East or West? Choosing your machiya

Each house has three separate bedrooms: two on the upper storey and one on the lower storey. One room has two semi-double beds (196cm L × 120cm W) and two are futon rooms. BenTen East sleeps up to six, BenTen West up to five.

The lower storey has a separate toilet and a bathroom with a bathtub and shower, while the upper storey has an additional toilet and shower room. The lower-storey bath faces the garden. With facilities on both floors, the house offers a generous bathroom-to-guest ratio, providing added convenience and privacy for families and groups travelling together.

These are century-old machiya, so the stair is narrower and steeper than a modern one, and there is a raised step at the traditional genkan 玄関 entrance. Because one bedroom, a toilet, the bath with shower, the kitchen and the living room are all on the lower storey, a stay that avoids the stairs altogether is possible. Tell us when you book and we will set the lower-storey room for you.

Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 11:00. A personal welcome is arranged for arrivals within a reasonable, pre-agreed window: a host welcomes you at the house 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. A private keypad code means you can come and go on your own hours.

Complimentary housekeeping is provided every other day: bathrooms and living areas refreshed, used towels replaced and amenities replenished. At check-in, enough fresh towels are prepared for daily use until the next service, so you have what you need without a daily interruption. Between visits, nobody comes through the door.

Yes. Only one party stays in each house at a time, so the kitchen, the bath, the garden and the front door are yours alone.

Yes. East and West stand side by side on the same lane and can be reserved together for up to 11 guests — the usual arrangement for extended families and groups of friends.

One night minimum, and longer stays are welcome. Free cancellation up to 8 days before arrival when you book direct on this site. Reservations open up to 18 months in advance.

The kitchen is fully equipped for preparing meals. For hygiene reasons, we do not stock shared condiments or opened food items, but supermarkets and convenience stores nearby make it easy to pick up anything you may need.

Yes, and a baby cot can be provided on request — just let us know when you book. Worth knowing before you choose: both houses keep their original machiya stair, which is narrower and steeper than a modern one, and the genkan has a raised step at the entrance. In BenTen East the stair is also open to the upper floor rather than enclosed, so families with very young children usually prefer BenTen West. In either house, the lower-storey bedroom puts everything on one level, which suits small children and older guests alike.

Gion-Shijo Station (Keihan Main Line) is a 12-minute walk from the house, and Kyoto-Kawaramachi (Hankyu) about 15. From Kyoto Station, allow 10–15 minutes by taxi, or take City Bus 206 to the Higashiyama-Yasui stop, three minutes from the front door. Private transfers from Kansai or Itami airports can be arranged through our eConcierge in advance of your arrival.

Yes. We can hold your luggage at the property from 11:30 am on your check-in day — kindly share your arrival plans in advance. If you arrive earlier, the coin lockers at Kyoto Station are a convenient option.

Yes, both ways. If you are sending luggage ahead to BenTen, contact us in advance and we will share the delivery address and receive it on your behalf. If you are sending luggage onward, we can assist with the send-off — or a Yamato Transport office is just a three-minute walk from the house. Most destinations are next-day delivery; allow extra time in peak seasons. Fees depend on destination and size.