關於旅宿
Reikaku Kiyomzu-Gojo was initially owned by a wealthy landlord in Kyoto with large number of properties around where our Machiya is located. This is the reason why there are number of buildings with similar design close by. Despite the fact that this Machiya is close to 100 years old, it was extremely well maintained and therefore we were able to retain the original structure and interior of the building during the renovation process.
At the main entrance, we have preserved the original door leading to the kitchen and redesigned it as doors for the entrance shelf. On the ground floor, there are three separate original rooms that will allow you to appreciate the sophistication of Japanese people back in the early 1900s. The purpose of the front room (表の間 Omote-no-ma) was to allow the resident to greet guests at the main entrance. The middle room (中の間 Naka-no-ma) is a section of the house that allowed the resident to go to the kitchen without interfering with the day to day activities of the main living quarters in the back. The backroom (奥の間 Oku-no-ma) was the main living quarter with a beautiful view to the Japanese Garden. There is also an additional walkway in between the backroom and the Japanese garden to insulate from the winter cold as well as acting as a private location for meditation right in front of the garden.
On the way up to the second floor, we have preserved the original stairs. Although it may be a little steep for some, it will give you valuable insight on the ways of life of Japanese people. There are two tatami rooms on the second floor and from there you can clearly see the intricacies of the window frames from 100 years ago, it is something that cannot be replaced with today’s craftsmanship. From the second floor, you will also see a large opening directly down to the kitchen area as back in the old days, the heat and the gas from cooking was designed to exit the building from the opening and the back window.
Of course, we have modernized the Machiya with modern facilities such as additional washroom facilities both on the ground and first floors as well as an open air bath room with direct access to the Japanese garden. We are sure Reikaku Kiyomizu-Gojo will provide full relaxation that our guest need as well as the opportunity to enjoy the authenticity of the building across all seasons.