Kyoto traditional townhouse

Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan and former capital. Upon arrival, the first thing that strikes you is the architecture. Everywhere you look, you're surrounded by the beauty that makes up this historic city. As you walk the alleyways, you can't help but notice the beautiful traditional townhouses, known in Kyoto as Kyo Machiya. These stunning buildings once made up the majority of homes in the city, but in recent decades have been at risk of extinction due to their impractical use as modern homes. We were fortunate enough to be invited by the man responsible for Kyoto's most beautiful Machiya renovation project. Their goal is to save these homes and give tourists a chance to experience them whilst enjoying Kyoto. Kyoto is by far the most visited place in Japan for tourists seeking to learn about the country's rich history and beautiful old traditions. While the city has hundreds of shrines and temples and dozens of must-see spots, if we had to narrow it down, our most recommended places to visit are as follows. The beautiful streets of Gion that really take you back in time. You can walk around here for hours exploring the alleyways and back streets and it's really easy to lose track of time in these old streets. The dazzling King Kakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, with its golden walls, the gardens and lake it sits next to. It's really one of a kind in Japan and not to be missed. The bustling streets of the Nishiki Market, also known as Kyoto's Kitchen, is the place to go if you have a love for food. They have everything here from fresh seafood to sweets, street food and high quality alcohol. It should be at the top of the list for any foodies that find themselves visiting. The mystical pathways through Arashiyama Bamboo Forest shouldn't be ignored either. The place gives you a surrealistic feeling and even on a sunny day, the forest has a dark and dreamlike atmosphere. And I almost forgot, the best way to enjoy the forest is via a cozy rickshaw ride. And perhaps Kyoto's most famous and impressive shrine, Fushimi Inari Taisha, with its 1,000 torii gates. The feeling of strolling through these gates is an experience that shouldn't be missed. Kyoto has no shortage of hidden secrets and down every street you find a new experience such as a hidden shrine, temple or cafe. And hidden down these small streets is where you'll find the beautiful Machiya hotels we were invited to stay in. When entering these Machiya, the first thing you notice is the architecture. It's updated and modern, yet while retaining the charm and stylistic design choices of the original building. They're quaint and comfortable and in my opinion, there's no better way to stay in Kyoto. Despite their beauty, these stunning townhouses have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Between 1996 and 2003 alone, 13% of Kyoto's Machiya were destroyed and the number has been in decline since then, with an estimated one to two Machiya being demolished every single day. Fortunately, Mita-san, the man responsible for saving and renovating so many of these beautiful homes, agreed to sit down and explain more about the project. Mita Securities was founded by my grandfather in 1949. We deal mainly in investments and fund management projects and we've set up some unique funds in the last two decades. The Machiya Revitalization Fund is one of them. Machiyas are the old townhouses that are an important part of Kyoto's historical and cultural image. Our goal was to give a new life to old Machiya. Kyoto is really a magical city. Everything is beautiful, strange, exciting. The tea and coffee shops, the gardens, the temples, door curtains and shuttered windows. No other city in Japan has such atmosphere and beauty. But the number of Machiya has been decreasing every year and they are replaced with apartments or office buildings, which is a real shame. Those townhouses have traditional Kyoto architecture with beautiful small gardens, zuboniwa. Many of them are more than 100 years old. However, they are not really suitable for modern living. They are typically narrow and long and are too cold to live in during the winter. So people in Kyoto tend to move to modern condos and many Machiya are on the verge of demolition. That's why we set up our Machiya Fund to revive those decaying townhouses using investor funds. Retain as much of the original design and artistic aspects as possible and equip them with modern facilities. We then rent those beautifully reharvested Machiya to international and domestic visitors and we make sure to provide services in English, since we believe everyone should be able to enjoy these amazing properties. Most of them are about 100 square meters with three bedrooms, living and dining rooms. Each of them can accommodate up to seven people and some of them are attached together. So up to three groups can spend time together in two or three townhouses that are right next to each other, but each have their own privacy. We are really happy with the way this project turned out and are proud to share it with visitors to Kyoto. While it's sad to see Kyoto's Machiya have fallen out of fashion with the locals, with expensive upkeep and high renovation costs, however it's exciting to hear that some of Kyoto's Machiya are getting a new lease on life for tourists looking to spend their holiday in a more traditional setting. I urge anybody looking to travel to the city to make the accommodation they choose as much part of the experience as the city itself and really take the time to relax and enjoy your stay in one of Kyoto's renovated Machiya. I'll leave a link below where you can book any of these Machiya for your next trip to Kyoto.