Welcome to Miyagawacho Machiya

Presentation – Detailed Description – Location – Guest Reviews

This is Samurai Tom & Samurai Jerry’s place and we’re happy and proud to share it with you. It is by far our latest and largest project and we hope you’ll like it. Tom’s family crest is the famous “Maru ni Mitsuhiki Ryomon” (Three encircled lines ), symbolizing mercy, wisdom and virtue. This crest is used by clans including the Nakamura, the Hirano, the Shibuya. (Please note that the decoration of the house may change with the season.)

Floor Plan

The floor plan of the house will make it easier for you to understand the position and layout of the various rooms and areas of this house.

Again, the entire house features two buildings, the main one, a fully renovated century-old traditional Kyoto Machiya and a newly built Hanare back building located two steps away, on the side and back of the courtyard garden.

Simply click on the small graphic to see a larger one.

The Entrance – “Genkan” and the 1F LDK

The “Genkan” is where you enter the house, hang your coat and leave your shoes. You are welcomed by a small “Wabi Sabi” niche on your right. As soon as you step up and open the glass door, you enter the ground floor’s large LDK area.

There is a first western bedroom on your right, a large wooden dining table in front of you, the large Japanese tatami mat room with the garden at the end. The kitchen is on the right side of this area, with a door at the end enabling you to go to the garden and access the Hanare Back Building.

There is a shower room on the left of the area, and a toilet at the end.

The 1F LDK – Living Dining Kitchen

Once you passed the glass door, you are at home. The ground floor large LDK in front of you is probably where you’ll spend most your time with your family and friends. Just behind the wooden table with seating for ten, you have a small cozy area with a sofa to watch TV, Netflix or Youtube. Behind this, you’ll find the main living room area where Samurai Tom resides in the Tokonoma or alcove. This is where you’ll enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of cold beer while watching the little garden. The fully equipped modern kitchen is on the right side wall, on the way to the garden. You’ll find all the utensils you need to prepare a full meal and all the plates, glasses and cutlery necessary. And the dishwasher will certainly be appreciated after the meal!

In this part of the house, there is also a western bedroom on the right side of the entrance, a working desk, a shower room on the left side, and a toilet right after the kitchen.

As we know how cold Kyoto can be during the Winter, we knew something had to be done about this. So for added comfort, we have installed “Floor Heating” around the ground floor, in the dining room, in the living room, and in front of the kitchen. And for the Summer, when it’s unbearably hot outside, you’ll appreciate the fact that every room has its own air conditioning unit.

The TV Corner

This is where you’ll watch the large flat panel HDTV seated on the little couch. The corner can be isolated from the large tatami mat area in front of the garden by four fusuma or paper doors. On the TV, you have access to regular Japanese broadcast as well as Netflix and internet channels for unlimited movie and TV series enjoyment.

The Kitchen

The fully equipped kitchen is spacious and functional. You’ll find everything necessary to prepare a coffee or a breakfast, or even cook a sophisticated meal. A sink, induction heating plate, dish washer (with the product), and all the necessary appliances you’d expect to find in a home: fridge with freezer, coffee maker (and Nespresso machine on the 1st floor), electric kettle, toaster, rice cooker, oven/wave oven, pressure cooker, blender, and all the pans and cutlery and plates and glasses, etc.
You’ll also find salt, pepper, sugar, cream, soja sauce, oil, etc.

Hanare, the Back Building

The “Tsuboniwa” or courtyard garden is right behind the livingroom. And right behind it is the second building, the new one, the one we call “Hanare” or Back Building.

As this is a separate building, you actually have to go out and back in to access it. There are only two steps and we have prepared special slippers for this. In the Hanare Back Building, you’ll find the main bathroom, with a bathtub and a shower, where you can relax while looking at the backside of the garden.

Just before accessing the bathroom, you enter a powder room next to the laundry room with a fully automatic All-In-One Washer / Dryer (something travelers will truly appreciate.)

Going upstairs, you’ll discover the second Western Bedroom with a double bed and a little working table.

Upstairs – 2F

Access to the upper floor depends on the way the house was rented. If the whole house, then you’ll probably use the main entrance (to access the first floor) and from it, have the option to access the upper floor using the stairs on the left.

The upper floor features one large LDK area with a dining table and seating for six or eight, a fully equipped kitchen with a fridge, cooktop, oven, wave oven, dishwasher, etc., and a TV corner with a couch. There are one Western (double bed + single sofa bed) bedroom and one Japanese tatami mat room (where we can place up to four futons when used as a bedroom). There is also a complete “Unit Bath” with a bathtub, sink, and toilet. A second bathroom, en-suite with the western bedroom, features another toilet and a shower room.