BenTen EastPrivate 3-bedroom machiya in Higashiyama, Kyoto
Sleeps 6 · 80 m² (about 860 sqft)
A whole Meiji-era machiya in Higashiyama, yours alone: three bedrooms across the two storeys, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and a bath facing the courtyard. Cook in the kitchen, soak in the bath, wake up to the garden. Not a room in a hotel — a house, and a few days lived the way this city lived a century ago.
A whole restored machiya, the service of a small hotel, and someone in Kyoto working on your trip before you land.
The house, entirely
Two storeys, 80 m² (about 860 sqft). Three bedrooms — two on the upper storey, one on the lower storey — for up to six guests.
- Yours alone, with no other guests in the house
- A bathroom on each storey: 2 toilets, a shower room above, a bath with shower below
- A lattice front and earth-floored genkan opening onto tatami
- A courtyard garden in view from the lower-storey bath
- One night minimum. Longer stays welcome
Attentive service, complete privacy
A personal welcome at the house, then the place is yours.
- Complimentary housekeeping every other day, with your privacy respected between visits
- The bath run hot for your return if you say the word
- Beds your way: tatami futons or Western, set before arrival
- Enough fresh towels at check-in for daily use, replaced at each cleaning visit
- A keypad code, so your hours stay your own
Kyoto, handled
A bilingual concierge at work on your trip before you arrive.
- Restaurant bookings and an itinerary you can actually walk
- Transport and tickets arranged before you arrive
One nightly rate from a single night: a century-old house that is yours alone, with housekeeping every other day.
Everything quiet, none of it standing in the way.
A short list, done properly.
01A personal welcome at the house
A personal welcome is arranged for arrivals within a reasonable, pre-agreed check-in window: a host welcomes you at the lattice door and introduces the property. Alternative check-in arrangements are available for late or significantly delayed arrivals, and departure assistance can be coordinated around your plans. Leave a phone number when you book. A private keypad code means you can still come and go on your own hours.
02A concierge before you arrive
Bilingual, English and Japanese, and already at work on your trip before you land. Restaurant bookings, an itinerary and transport, included with every stay.
03A starter kitchen
Rice, miso, tea, salt, a bottle of soy sauce from a maker in Tamba. Enough to cook breakfast or a late supper the night you arrive, without needing to visit a convenience store.
04The bath drawn for you
If you would like it run for when you get back from dinner, tell us on your way out. Deep enough to sit in up to the shoulders, with the bamboo lit outside the window.
05Beds your way
Tatami futons or Western beds — your choice, and the rooms are set that way before you arrive.
06Housekeeping every other day
The house is refreshed every other day, including towel replacement and amenity replenishment. Between visits nobody comes through the door — the house stays exclusively yours.
- Address
- 431-3 Kamibenten-cho, Higashiyama, Kyoto
- Sleeps
- Up to six guests in three bedrooms: two on the upper storey, one on the lower storey. One has two semi-double beds (196cm L × 120cm W), two have futons.
- A stay without stairs
- The stair is original, so it is narrower and steeper than a modern one. Everything you need sits on the lower storey â a bedroom, a WC, the bath, the kitchen and the living room â and we will make up the lower-storey bedroom for you. Tell us when you book.
- Bath
- One bathroom on each storey, each with its own toilet and shower. The lower-storey bathroom also has a bath, facing the garden.
- Beds
- Tatami futons or Western beds, your choice. Tell us your preference and we set the rooms before you arrive.
- Amenities
- Complimentary toiletries and thick cotton towels in both bathrooms. Enough fresh towels are prepared at check-in for daily use, and replaced at each cleaning visit.
- Housekeeping
- Complimentary housekeeping every other day: bathrooms and living areas refreshed, used towels replaced and amenities replenished. Your privacy is respected at all other times.
- Concierge
- A complimentary bilingual concierge with every stay, before you arrive and during it.
- Minimum stay
- One night · longer stays welcome
- Check-in / Check-out
- Check-in from 15:00 / Check-out by 11:00
- Quietly noted
- No smoking. Please remove shoes before entering the living areas beyond the traditional doma entrance.
- Take both houses
- East and West side by side, up to 11 guests together. See the West House →
Everything you need, quietly provided.
Kitchen
- Refrigerator
- Induction stovetop
- Microwave oven
- Electric kettle
- Rice cooker
- Cookware & tableware
- Starter set of rice, miso, tea, salt & soy sauce
Bathrooms
- Bath with shower, facing the garden
- Separate shower room on the upper storey
- Two toilets, one per storey
- Face & bath towels
- Hair dryer
- Shampoo, conditioner & body soap
- Hand soap
Comfort
- Underfloor heating
- Air conditioning & heating
- Free high-speed WiFi
- Netflix
- Washer / dryer
- Iron & ironing board
- Tsubo-niwa courtyard garden
- Non-smoking throughout
In the bathroom
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Razor & shaving cream
- Cotton set
- Wash towel
Practical
- Private keypad entry
- Private check-in & check-out
- Luggage storage
- Safety deposit box
- Baby cot (free, on request)
- Stroller available on request
- Cashless payment accepted
Safety
- Smoke alarms
- Fire extinguishers
- Security alarm
- CCTV outside the property
Have the whole house.
Book the house yourself, in a few clicks, and it is confirmed straight away. Or send us an enquiry instead. If you have special wishes, an awkward arrival time or a party that needs arranging, we would rather hear it from you and sort it by hand.