Perfect 2 weeks in Kyoto

Guest: Geri (Australia)
Date of Stay: 08/29/11 Review Submitted: 09/16/11

We spent 2 weeks in this property and loved every moment of it. The house is small, but packs comfort and convenience wonderfully. The shower was one of the best ones we have had in Asia on our trip, the futons are perfect for sleeping and the living room at night with the lights coming from the little garden is not to be missed. The only thing that I thought could have been better was the kitchen, which is a bit small and without any storage options, but I think for most people it will never be an issue. Location is central and within walking distance of a lot of the attractions of Kyoto. Last, but not least, Kazuya is a very mindful host and delivered information and attention exactly when we needed it, even when we didnt even ask for it. Thank you! We couldn't have asked for anything more.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Great location, wonderful service, excellent value for money

Guest: Boston (Singapore)
Date of Stay: 08/24/11 Review Submitted: 09/04/11

My wife, my sister, and myself stayed at this very well-located traditional townhouse in the middle of Kyoto, the location was perfect for our needs, about a 10 to 20min walk to Kyoto station, about 5min or so by bus right outside, about a 15 to 20min walk from the Gion area by the river and about 30-40min walk to the imperial palace. Subway/train lines are within 5min walk. We were very comfortable on the futon bedding, loved the rock garden and cannot say enough about how much the owner Kazuya helped us every step of the way in our trip planning prior to arrival, picking us up at the station and giving us great insider tips on sightseeing. The AirCon works great in the house, extremely clean and very well-restored, beautiful house. We found a lovely coffee shop right around the corner on Matsubara St. We felt right at home and would recommend this rental to anyone. The small kitchen fit all our needs and there are bikes available. Wonderful!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with young children, romantic getaway.

If you come to Kyoto this is a great place to stay!

Guest: tara (canada)
Date of Stay: 03/12/11 Review Submitted: 04/06/11

Our family with 2 young boys stayed here and it was truely lovely. The host is most helpful and the location is amazing. There is an easy walk to markets, laundry, bus, train and noodle houses. We loved our nights sleep on the tatami mats and I look forward to visitng again one day. If you have family or are a couple this is a quiet street, close to a corner store and post office. There is everything you need and someone to ask questions to if your don;t know. Thank you Kazuya!!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Wonderful Host and Beautiful Machiya!

Guest: Armando (Mayan Riviera, Mexico)
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/05/11

We stayed in Kazuya's house the first week of August 2010, The whole experience was great! Kazuya picked us up from the train station took us to the house droped our belongings and we were sooo lucky since the day we arrived there was a geisha festival and he offered to take us in his car! We would have never known about this festival if it wasnt for him. ( we were the only tourists there and I think we really lucked out ) It was the highlight of our trip to Japan! I was traveling with my Wife and my Mom and we were able to use the bedroom upstairs and with the consent of Kazuya my Mom slept downstairs. The a.c. works great! we had bicycles to use and he gave us all the information we needed! we had a store nearby, and Kazuya even helped us get a reservation to eat a Kaiseki meal for a very decent price! I do recommend the use of a smartphone with mapdroid or google maps, we never got lost with this gadget. you can take the buses to all the sites and always know where you are. If we go to Japan again will stay with Kazuya again!

Owner response:Dear Armando Thank you for coming. If I had a chance to go to Mexico, I will contact you. Thank you Kazuya Nishimura

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, romantic getaway.

Fantastic place to stay

Guest: Andy (Derby, UK)
Date of Stay: 10/19/10 Review Submitted: 11/02/10

We stayed at the house in October, and had a great time (2 adults, 2 kids (10 & 13). It is in the heart of Kyoto, and in easy reach of all the major temples and sights. Kazuya is an excellent host, providing a lap top to use on the internet and a mobile phone in case of difficulties. We had a change of plans whilst in Kyoto and Kazuya helped us with hotel bookings. There are lots of places to eat close by, with a little supermarket just up the road, where they cook fresh Toncatsu up to 7pm at very good rates. Good for an cheap meal in. Its 15 minutes from the JR station, and Katsuya kindly picked us up and dropped us off when we left. I would have no hesitation in stopping here again.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children.

Good value for money. Perfect stay

Guest: Jose (Madrid (Spain))
Date of Stay: 08/05/10 Review Submitted: 08/20/10

My colleague and I stayed in this townhouse for a week few days ago; we were attending a conference in Kyoto, and at the same time taking the opportunity to make the most of a tourist visit to this splendid city. This house was ideal for our purposes. Instead of booking two rooms in a hotel, my colleague slept in the room upstairs and I slept downstairs, after moving one bed downstairs with Kazuya consent. This was easy because the Japanese style beds consist only of floor futons; although they are very conformable, everyday night I slept many hours straight off. We save a lot of money and we were better than in a hotel. We had a small kitchen, very convenient because one of us was on a diet and could not eat fats or salty food. In the price were also included the use of two bicycles that we enjoyed tremendously. One day Kazuya took us to a festival near Arashiyama. He is the perfect host, very helpful and efficient, he gives you all the information you need, a cellular phone in case you need to contact him. We highly recommend this house.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

(Seattle, WA)

Guest: Alison and Kurt ((Seattle, WA))
Date of Stay: 07/22/10 Review Submitted: 08/15/10

Our family of four had a wonderful experience staying in this townhouse in Kyoto. Kazuya has thought of every convenience a guest could want, met us at the train station and spent time to make sure we would feel comfortable navigating around the neighborhood and the sights in Kyoto. Our visit was in the very hot month of July, and the townhouse air-conditioning was perfectly comfortable throughout our stay. You will enjoy staying in this special traditional home, with tatami mats and futons, and exploring the very friendly and quiet neighborhood. Kyoto is a very special city in Japan, and this townhouse is the perfect place to stay. Kazuya, we hope we can come back to visit again!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Guest: Tiffany24 (Gold Coast, Australia)
Date of Stay: 01/27/10 Review Submitted: 01/27/10

We stayed here in January 2010. Great value for money, much cheaper than a hotel (for a family of 4) and a much better Japanese experience. It is a beautiful, authentic Japanese townhouse with everything you could want. Own kitchen, good bathroom, comfy futon-style beds, gorgeous living room with Japanese-style low coffee table and a stunning Japanese garden to look at. Immaculately clean and tidy. It was very comfortable and we enjoyed our stay very much. We were met at the train station and transferred to the townhouse by the owner. The owner is extremely friendly and helpful. We will definitely return if we come back to Kyoto.

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Guest: vicki Sun (Singapore)
Date of Stay: 11/29/09 Review Submitted: 11/29/09

Hello Kazuya, Time flies and back in Singapore running the same routine all over again. Memories of the stay in Kyoto is still fresh in my mind. As I am writing, I can recall cycling with Tsung in the evening to the 24 hours Fresco supermarket to buy sashimi,unagi and some other food and we had a steaming shabu shabu in the dining room. My children just loved it. They felt so at home and comfortable staying in your house. They loved sleeping under the warm and fluffy blanket and sleeping together all in a roll felt so secure. Getting around Kyoto on bus was no problem at all. Won't mind staying in your house again if we should ever go back to Kyoto! Thanks again Kazuya.

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Guest: Joy & Ben Wigglesworth (Kathmandu Nepal)
Date of Stay: 04/20/09 Review Submitted: 04/20/09

We stayed for two weeks in the superb townhouse. It is located in a very quiet cul de sac and so has no through traffic outside. The surrounding area is not touristy and gives a great insight into living in Japan. The townhouse is well equipped. The entrance is large and contains a small kitchen area with a microwave, grill and hotpot. The kitchen is suitable for preparing small meals. Hot water is available at all times. The main room downstairs is furnished in typical Japanese stlye and overlooks a small garden. A computer connected to the internet is a boon and is available throughout the stay. Kazuya, the owner, is a mine of information and has shortcuts on the computer to find out latest information. He is perfect host and answers all questions. Kazuya speaks very good English. Upstairs we used the larger room for sleeping. Again furnished in local style it was very comfortable. The house is well heated and makes an ideal base for exploring the wonderful city of Kyoto.Most places are accessable by bicycle. Our stay was extremely enjoyable. We were able to totally relax in the townhouse and felt very much at home.

Owner response:Dear Joy & Ben Thank you for coming. I will wait for your next coming to Kyoto. Best Regards Kazuya Nishimura

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