Kumo Machiya Stay Gion is like a house step back in time | Villa in Higashiyama-ku

The space
The house was built on Meiji to Taisho period, which is more than 100 years old. All those years, It has been inherited within a Geisha family and operated as a ochaya (teahouses). where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain by performing traditional music and dance. The performance will happen on the 1st floor only and 2nd floor is the for ladies only, where the Geiko and Maiko prepare themselves for the performance and makeup. As such, there are many interesting designs in the house for Geisha.
History and Features:
The house of Kumo.Gion was established in the Japanese Samurai era, which is more than 100 years ago. The building date is unclear, as the official record of Kyoto building is only dated up to 4th Taisho year (1915). The previous owner was once a geisha, and the house was inherited from the Edo period for five Geisha generations operated as the tea house (ochaya). When guests come to the house, maiko and geisha will carry out a performance. The 1st floor is the performance area, and the 2nd floor is the place where maiko and geisha can dress up. The structure and decoration details are designed for Geisha's daily life, for example, we have two stairs in two different directions, which is very rare in Kyoto. In this way geishas and their dressing maids can go downstairs in different directions, so the guests waiting in the lobby can only catch sight of geishas rather than maids.
Before Kumo.Gion starts operating as Boutique hotel, no male could go to the 2nd floor of the house. The Japanese ceilings of the two rooms upstairs very old are separately designed according to the patterns of cabin and maiko singing field. Illuminators on the in the house are antique lamps of the Taisho period, and some of their designs are inspired by Geisha culture in Gion. We also selected Kyoto specialties like Nishijin Kimono belt with colorful but traditional patterns to decorate the bedrooms.
There is an exquisite Japanese garden embraced by the house. There are camellia japonica, nandina, red leaves, hydrangea serrata, Japanese apricot, orchid, chrysanthemum and other flowers and plants from Japan. You can open the window and experience the breeze from the garden and enjoy the changing seasons while taking a long bath in the bathtub. You can also try to practice Zen, by sitting with the nature and sensing the inside and sensing the moment. Besides, it is available to wear clogs on the quartzite and step into the garden. At the moment, you can have a ladle of clean water to wash hands and baptize the spirit.
We also collected antique paintings for Kumo Machiya. We change the paintings as the season changes. For Spring, summer and autumn, there are three pieces of fish by Tanaka Bai Yin, a famous painter in Meiji. Tanaka Bai Yin is the student of Japanese literati painting master Tanomura Cyokunyu. Painting manifests spring with plecoglossus altivelis, summer with globefish and autumn with shrimp. For winter, we chose a piece by the famous painter Matsumura Keibun of the edo period. Matsumura Keibun is the representative of the Japanese flower-and-bird painting, who is known as the “Flower-bird Keibun". The Painting takes the toon flower blooming in the winter to represent winter, and the camellia is just the chief species in the Kumo.Gion garden.
It is worth mentioning that all beddings, mattresses, pillows and cushions in the house are specially custom-made for Kumo.Gion by the shop Los Takaoka Ya in Kyoto with more than 400 years history. We hope you enjoy the of sleep as the noble warriors in Azuchi-Momoyama period.
House Location:
The house is located in the most famous tourist attraction Gion in Kyoto, which is in the south of the Hanami-Koji beside the north gate of Kennin-ji Temple. The traffic is convenient, and the nearest Higashiyamayasui Station is only four minutes' walking, No. 1 exit of Gion-shijo Keihan Station is only 6 minutes' walking, and No. 6 exit of Kawaramachi Hnakyu Station is only 9 minutes' walking.
Facilities around the house:
There are many restaurants and coffee shops around the house on the Hanami-Koji. From Michelin Stars to convenient package, it is fancy or simple according to one's budget. There are also many pubs that are convenient for people to enjoy themselves at night. From Komatsu to the direction of Higashiyamayasui, there is a 24-hour convenience store called Lawson of four minutes' distance, and there is a 24-hour supermarket named fresco and a convenience store called family mart towards Kiyomizu Road direction of six minutes' distance. Towards the direction of Yasaka Shrine, there is a huge Lawson, Dumpling King and a Starbucks of 8 minutes' distance.
Walking Distances to Scenic Spots:
1 minute to Gion Hanami-Koji and Kennin-ji Temple, 2 minutes to Gion Kobu Kaburenjo, 8 minutes to Yasaka Shrine, 9 minutes to Maruyama Park, 10 minutes to Kodai-ji Temple, 10 minutes to Yasaka Pagoda,13 minutes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple (world cultural heritage), 13 minutes to Chion-in Temple, 14 minutes to Shoren-in Temple, 10 minutes Shijo Kawaramachi (a vibrant part of central Kyoto), 7 minutes to Kamo River.
Customer Notice:
Please inform us your arrival time at least 7 working days before your arrival, so our staff could give advice for your transportation, and also welcome you at the house to help you check in.
All the customers are required to register and sign a confirmation letter for check in before the stay. You can review the confirmation letter for check in in advance on Airbnb website.
If you are traveling with children or old people, please pay extra attention that the house is a traditional Japanese house, bedrooms are on the 2nd floor and washroom on the 1st floor, and all sliding doors are made of paper and need your special care. Thank you for your cooperation.
Other Notes:
In case of emergency, please contact our emergency number, and we will have the English Speaking staff to help you. You can also leave a message on Airbnb website or send an email to us, we will reply as soon as possible.
Please note that Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the house,as it is a old and wood house, and we have Smoke Detector installed inside the house.
Guest access
Tenant permissions:
On the 1st floor, there are two toilets, a modern kitchen, a modern bathroom seeing the garden while taking a bath, a washitsu towards the garden, a small washitsu towards the door and a four season garden. On the 2nd floor, there is a small tea room, two bedrooms, a big washitsu towards the garden and a small washitsu towards the street. One can open the window and lift the bamboo curtains to lean on the handrail.
Additionally, there are wireless networks, cooling and heating air-conditioner, kitchenware, tea set, wine set, fridge, microwave oven, induction cooker, blower, washing supplies (toothpaste, toothbrush, tooth-cup), bath salt, bathroom goods (shampoo, hair conditioner, body wash, fancy soap, firkin), bath towel and towel.
There is no TV set in the Kumo Machiya Stay. As we hope to provide you with a more relaxed life, without the overwhelming information by the modern electronic products, we can read a book, enjoy a long bath, watch the leaves falling in garden, have tea and a deep sleep, and perhaps some inner peace, some escape from our high-paced modern life.
Interaction with guests
Check-in:
We will have staff to welcome you at the house and help you check in, please inform us your arrival time in advance.
Check-out:
We will have staff to come to house before you leave.
The neighborhood
House Location:
The house is located in the most famous tourist attraction Gion in Kyoto, which is in the south of the Hanami-Koji beside the north gate of Kennin-ji Temple. The traffic is convenient, and the nearest Higashiyamayasui Station is only four minutes' walking, No. 1 exit of Gion-shijo Keihan Station is only 6 minutes' walking, and No. 6 exit of Kawaramachi Hnakyu Station is only 9 minutes' walking.
Getting around
Walking Distances to Scenic Spots:
1 minute to Gion Hanami-Koji and Kennin-ji Temple, 2 minutes to Gion Kobu Kaburenjo, 8 minutes to Yasaka Shrine, 9 minutes to Maruyama Park, 10 minutes to Kodai-ji Temple, 10 minutes to Yasaka Pagoda,13 minutes to Kiyomizu-dera Temple (world cultural heritage), 13 minutes to Chion-in Temple, 14 minutes to Shoren-in Temple, 10 minutes Shijo Kawaramachi (a vibrant part of central Kyoto), 7 minutes to Kamo River.
Other things to note
For guests come with children and senior people, please note that the house is an old Japanese house with bedrooms upstairs and all the antique doors are made of Japanese washi, please treat them with special care.

This 2 Bedrooms Villa provides accommodation with Kitchen, Laundry, Air Conditioner, for your convenience. This Villa features many amenities for guests who want to stay for a few days, a weekend or probably a longer vacation with family, friends or group. The rental Villa has 2 Bedrooms and 1 Bathroom to make you feel right at home.

Check to see if this Villa has the amenities you need and a location that makes this a great choice to stay in Gion. Enjoy your stay in Gion at this Villa.