AZUKIYA

KYOTO, JAPAN

Guesthouse | from 170€ per night

Staying in a traditional Machiya house had been high on our list from the moment we started planning our trip to Japan. For anyone unfamiliar, a Machiya is a traditional wooden townhouse, often over a century old, with sliding doors, tatami floors, and that unmistakable sense of calm that comes from Japanese architecture.

We knew we wanted that experience: to stay somewhere that felt rooted in history, somewhere intimate and truly local, and Kyoto felt like the perfect place for it. With its old streets, slower pace, and preserved neighborhoods, it’s the city where a machiya stay makes complete sense.

While searching for the right one, we stumbled upon Azukiya, and it immediately felt like exactly what we were hoping to find. We were lucky to discover it early enough to book (it’s very often full), and from our very first messages with Chieko-san, the owner, we could already sense how much care she put into this place.

And honestly, she makes the whole experience extraordinary.

She welcomed us with the warmest smile and helped us with every detail of our stay in Kyoto. There are only two rooms: one upstairs (ours) and one downstairs that opens onto a small zen garden, plus a separate little house. The machiya itself is over 100 years old, but beautifully maintained and full of charm.

Chieko-san also has e-bikes you can rent, which we did on our last day. It was such a fun way to explore parts of the city we hadn’t had time to see. And then there’s her breakfast… truly unforgettable. One morning Western, the next Japanese, both exceptional. She even bakes her own croissants every morning, everything she makes is soooo good!

This isn’t a luxury hotel, but if you’re looking for a unique Japanese experience, a warm and thoughtful welcome, and you’re curious to try sleeping on a futon… this place is honestly perfect.

Azukiya gave us one of our favorite memories from Kyoto, and we’d go back in a heartbeat.