Machiya Tawara-an – Staying as if living in Kyoto 🍵
♥Posted by Aya♥
In Kyoto, you can see a landscape of traditional wooden houses called Machiya.
When foreigners look at machiyas, they think, “It’s Kyoto." or “This is Japan." and many of them take pictures.
Actually, you can stay at Machiya.
Tawara-an in Kyoto has a history of more than 80 years and is a Machiya where you can stay.
This Machiya inn where a craftsman used to live is attractive for its sturdy appearance.
This inn consists of an east building and a west building, and you can stay in each inn for only one group per day.
Let’s enjoy the taste of Kyoto while feeling the long history!
Contents
A Machiya that creates luxurious time
Tawara-an is a luxurious Machiya accommodation facility built with the concept that you can stay like you live in Kyoto.
The long floor plan like Unagi-no-nedoko (bed of eels) and the interior and garden that give you a feeling of Kyoto are attractive because you can feel the atmosphere that hotels and general ryokan do not have.
The exterior is reminiscent of a traditional townhouse, and the elegant blue noren at the entrance is the landmark.
Carpentry work to renovate old Machiya is said to be difficult now.
However, it has been renovated so that it is easy for modern people to live here while retaining the appearance and old techniques of a traditional townhouse. It’s the perfect place for an adult holiday.(*^_^*)
It consists of two accommodation inns the west inn and the east inn. In the center of each inn, there is a garden made of trees and tiles of Kyoto.
It is in a convenient location for sightseeing as it is a 10 minute walk to the entrance of Kyoto Imperial Palace and a 10 minute walk to Kamogawa.
It is popular with both foreign tourists and Japanese who want to live in Kyoto, and the number of tourists staying overnight is increasing.
Machiya Tawara-an
Features of the West Inn
The west inn, which was originally a workshop for craftsmen, retains the skylight as it was at that time, and has an open atrium structure where the outside light can be seen.
The Japanese-style room on the 1st floor retains the techniques of the Meiji era, and a board of cedar is laid under the tatami. It is a fine structure with both warmth and durability.
It is equipped with a Hori-Kotatsu so that elderly people and foreign tourists can stay comfortably while making the most of the Japanese-style room.
The spot garden in the west inn is so spacious that you can’t believe it’s in the city. The trees of the mountains of Kyoto are planted, and it shows the expression of each season.
In addition, the arrow-stone and roof tiles used in the town house before the renovation are reused, and the mountains of Kyoto such as Mt. Hiei and Mt. Atago are expressed in stone piles.
You can gaze at it from the inside of the room, or stand in the garden. A luxurious spot garden that can be enjoyed in a private space.
In the bathroom, there is a bath made of umbrella pine which is known as the best wooden bath.
It is also a luxury that you can take a bath while looking at the spot garden next door. Let’s soothe away the fatigue of travel while being wrapped in the scent of wood that invites relaxation.(～￣▽￣)～
The bedroom on the 2nd floor features Simmons’ bed, which has a reputation for improving the quality of sleep, and is a space to heal the fatigue of travel.
It is a Machiya where modern craftsmanship shines everywhere, such as using the beams of the time as they were.
Features of the East Inn
Like the west inn, it is a splendid mansion with the architectural techniques of the time. You can see the design everywhere.
Expensive red cedar is used for the logs of the pillars, and the design to show the annual rings by shaving the lower part of the pillars is applied.
For each nail, the same handmade nail that was used in the past is used, so you can feel the craftsmanship.
Hori-Kotatsu, a bath made of umbrella pine, and a Simmons’ bed are the same as in the west inn. You can fully feel the taste of Machiya that is particular about the details.
Enjoy your stay in a tasteful townhouse while thinking of the life of that time.♪(´▽｀)
Of course, there are plenty of amenities and facilities. Equipped with cooking utensils and washing machines, you can spend time cooking and washing as if you were living in Kyoto.
You can experience the Machiya with old history as if you were transported back in time to old Japan.
Spending time in a renovated Machiya that is comfortable to live in, without destroying the atmosphere of the time, will surely be an invaluable experience in Kyoto!
Machiya Tawara-an
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