Beautiful! the Gion House is Centrally-Located in Gion

• Wonderful stay in Gion House

  Wonderful stay in Gion House

  • Guest LP
  • Date of stay 05/07/13
  • Review Submitted 05/15/13
  We just came back from 4 days in Gion House and we really loved everything during our stay: the house is beautiful with all the amenities you need (traditional and modern, very clean) the location is perfect to discover Kyoto by feet and just a few steps from Gion district full of small wonderful restaurants. The owner is very helpful, responsive and will definitely do everything to make your stay wonderful. We are a family with 3 young kids and they loved staying in the house, sleeping all together in the tatami room! I definitely highly recommend it for your stay in Kyoto.

  Recommended for: Families with young children.

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• Wonderful Time at the Gion House

  Wonderful Time at the Gion House

  • Guest KJ
  • Date of stay 03/31/13
  • Review Submitted 04/18/13
  We (parents and three young kids) had a wonderful stay at the Gion House. The owner was very helpful, quick to respond. He offered many useful tips and was very understanding in accommodating children. The location is central and very close and convenient to many wonderful restaurants and sightseeing sites but in a quiet residential area. The facilities and amenities in the house are exactly like the descriptions and photos - clean, comfortable and top-notch. We would stay here again when visiting Kyoto.

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

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• A Gion Gem

  A Gion Gem

  • Guest Tan L.
  • Date of stay 04/11/13
  • Review Submitted 04/14/13
  Simply amazing! The whole experience was lovely. The place is gorgeous and with a very desirable location. Tanaka-san was very thorough in his communication and we loved the his books/tips. I couldn't recommend it more!

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• Perfect holiday home in Kyoto

  Perfect holiday home in Kyoto

  • Guest Aun K.
  • Date of stay 04/04/13
  • Review Submitted 04/14/13
  From the moment my wife and I saw Tokuji Tanaka's beautiful little Machiya, which he calls "The Gion House", on the Web, we were sold. The exterior was charming. The interiors clean and bright. We loved the Yakusugi solid wood dining table. The Shiragaki ceramic bathtub was the icing on the cake that prompted us to email him immediately. Amazingly, the house was available during our dates and Tanaka-san generously offered to set up a baby cot for two year old son. Tanaka-san's machiya was perfect in so many ways. The location was simply amazing, nestled at the intersection of Yamato-oji dori and Yasaka dori. Walk west two blocks and you're at the Kamo River. Cross the river and you're at the Kiyamachi dining area. Walk north ten minutes and you're at Shijo and Kawaramachi intersection. Walk east from the house and you'll immediately face the South side of Kennin-ji Temple. Keep walking east 10 minutes and you'll find yourself at Kiyomizudera Temple. Seriously, for us, the location was simply perfect. The house fabulously offered the best of old and new. While the structure and design was that of a traditional Japanese townhouse, it also boasted very modern amenities, from a digital door lock to an automated system that would fill and heat the Japanese bathtub for you with a single press of a button. Tanaka-san also ensured that the appliances were modern and worked well. We used the rice cooker and washer-dryer extensively without any problems. And the whole house in on its own WiFi network. Tanaka-san also provides a few guide books for his guests as well as a detailed instruction manual for living in the machiya. He also included suggestions for a neighboring cafe for breakfast and a local supermarket--which had amazing produce for half the price of the supermarket in Isetan. We loved that we could cook our own meals here. The produce in Japan is so good. We ended up having dinner in twice during our stay. The kitchen, while small, is very functional. The house itself is not large. The ground floor has the living-dining area, kitchen, small outdoor zen garden and the bathroom. The upstairs area, which is essentially one large space, is for sleeping. The washer-dryer is also upstairs. In comparison with a hotel, the layout is akin to a large duplex suite. After this stay, my wife has decided that Tanaka-san's Gion House is going to be her home away from home in Kyoto whenever possible.

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• Wonderful experience of staying at Gion House.

  Wonderful experience of staying at Gion House.

  • Guest C Mak
  • Date of stay 02/09/13
  • Review Submitted 02/19/13
  I have been in Kyoto couple times but this was the first time to stay at a Gion House and it was amazing. You found yourself like you are living there and you feel very local. You can walk to shops, you can cook something at the Gion House, you go for sightseeing, you take train to see more place like Alasiyama easily. Plus all instruction from the owner is very clear and easy to follow, you found no problem and comfortable. I will recommand friends to visit and even myself already think to come back soon. Thank you.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway.

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• Fascinating experience for all westeners!

  Fascinating experience for all westeners!

  • Guest Ludolady
  • Date of stay 12/07/12
  • Review Submitted 01/28/13
  I was there with two friends at the beginning of December 2012. Five days of compulsive sightseeing and consequent rest in this lovely house. Close to the shopping and restaurants area but quiet at the same time, this is a house you want to be back to after a day out. The internal zen garden which is visible from the living room and the bathtub is relaxing and confirms that we are really in Japan. The futon mats are confortable and warm. The sliding door is very convenient so you don't have to take the key with you. We enjoyed very much our stay and we recommend Gion House to people who want to live and breathe the always surprising 'Japan-style'!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

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• A Wonderful Stay

  A Wonderful Stay

  • Guest Jeffrey B.
  • Date of stay 11/09/12
  • Review Submitted 12/18/12
  I stayed in the Gion House for 3 nights in early November and my stay was simply amazing. The house was clean and had all the amenities necessary for a comfortable stay. The futon on the second floor floor was very comfortable. The second floor can easily sleep 3 to 4 people. A washer and dryer is also located on the second floor. For me, the washer/dryer was quiet enough to clean and dry my clothes while sleeping. Tokuji-san provided clear directions to get to the house for the taxi driver. The house is secure and conveniently located in the GION district - about a 5 to 7min walk to shopping and grocery stores. A small cozy coffee shop and wonderful bakery are nearby (1 minute walk). The Gion post office was about a 5 to 7 minute walk, as well. Furthermore, it felt safe to walk around the neighborhood at night. I highly recommend this house, especially if you plan to stay in Kytoto of several days.

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• Our Personal Space in Kyoto

  Our Personal Space in Kyoto

  • Guest KL
  • Date of stay 11/28/12
  • Review Submitted 12/11/12
  Kyoto is a contradiction. It is steep in its culture and tradition, discreet and mysterious in its ways. Not everything is what it seems. This makes every trip to Kyoto an experience for me. You will experience the same contraction at the Gion House - discreet and simple on the outside, a mixture of tradition and comfort on the inside. It is non-intrusive yet inviting. Guests only need to make it into their own personal space. We did precisely that for nine wonderful days. Everything at Gion House was top notch - the beddings, the washing machine, the tub, etc. They have all been mentioned in previous reviews. But we simply love the kitchen and the dining area. Our days began with a hearty breakfast with Maxim coffee, ham steaks sandwich, bacon and salad around the dining table. During the cold nights when we decided to eat in, we cooked shabu-shabu, nabe or yakisoba. It was simply yummy. Dessert included traditional cookies, crackers or persimmons which were in season. We even cooked crab hotpot after our day-trip to Kinosaki Onsen! During the nine days we visited the temples in Kyoto, Nara, Arashiyama, and made day trips to Kurashiki, Kinosaki Onsen, Arima Onsen, Miho Museum and Kobe. We used the JR West Kansai WIDE Pass and the Surotto 2-Day Pass which allowed us to use on Nozomi, Shinkansen, JR trains, private railways and Kyoto buses. We chose to stay at Gion House this year because of the service we have experienced during our stay at Hanare House in Arashiyama last November. Tofuji Tanaka was extremely helpful and unassuming. He knows the needs of independent travellers who want to experience Kyoto at their own pace. And knowing he was just a call away when the cabby did not know the way to Gion House was one of the greatest comforts of staying at Gion House. Thank you, Tanaka-san.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

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• Quintessential Kyoto Experience

  Quintessential Kyoto Experience

  • Guest Family Guy
  • Date of stay 10/28/12
  • Review Submitted 11/10/12
  A trip to Japan is not complete without a quick visit to Kyoto, arguably the cultural heart of Japan. And, while in Kyoto, one should really make every attempt to stay in a private home, as opposed to a branded hotel, however luxurious. So, it is with this approach in mind, that my wife, two young children (10 and 8), and I opted for a two-night stay at Gion House. WOW!! What an experience we had. The home is seemingly brand-new, yet it is built in the Gion style, complete with huge ceramic bath tub and minimal furnishings. We LOVED it! We kept saying to each other: "Staying here, you could only be in Kyoto." But the best part of the home is its location. You can walk five minutes to everything - to include the wonderfully quaint 'restaurant area'. And the Kyoto station, at which most Shinkansen train passengers arrive, is only 10 minutes by taxi. Again, so easy! I cannot recommend this place enough. The owner was wonderful with all logistics, and the experience was just super smooth. I would particularly recommend this place for a romantic get-away. So relaxing!

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

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• Kyoto Gion House

  Kyoto Gion House

  • Guest Crispin H.
  • Date of stay 10/26/12
  • Review Submitted 11/04/12
  After spending nearly two weeks traveling in Japan our two day stay in Kyoto has been the highlight of our trip. We had choose to stay in Gion House in hope of experiencing a glimpse of authentic Japan and in return we got everything we hoped for and beyond. Firstly Tokuji has proved to be very professional with quick and informative answers to all our questions and emails. The location of the house is perfect with just a short walk to Gion high street where you can stroll,shop,dine and find easy bus connection to elsewhere in Kyoto. And for us exploring the side streets and alleys and spotting a geisha has been the best part. The beautifully restored Gion machiya feels traditional yet has every comfort and accessory one might ever need and the way is furnished and maintained is impeccable. The memories of our trip to Japan will be many and staying in the Gion House scented with tatami mats will always bring us back to a very special place. Thank you Tokuji.

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¥18,000/nt.(December, January & February)
¥20,000/nt.(March, May to October)
¥24,000/nt. high season (April, July 13-16, November and X'mas & New Year Holiday)
Rate is for two persons.
3rd persons can stay for additional ¥4,000/nt/person
4th persons can stay for additional ¥2,000/nt/person
Rates include tax. Minimum stay 5 nights
Credit Cards Accepted via Paypal or International Wire Transfer.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.