perhonenと愉快な仲間たち

Unlike my normal one-day trips to Kyoto, this time I planned to stay one night with my two friends in in a newly-opened lifestyle hotel.

The reason why we first visited this company was that we were going to stay at a brand-new lifestyle hotel, “,” created and managed by Wacoal.

A Kyomachiya is a traditional townhouse in Kyoto, always considered an essential part of historic neighborhood of the city. Unfortunately, this scenery is gradually disappearing as each week these townhouses are torn down and replaced with modern structures.

 

One of Wacoal’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities is to preserve these townhouses, so it started the Kyo no Ondokoro Project. The company rents old townhouses from owners for a term of ten to fifteen years, makes repairs, and turns them into livable and comfortable homes.

 

Wacoal operates those renovated Kyomachiya as a lifestyle hotel, Kyo no Ondokoro. This is not an ordinary hotel or Japanese inn. It is based on new concept as a lifestyle hotel, which offers a comfortable home to “reside, gather, dine, learn, and enjoy.” The townhouse offers total privacy to its guests.

 

After completing a ten-to fifteen-year contract, the company returns the townhouses to the original owners.

 

The reception of Kyo no Ondokoro on the 1^st floor of the Wacoal New Kyoto Bldg.

After being served a free drink, we listened to the Concierge, who kindly explained how to get to the location and how to use the facilities.  

 

 

Moreover, the Concierge had arranged a special file of original cards of Kyo no Ondokoro that introduced recommended restaurants, cafes, and sightseeing spots, which reasonably matched with our travel plan. 

The Concierge only recommends places that she has actually been to and liked, so the information is unquestionably trustworthy!

 

After hearing the explanation and instruction from the Concierge, we left our baggage at the Reception desk and headed to Kyoto for some sightseeing. (Happily, our baggage will be waiting for us in our room when we return from sightseeing).

 

Following recommendations from the Concierge, we went to the Japanese nostalgic-style café, , for lunch and ordered their specialty egg sandwich.

This famous egg sandwich is an omelet-style. 

Those who live outside Japan may be unfamiliar with omelet sandwiches. However, this style is as common as egg salad sandwiches in the States. I am a big fan of a Japanese omelet sandwiches, and La Madrague’s sandwich is the BEST one that I have ever eaten.  

 

In the early evening, we arrived in the neighborhood near Heian Jingu shrine.

 

Walking a few minutes from the gate of the shrine, we reached . The townhouse was located in a peaceful residential area.

Such a beautiful and typical Kyomachiya!

 

As soon as we saw the exterior, we were excited to discover that the whole townhouse was our private space for one-night stay. This Kyomachiya is 90 years old, which is extremely old, considering that it is made of wood.

 

There are two interlock keys to enter the townhouse. At Reception, we had previously submitted a password that we could use to get inside.

When I travel abroad, I often use Airbnb to book my lodging. Whenever I use Airbnb, I often feel very insecure in terms of passing physical keys from one guest to another through an owner.

 

Imagine if a former guest made a copy of the key to your room, and then used it to access the room when you were a guest. To avoid such a nightmare, Kyo no Ondokoro is strictly secured by interlock key system with passwords that changes for every guest.

Here is the first interlock key at the front gate, which lead inside the plot.

In addition, a security camera is installed at the entrance and it monitors all visitors.

 

“Let’s go inside the townhouse!”

 

A Kyomachiya is known as a long wooden two-story house with narrow street frontage, stretching into the back. This is because a width of house was the basis for the tax calculation.

Walking through the narrow pass, we reached the house door and entered by unlocking the second interlock key.

Although the townhouse was renovated into a hotel, its design and structure is just a comfortable as home because this is going to be returned to owner to live after completing its service as a hotel. This is why guests can spend a relaxing time here as though they are at home.

 

“Let’s walk through each room!”

 

1^st Floor- 6 tatami mat room

 

This typical Japanese-style room has a veranda where we can sit down and gaze at the courtyard garden.

 

In contrast to its traditional Japanese exterior, you will encounter many modern amenities inside.

 

This floor cushion uses a textile called a creation of the designer Akira Minagawa and produced by , a long-standing producer of Japanese floor cushions based in Kyoto.

 

1^st Floor – Kitchen/dining room

Like the tatami room, minä perhonen textile is used on the dining chairs.

 

As we entered the dining room, we found these three pouches on the table.

 

The pouches contained special gifts from Kyo no Ondokoro. We booked the accommodations directly from Kyo no Ondokoro’s official website and chose (58,320 yen〜). Based on the plan, each of us got a set of two seasoning products.

(Left: A ponzu bottle from “”)

(Right: A dashi bag from “”)

 

The kitchen is well-supplied with all necessary utilities. Guests only need to bring ingredients and seasonings from local markets in order to enjoy cooking here. Every kitchen utility is particularly selected from luxurious/popular kitchen suppliers such as Iittala and Staub. This kitchen is surely a dream kitchen for all those who love to cook.

 

1^st Floor-  Bathtub, washroom, bathroom

 

At this warm wooden space, I found amenities from “,” which was founded in 1838 in New York’s  and is the oldest surviving apothecary–pharmacy in the U.S.A.

 

This is a photo of the flagship store in Greenwich Village, NY.

 

Most of signs and instructions had English translation.

The bathroom was filled with a wood-scented fragrance emitted from luxurious Japanese umbrella pine of the bathtub.

 

These arewhich are famous for their excellent quality and softness.
 

A Washer and dryer are also provided, which is especially good for travelers who plan to spend more than one night.

 

2^nd Floor

 

2^nd Floor- 6 tatami mat room

 

2^nd Floor- Bed room

 

The townhouse has two beds and four pairs of futons and can accommodate up to 6 people total.

 

The old ceiling joint is left as it was from the original old townhouse.

 

The bedroom has a study area with a small library on the corner.

 

There is no TV provided, so you could easily indulge in reading in a quite space.

 

To start off our stay at the townhouse, we brought a flower and put it in a vase at the entrance.   

The townhouse even had pruning scissors.

 

For the perfect list of kitchen supplies, utensils, and amenities, please visit  

 

When the evening came, it was dinner time!

 

Guests at the townhouse may cook in the kitchen, order delivery, or dine out in the neighborhood. If necessary, guests could ask for consultation from Concierge at the Reception.

 

In our case, one of my friends in Kyoto cooked Obanzai, a traditional Japanese cuisine native to Kyoto, and delivered it to the townhouse. The seven dishes were mainly made of vegetable and seafood, and they are incredibly healthy.

 

We served everything on plates… “Itadakimasu”!

 

In the cozy dining room, three of us spent a delightful and relaxing time until late at night.

 

 

Had this been a normal one-day trip to Kyoto, it would be time to jump on the train and head back to Osaka.

 

However, since we stayed at the townhouse overnight this time, we could spend a relaxing time and fully enjoy a pleasant staycation. ♬

 

Kyo no Ondokoro OKAZAKI, the townhouse we stayed at this time, was the first house produced by Wacoal.  

On August 1^st, the second house, , opened. Wacoal is planning to open more in the future. 

 

(Kyo no Ondokoro KAMAZANIJO)

(Kyo no Ondokoro KAMAZANIJO)

(Kyo no Ondokoro KAMAZANIJO)

I would love to come back to Kyo no Ondokoro, and would love to try each and every new townhouse.

 

Kyo no Ondokoro Official Website

 

La Madrague (Café for famous egg sandwich)

 

Kyo no Ondokoro OKAZAKI

 

minä perhonen

 

Takaokaya

 

Plan “with selectable handpicked seasoning agents” from Kyoto

 

Vinegar of Kyoto Nishijin Kotaro

 

Shichimiya Honpo

 

C.O. Bigelow

 

Imabari Towel Japan

 

Kyo no Ondokoro KAMAZANIJO