Simple and Plane Momiji-an in historical Kiyomizu-Gion area

We loved our stay at Momiji-an. It is a beautifully renovated traditional Japanese house in a historic part of Kyoto, near to the Higashiyama heritage trail and close to Gion. The bedroom is exquisite and the bathroom is fabulous. Mariko was a wonderful extra mile host, picking us up and dropping us off at the station, as well as booking restaurants and organising access to the Moss Temple. We look forward to staying in this very charming place again, as soon as possible!

We had a great time in this Kyoto apartment. Its location is superb, only a two minute walk west to Higashi Oji Dori street where there are lots of buses and taxis. There is a Fresco grocery store about 5 minutes walk north on this street, and lots of restaurants too. The Matsubara-dori tourist street which leads to more restaurants and the Kiyomizu-dera temple is only a two minute walk to the north. The apartment is perfectly located as a base to explore the southern Higashiyama temple district, and is a 30 minute walk from central/downtown Kyoto. It is also handy for the Gion teahouse/geisha district. The area is quiet and we slept well every night. It was great to come back here to recharge after a long day of walking in Kyoto.

The apartment itself is a little small by western standards, but this is pretty typical for Japan. It is set back from the street and is quite secluded. The kitchen is small but very functional, there is a small sink and one-ring induction cooking ring. The microwave also functions as a small oven, which is very useful. There is a small fridge which is perfectly fine.

The bathroom is excellent, there is a heated floor with big bath and a shower, and lots of natural light; it is screened very well from the outside. There is a washing machine/dryer too which is very useful.

The bedroom is upstairs, and it is a lovely traditional Japanese bedroom, and there is lots of light in the morning. The floor is tatami mats and the beds are futons with single quilts.

The living room is a good size, it has a heated floor and lots of storage space, with a small dining table and 4 chairs. The sofa is comfortable. There is a ‘vertical garden’ outside the window. The room is a little dark in the daytime, but there is good artificial lighting.

A really unique feature of this place is that our hosts were so very kind. They picked us up from Kyoto station, checked on us to make sure we were doing OK, and then picked us up again and took us back to the station. This is a great service, it was very much appreciated!

In summary, we stayed here for 4 nights and really enjoyed our stay. We would recommend this to others, and would stay here again. Thanks to Yumi and Mariko for taking care of us!

Clean, comfortable and spacious. Love the bathroom! Appreciate being able to stay in a traditional styled home right in old Kyoto, so near Kiyomizudera and the other amazing spots. Other plus about location is supermarket within walking distance and great coffee (% Arabica) just 1 street away. Mariko was very welcoming and very helpful!

This little jewel of a place was a delight from the bamboo lined path entrance to the comfortable futon bedroom, adorned traditionally with fresh flowers and Japanese scroll.

The cosy kitchen and living area were well equipped , even sporting a coffee machine and coffee pods, (most welcome)and the bathroom complete with bath, set in a garden but safe from the weather was especially nice .

Mario was very welcoming and available for all queries and topped off with being in the perfect location for good food, the old quarter of Gion and the temples nearby as well as a very handy bus stop made our stay here a unique and enjoyable experience.

The 3 of us stayed at the Momiji-an machiya for 4 nights. The unit is in a quiet residential area with easy access to all the sights of Kyoto. It has been recently renovated and has all modern amenities. It is also within walking distance to a supermarket where we bought good sashimi and wagyu beef. All queries were quickly addressed and Mariko was most helpful. We enjoyed our stay very much and we highly recommend Momiji-an.