, this holiday home is in Gion, a neighbourhood in Kyoto. Yasaka Shrine and Nishiki Market are notable landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Kawaramachi Street and Pontocho Alley. Kyoto Municipal Zoo and Kyoto Aquarium are also worth visiting. Take the opportunity to explore the area for outdoor excitement like hiking/biking trails.
View more Holiday homes in KyotoOpens in a new window
Map
kyoto city, Kyoto

What's nearby

  • Kenninji Temple - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Kawaramachi Street - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Gion Corner - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Yasaka Shrine - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Kiyomizu Temple - 11 min walk - 1.0 km

Getting around

  • Kiyomizu-gojo Station - 6 min walk
  • Gojo Station - 15 min walk
  • Osaka (ITM-Itami) - 63 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪cicon - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪サンチャゴゲストハウス京都 / サンチャゴカフェ - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪KIMONO TEA CEREMONY MAIKOYA - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪辨慶東山店 - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪ラーメン藤 五条店 - ‬3 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion?

As of 3 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion on 30 May 2026 start from AU$464, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is TSUBARA - a restored 100 year old Machiya -Elegant.Calm.Lovely- So close to Gion located?

Located in Gion, this holiday home is within a 15-minute walk of Kenninji Temple, Kawaramachi Street and Kiyomizu Temple. Shijo Street and Yasaka Shrine are also within 15 minutes. Gojo Station is 15 minutes by foot and Sanjo Keihan Station is 21 minutes.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 75 out of 76 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 76 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 76 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 76 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 76 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cliff A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Absolutely amazing stay and the most amazing hosts.Highly highly recommend !!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The hosts are very welcoming. The home is beautifully restored, quiet, and in a great location for tourists to Kyoto. There are some steep stairs to contend with and you have to step outside to access the remodeled bathroom, shower, and tub which was all fine for our family of 4. The tub is lovely.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steven J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a fantastic stay at Tsubara. Thoroughly enjoyed Kyoto and this house which gave us a look at traditional Japanese life. Koji and Eri were amazing hosts. Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Molly D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a fantastic place to stay! An absolute gem. The hosts are wonderful and welcoming. They gave us the full explanation of the machiya and its history and all the elements that make it special. The location could not be better. Everything was very comfortable and we slept fantastic! Highly highly recommend. (Note: we traveled with two children, ages 10&12 and it was perfect for this age. Not sure if it would have worked with younger kids but depends on the child)
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Allen L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Hosts

Fantastic traditional Japanese experience.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A lovely historic traditional Japanese style home oozing with charm in a super central location in the heart of Gion, on a quiet street. The hosts Kenji and Eri are amazing, so welcoming and friendly with tons of helpful recommendations. The highlight is the outside soaking tub in the cute internal garden. It’s like your very own private Onsen!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

laura l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent location and hospitality

The home owners met us at arrival to explain the significance of this home with traditional features. It had everything we needed and was nestled in the sweetest street near everything we needed. A bonus was walking past the school everyday and The Best coffee around the corner.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dee P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely home - we really enjoyed the experience of staying in an authentic historic Japanese home. The space was ideal for the two of us - I suspect it might have been a bit "tight" for the four people that the listing said it can hold. Also, we would have appreciated a "sitting area" where we could relax and read - chairs of some sort in the open downstairs room would have been lovely!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great traditional home

We had a wonderful stay. Eri and Jojo are great hosts. Everything you could need is provided. We highly recommend this home for your vacation in Kyoto.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nathan L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Home in great location

This machiya is in such a great location to visit many rights around Gion. The owners were so communicative and kind
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cassie L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay in traditional Japanese house

Excellent location. Very nice and responsive host. Would recommend staying here.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Larry H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Authentic

This was a wonderful property and our hosts could not have been more welcoming. Thank you so much for sharing your lovely property w us.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Barb B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful traditional home

A very nice traditional home in a nice location.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nur Sakinah M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent stay

Though it was a short one, we enjoyed our stay. The ambience, the guide of th house and hospitality by host were really appreciated by us. Looking forward to stay again in future.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cheyenne K.

Wonderful stay

The home was warm and the owners welcoming. It's a short walk to a supermarket, breakfast, and transit. 10/10 would stay again!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Krishnan S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and comfortable traditional house in a great neighborhood

Stayed for close to a week in this beautiful machiya with my two young kids (7 and 5yrs old). Eri was super helpful during the check in process and very communicative throughout our stay. It was a very comfortable stay and within walking distance to Gion and other shrines. Great stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nancy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovey small home

It was a beautiful small home. We throughly enjoyed our stay here and wished we could have stayed longer.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful stay

The perfect property for our Kyoto trip. I really appreciated the original details of the Machiya property and the thorough tour we had when we arrived. Very clean and quiet neighborhood which was still close to amenities and tourist attractions. Would love to come back again!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lisa K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming Japanese Experience

We really enjoyed our stay, great location and such a quaint neighborhood. The hosts are very kind and responsive. The machiya is definitely in the Japanese style and exactly what we were looking to experience.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kari S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful stay

We loved the historic and well appointed apartment! Everything was beautiful, clean and comfortable. The kitchen was very convenient, the outdoor tub was fun, the upstairs futon beds were comfortable, and the location was perfect for walking and transit to all the wonderful sights in Kyoto. Koji and Eri were great hosts, very kind and helpful. We would stay again.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Janet Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Marvelous Stay

It was an honor to be able to stay at Koji and Eri’s place. It had an authentic feel with modern amenities. Eri gave us great recommendations on restaurants and places to visit. We are grateful for the opportunity and we hope to be back someday. Thank you!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Leslie S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Almost like a ryokan

This was such an amazing stay. I wish we could have stayed longer just to enjoy this VRBO. We are a family of 5 with three teens and had enough space to sleep with the 5 futons. The stairs to the sleeping area could be a challenge for a person with mobility challenges. The house has been beautifully restored by its amazing owners who met us at checkin to give us a tour of this unique space. The nearby area gives you easy access to subways, Gion, Yasaka shrine and lots of shopping. This space ranks as one of our familys top VRBO stops of all time. Highly highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michelle B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Traditional Japan with all modern conveniences!

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay! Very accommodating hosts who gave a wonderful explanation of the stunning machiya. Would definitely return❣️ Pros:- ambience, decor, ammenities, location and the bath! Cons:- none! - but travel lightly, large suitcases will get in your way.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nancy M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A definite highlight of our Japan trip

This machiya is amazing. I will be recommending it to all of our friends, and I hope we get the chance to stay here again if we ever come back to Kyoto. The owner was extremely nice and communicative. The location is great - on a picturesque historic street and close to several temples and the Gion/Higashiyama shopping streets, and also conveniently less than 10 minutes to the subway station.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

olatz o.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Kyōto visit

We had a great time in Kyōto. The house is amazing, great experience . Super clean . And has everything you need. Eri was extremely nice and helpful with all the instructions. Location was great, we were able to walk to many of the places we wanted to visit. Great restaurants very close by. We would definetly recommend to stay in Tsubara. Thank you very much
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2024

About the host

Hosted by Koji

Host profile image
Hi, my name is Koji, I'm Japanese. My family and I were born and grew up here in Kyoto.
I like car, motorbike, eating, drinking, etc.
My wife Eri speaks English. She likes eating Kyoto cuisine, seeing Kabuki, music(singing & listening soul music, Stones, Clapton...), Kimono, seeing Maiko-san&Geiko-San dance....of course we like, no, love Kyoto and traditional culture so much!!!
We’d like to show you Kyoto’s great sights and introduce you delicious Kyoto restaurants!
We're waiting for guests at check-in in the house, and we give them many information as we can.
We hope our guests will have a fantastic days in my house in Kyoto.

Why they chose this property

Although this machiya has gone by such a long time, it was been remained keeping quite original Machiya style.
I thought I'll give it a new life as a guest house.
You might be time travel to old Kyoto days!!!

What makes this property unique

Outdoor bath, beautiful Japanese garden, Suikinkutsu, long Japanese corridor......

Languages:

English, Japanese

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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