Entire home

Perfect Location - Best area of Eastern Kyoto - comfortable family accommodation

Bamboo floors, highest quality bedding, and stylish furnishings (Bamboo Suite).

The handpainted calligraphy sign welcomes guests at the door.

Walk out the front door onto a traditional pedestrian shopping arcade.

The Kanji Characters mean Cherry blossom, aroma, and comfort.

Located in the historic Furukawa Shotengai (a covered walking shopping arcade).

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 4280 sq ft

Popular amenities

Parking available
Dryer
Washer
Kitchen
Outdoor space
Free WiFi

Explore the area

Kyoto

Yasaka Shrine
‪7 min walk‬
Nishiki Market
‪17 min walk‬
Kiyomizu Temple
‪20 min walk‬
Osaka (ITM-Itami)
‪46 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 4)

Bamboo Suite

2 Queen Beds

1 bathroom

Bamboo Suite

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen

Kitchenette

Garden

Dining area

About this property

Perfect Location - Best area of Eastern Kyoto - comfortable family accommodation

Sakara - the characters mean 'cherry blossom', 'aroma', and 'ease/comfort' --
Sakara is unique and original with Japanese decor, private restroom, bath, laundry machine, kitchenette, and high quality western queen sized beds.
Free wireless internet signal, local TV, and local phone line standard.
Sakara has a common tatami room next to the lobby overlooking a Zen garden. The first floor tatami lounge has complimentary coffee and green tea for guests.
We want you to get the most out of your trip to Kyoto. With that in mind we have designed this accommodation especially for the foreign traveler in Kyoto.
Traditional styling is important to us, so we have incorporated the Japanese elements we love with an eye to Western comfort.
You will enjoy the feel of a classic historical machiya building; natural wood, plaster, paper, and tatami highlighted with Japanese art and furniture.

The Best of Both Worlds: : *** Sakara offers you the convenience of a hotel or Ryokan with the privacy of a house rental. The kitchen allows you to cook as you like. You can do laundry and take a hot bath.

*** Japanese feel and decor are complimented with highest quality bedding, High ceilings and doorways, and personal touches. Art and antiques blend the modern with the traditional.

*** Sakara is walking distance from the Gion district, shops, and subway. There are many nearby cafes and restaurants.

Sakara is great for families. If you have a larger group please contact us for information about other options as well.

*** The Bamboo Suite is ideal for a family or group of four guests.

*** Please contact us directly about discounts for longer stays or options for larger groups.

Property manager

Mike, reservations manager

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

This property accepts cash

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

We should mention

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare requires all international visitors to submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels, etc. ); additionally, lodging proprietors are required to photocopy passports for all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Kyoto

Located in Kyoto, this holiday home is in the city centre. Yasaka Shrine and Heian Shrine are notable landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Biwa and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Kyoto Municipal Zoo and Kyoto Aquarium are also worth visiting. Explore all the area has to offer with cycling and ecotours.

Kyoto

What's nearby

Yasaka Shrine - 7 min walk - 0.7 km
Heian Shrine - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
Gion Corner - 12 min walk - 1.0 km
Nishiki Market - 17 min walk - 1.5 km
Kiyomizu Temple - 20 min walk - 1.7 km

Getting around

Higashiyama Station - 2 min walk
Sanjo Station - 9 min walk
Osaka (ITM-Itami) - 59 min drive

Restaurants

‪McDonald's - ‬2 min walk
‪マルシン飯店 - ‬2 min walk
‪東北家 - ‬3 min walk
‪吉祥菓寮祇園本店 - ‬3 min walk
‪Le Bac à Sable - ‬1 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Perfect Location - Best area of Eastern Kyoto - comfortable family accommodation pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Perfect Location - Best area of Eastern Kyoto - comfortable family accommodation?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Perfect Location - Best area of Eastern Kyoto - comfortable family accommodation?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Perfect Location - Best area of Eastern Kyoto - comfortable family accommodation located?

Located in Higashiyama Ward, this holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Hanamikoji Street, Yasaka Shrine and Shijo Street. Pontocho Alley and Heian Shrine are also within 15 minutes. Higashiyama Station is only a 2-minute walk and Sanjo Keihan Station is 7 minutes.

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Christine H.

25 Apr, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Anniversary stay

Highly recommend. Travelled to Kyoto for a three day stay. The area is perfect. Mike and Yuko are available for any questions and very accommodating. I will recommend this stay to anyone I know coming to Kyoto.

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sue L.

24 May, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

The location was fantastic close to the subway and shops. There was plenty of room and beds were very comfortable. I would highly recommend staying here.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michelle L.

10 Aug, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoyed our stay in this suite

My family stayed in this suite for 3 nights. It was in a really nice quiet location, close to public transit, restaurants, and within walking distance to the nishiki market. I highly recommend it.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jill J.

10 May, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The perfect home base for exploring Kyoto

My husband and truly enjoyed our 4 days staying in Sakara's Bamboo Suite. The suite is comfortable and quiet, and very conveniently located. Mike was super pleasant to work with and made checking in and out a breeze. I definitely recommend staying here!

Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kirsty S.

21 Apr, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic

Awesome location and great space. Love the tree!

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

ghislaine j.

17 Apr, 2019

Perfect quiet location, in the heart of historical Kyoto

I recommend it!

Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Gemma G.

2 Apr, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect base for Kyoto

Traditional with modern comforts. Great location. Very helpful at check in as to how to get around. Would highly recommend.

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Camille H.

15 Oct, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Camille

Great stay for four of us in the Bamboo suite. Perfect location, close to food and transport, easy and fast communication with hosts.

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Norman R.

29 Apr, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely property, amazing location, great hosts

Sakara Kyoto was everything we hoped it would be. Served as a perfect base for our week in Kyoto, having basically all of higashiyama at walking distance or a quick transport away, with everything needed being close by. Lovely well equipped and good sized room, with good noise isolation from other rooms, able to go in and out in whatever schedule fits your needs, held our baggage on checkout day so as to make the most of it. Couldn't be happier about this stay.

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Devi M., Fontana, CA

12 Jan, 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect for our trip!

We enjoyed our stay in the Bamboo Suite. It was comfortable and clean. It is a great area and location with many shops and restaurants within walking distance. Our hosts were very helpful and responded quickly to any questions. We would stay again!

Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca W.

2 Apr, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect home away from home

We loved our stay at Sakara. The simple comfort, extremely convenient location, charming neighborhood in the middle of everything (but at the same time tucked away) — it was perfect. Our hosts were so helpful and gracious. We made this our home base and then did day trips to Osaka and Nara. Having rented many VRBOs over the years, this is one of my all time favorites. We will be back.

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Joshua B.

21 Sept, 2010

Affordable, comfortable and friendly

My girlfriend and I stayed in the relatively inexpensive "Ninja" room, and everything was great. Not a huge room, but the lofted bed is very comfortable, and the kitchen/bathroom area has all the necessary amenities. Would definitely go back next time I'm in Kyoto!

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca H.

28 Jun, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Week in Kyoto

My wife and I stayed for more than a week and enjoyed it very much. The hosts are super friendly and helpful with anything that is needed. The apt has a washer and kitchen so long term stays are easy. It is right next to the subway so easy to get to the sites and kyoto station, and the location itself is perfect to walk to many of the best places. We highly recommend for a stay in Kyoto.

Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jean M., Virginia Beach, Virginia USA

30 Jul, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!

We loved our time in Kyoto and Mike’s place was perfect. Yuko met us there and made us feel very welcome. We all slept great and loved that it was quiet. Sitting by the water and all the cute shops and restaurants close by gave us a feel for life there. Also, subway station right around the corner.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kaitlin R., Austin, TX

22 Jun, 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet, roomy location close to Gion

The bamboo suite was extremely clean and spacious for two people. The shower was especially excellent. It was right next to a train station which was extremely convenient. Restaurants, shops and convenience stores are all nearby and it is about a 10 minute walk to the action of Gion and downtown. Highly recommend!

Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Susan L.

25 Dec, 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Gem of a find

Excellent location. Easy access to many subway lines. Easy walking to many of Kyōto’s highlights. Very close to nightlife, restaurants, food market etc. Sakara is clean, and quiet. Staff Is very helpful and responsive. Highly recommend.

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dan R.

28 Jan, 2017

Beautiful accommodation in great location

We stayed at Sakara Kyoto in the Hinoki Suite and it was fantastic. The hotel room was really well equipped, very clean and there was lots of room for all of us (2 adults and 3 kids). The staff were super friendly and helpful. The location is superb, right next to Higashiyama train station and bus stops so really easy to get to the main attractions in Kyoto. It is also really quiet and only a short walk into central Kyoto. We really recommend staying at Sakara and will definitely be staying here next time we are back in Kyoto! Thanks so much! Dan

10/10 Excellent

Todd M., LA

12 May, 2019

Big, bright, well-situated and super quiet

This is very nice size room, in great condition, close to the subway and walking distance to many fantastic sights, as well as bars and restaurants. Despite that, it is supremely quiet. The WC and shower are also fantastic. Check in and check out was a breeze. We would be very glad to return here on our next visit to Kyoto.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Maria Leah B.

9 Jul, 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great value for location!

My husband and I with 2 teens had enough room in this charming well- located accommodation. It’s about 15-20 mins walk to Nishiki market and 10 minutes walk to Gion district. Bus stop and train station is 3 mins walk. There’s a McDonald’s at the corner and a few convenient stores nearby. Over all it was a great place to stay in Kyoto! Huge thanks to Mike, the reservation manager for the extra travel tips!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly B.

19 Oct, 2013

Fabulous place to stay!

We came to see the Kyoto sights and found the charm of Sakara Kyoto to be very pleasing and clean. The location made us feel immersed in the culture. The property is within walking distance to the Gion district and close to most of the prominent sights in Kyoto. We were very comfortable and rented two rooms, one for ourselves and one that out two teenage children shared. I would definitely stay here again and am hoping to plan another trip to Kyoto before we leave Japan. The staff was very friendly and accommodating and we enjoyed the ambiance of the shopping street where the property is located.

10/10 Excellent

toni w.

27 Mar, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Simple and friendly

Mike is a great host- super friendly, easy to communicate with, helpful with additional questions beyond lodging. The BEST shower ever! Love the additional lounge area. While there is a washer, there is a Laundry mat around the corner if you need things to dry quickly . Thanks for your hospitality! Easy access to train line. Not a lot of coffee places are open in morning but there was a family mart around the corner (and a kettle inn the room). Also right outside the door there was a place that stayed open to grab a quick beer or wine before bed. Would stay again in a heartbeat if we had the chance to come back to Kyoto

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Robert S., Tinley Park

23 Oct, 2013

So much to see, so little time

Our group of 4 adults and 1 teen had plenty of room staying in the bamboo and hinoshi suites. The location was fantastic, lots of restaurants and bars a short walk away. Bus and train stop very close. I recommend getting the bus map from the tourist office that is just a few blocks away, it was a real help getting to all of the great temples and shrines that the city has to offer. The rooms were very clean and comfortable. Having laundry in the rooms was a real plus but plan on air drying your clothes when possible. Being located down the shopping arcade added to the ambiance of our stay, even the raw fish smell that was always present. If in Kyoto again, I would not even consider staying elsewhere. Sakara is an incredible value.

10/10 Excellent

Amy L.

29 May, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quaint and quiet neighborhood convenient for sightseeing

Our flight and train were both delayed but our host graciously stayed late to check us in. Also provided tips on transportation, neighborhood coffee shops and convenient stores. It is a traditional building on a pedestrian only street. Check in instructions included detailed directions for taxi drivers (in Japanese) which was very helpful. The unit is very quiet and has all the modern amenities we needed. The location is the best part, with the subway station just around the corner and downtown is a 15-min walk away. The Gion district and Pontocho are also within walking distance. Our favorite sites are Chion-in temple, Nanzen-ji temple and Heian Jingu Shrine. We find them much less crowded and therefore much more charming than the "must-see" biggies and they are all within walking distance of the property. Getting to the train station is also very easy and we made a day trip to Nara which we also enjoyed immensely. And at the end of each busy sightseeing day, we get to come back to a quiet and comfortable apartment for relaxation. Highly recommended!

Stayed 6 nights in May 2024

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

27 Jan, 2011

Beautiful place, excellent position.

Our group of 5 including 3 adults, a teenager and 11 year old spent a week in the Honiki Suite over the New Year. At this time of year accommodation can be very expensive in Japan but the Sakara rate was still very reasonable. Clever use of space meant that our group was comfortable. The storage under the queen bed was very useful and easy to access. Mike, Yuko and the boys are lovely hosts and gave great advice when needed. The apartments are very well built and soundproofed. Although I believe all 4 apartments were occupied during our stay the only time we heard other occupants was when we met in the foyer. The position was fantastic. Access was extremely easy from the subway station and it was wonderful living in the shopping mall. Kyoto is a beautiful city and there are a number of temples and shrines within easy walking distance. 24 hour convenience stores are nearby. I highly recommend Sakara as a great place to stay.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Constance G., Fremont Ca

29 May, 2013

Great stay in Kyoto!

We had a great stay here for a week in May, 2013. The Bamboo Suite is a wonderful, big room, more like an apartment than a hotel. It has a real kitchen you can cook in, with refrigerator and freezer, microwave, toaster, sink, an electric plate you can really cook on, dishes, and all the utensils you need. Plus a washer and dryer! And if you need anything, help is just a phone call away. The apartment is located in the eastern Higashiyama area of Kyoto, where many of the old town sights are located. The best thing about it is that it is located literally next door to the subway. Don't walk to the sights, you'll do enough walking when you get there! Take the subway and save your feet. You can transfer to any of the other transportation systems very easily since all the subway signs are in Romaji (English characters). Sakara Kyoto is not the Hilton! No 16th floor piano bar. : ) It is located in the old part of Kyoto, and has all the charms and quirkiness that you would expect. It is a very quiet, safe, and friendly area. So, if you want a great, authentic experience in Kyoto, try the Sakara Kyoto. You won't be disappointed.

About the host

Hosted by Mike, reservations manager

We have been renovating - and living in - traditional Kyoto buildings for over 18 years. Mike first came to Japan in 1997 for a working holiday, and fell in love with the city, while Yuko originally comes from Osaka. We want to share our city with you.

Why they chose this property

We designed and built Sakara in 2009, when holiday rentals were not yet so popular in Kyoto. During this ten year period we have seen eastern Kyoto explode in popularity, and we know why! The area around Higashiyama is the best place to use as a home base while you explore the historic town of Kyoto.