10 Best Airbnbs in Kyoto
There’s so much to see in Kyoto that it can get overwhelming, so having an optimal home base is key. In addition to the popular temples, the lattice of narrow streets is beaded with shrines, tiny cafes and bars, and artisanal shops. Though you’ll likely want to hit at least a few of the most popular attractions, settling into a residential neighborhood will allow you to experience some of the quieter, but no less charming, rhythms of the daily life of this city of art and culture.
Airbnbs are plentiful around town, but the best way to feel like a Kyotoite is to stay in a classic Kyoto-style lodging: the Kyo-machiya. A machiya is a wooden townhouse that was the typical dwelling of a tradesperson, who often lived behind the shop. Long and narrow, the houses are often two stories and feature sliding doors, paper panels, and tatami mats, and have small courtyards or pocket gardens for a glimpse of greenery in the midst of the city. Read on to see the 10 best Airbnbs in Kyoto for all types of travelers.
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Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths
Top amenities: Four-person cypress bath, spacious Japanese sculpture gardenThe owner of this house is an artist and photographer living on site, and that artistic sensibility shows in the stylistic choices and gardens. The standout feature is a four-person cypress bathtub that is suitable for luxurious bathing. The Japanese garden is studded with sculptures, lanterns, stepping stones, and pruned topiary. This residential area on the edge of Kyoto is a good choice for a couple or small family (it sleeps up to four in a room with two double beds and another with two floor mattresses) that wants a serene escape and a slow pace.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths
Top amenities: Garden, adjacent to a 1000-year-old shrineThere’s plenty of history in this century-old lodging in a venerable neighborhood just west of the Imperial Palace and next to Reikoden Tenmangu, a shrine built over a millennium ago. Inside, there’s a moody retro atmosphere, with vintage touches like wooden lattice screens, a hanging scroll in the tea ceremony room, and cherry and maple trees in the garden that pop with color in the spring and fall. There are two bedrooms with three floor mattresses each.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath
Top amenities: Bathtub overlooking a courtyard, heated kotatsu tableThis classic machiya is near enough to popular areas like Gion to be convenient, but quiet enough to be relaxing. It’s been renovated but still holds many cozy touches, like the toasty kotatsu—heated table—to snuggle under in colder months, and a bathtub that overlooks the interior courtyard with its lovely minimalist stone and moss garden. It sleeps up to eight in two bedrooms with four floor mattresses each.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths
Top amenities: Private outdoor bath, Japanese paper and bamboo light fixturesThe star of the show at this 100-year-old townhouse is the goemonburo—a cast iron bathtub on the enclosed terrace (there’s also an indoor shower for those who don’t fancy being nude alfresco). The small two-bedroom has three double beds and is family-friendly—the host can provide kids amenities like a toddler toilet seat and a crib. The central location, only two minutes from the subway and shopping areas, makes for a perfect sightseeing hub.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath
Top amenities: Car rental option, mountain views, sunken hearthNear enough to the city for daily sightseeing, this spacious villa offers a serene retreat with mountain views, a babbling brook, and even occasional deer sightings. The elegant wooden furniture complements the sunken hearth and iron teapot in the living area, and the fragrant cypress bath looks out onto the garden. Bonus: the house comes with an optional car rental for exploring the village.
Bed & bath: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths
Top amenities: River views, bicycle lending availableWith four bedrooms that sleep up to seven and a central location right in the middle of the city, this is an excellent choice for a family or a small group of friends who want to explore separate itineraries and come together at the end of the day. The dark wood and timeless older furnishings give the place a decidedly vintage feel, which only deepens the feeling of stepping back into Kyoto of old.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath
Top amenities: Shikura pottery bath, garden terraceRecently renovated, this two-bedroom house is brimming with sophisticated touches, like little works of art and artisanal accents everywhere. The bathroom features a Shikura pottery bath with a porthole window looking out into a tsuboniwa—or pocket garden, which true to its name is a compact microburst of flowers and plants—and hand-painted door and wall panels by Kyoto artists. The house is near the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine as well as 20 local sake breweries.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bath
Top amenities: Towada stone and cypress bathroom, sunken kotatsu heated tableClose to both the Kamo River and Shosei-en, a large classical Japanese garden, this is a quintessential Kyoto house in a peaceful neighborhood. Two inner courtyards provide a breath of greenery while you’re at home, and the gorgeous stone and cypress bath wipes away any aches you might accumulate while exploring the city. Sleek modern kitchen appliances, including an IH stove, make eating in a pleasure. There are two bedrooms, and the downstairs living space can be converted to a third with a futon.
Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath
Top amenities: Glass atrium, made-in-Japan furnitureOne of the lovely details of this carefully curated machiya is a glass-encased garden adjacent to the living room and bathroom with a few graceful stalks of bamboo. We love the tasteful furniture, including sturdy and comfortable beds from Japanese brand Dream Bed. The paper lamps and kumiko bamboo latticework add to the refined atmosphere, and the house is only a short walk from the popular Kawaramachi shopping street. It sleeps up to five in one queen bedroom and one with two singles.
Bed & bath: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths
Top amenities: Station pick-up, rock garden, pocket Wi-Fi deviceThere’s plenty of old fashioned ambiance in this house, with its tatami mats, futon beds, and traditional low tables. Two cozy bedrooms are tucked under the eaves, while the living room looks out onto a small karesansui, or dry garden. The host provides plenty of thoughtful touches, like pick-up at Kyoto Station, a pocket Wi-Fi device to take along during sightseeing excursions, and bicycles for exploring the area, which includes the famous Ryoanji as well as Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion.
