Great location, easy check in and check out, mistly clean, really AUTHENTIC old Japanese traditional house. Nice size bedrooms, sufficient bathroom and shower facilities. The only problem for us was a complete absence of a living space to hang out in at night. There is a very small tatami area in between the kitchen table and the staircase to the bedrooms which is in front of the very small TV, but the area is too small to gather in. Additionally , it would be nice to have some other than just Japanese channels on TV. My husband was concerned with fire safety as we could see wiring near the ceiling. As expected there is practically no sound insulation so be prepared to hear everything that is going on outside and next door . A strange smell in the small area in between the front door and the door to the house where you take your shoes off. Walls and chairs in the kitchen need some freshening up as they appear somewhat worn, stained and scratched. We tried the authentic experience, but I don't think it was for us, unfortunately, which is not to say that it won't be a good fit for you.

A friend and I stayed here for four nights while traveling around Japan. Communication before we arrived was timely and excellent, and Jackie was extremely helpful and nice when we checked in. She made sure we understood everything we needed to know about the property, the area, and things we might want to do and see. The location was very convenient for lots of restaurants, sights, transportation, and shopping. We loved the quirky layout of the property and the traditional touches like sliding doors and tatami floors in some rooms. The kitchen is small but suitable for everything we needed, and there's a grocery store nearby (less than 10-minute walk). Despite very cold outdoor temperatures (we were there in February), we were always toasty warm at the home between the great heaters and heated floors. We greatly appreciated that they provided everything we needed to do laundry and took advantage of it to do a load. The shower and bath were absolutely divine. We were able to arrange luggage delivery from our ryokan in Tokyo as long as we scheduled it to arrive when we were present at the property in Kyoto. When we were done with our stay in Kyoto, we were able to send out luggage on to Hiroshima while we visited Koyosan for two nights. There is a luggage drop off place less than a 5-minute walk from the property (Gion Shijo station, Global Yamamoto). Overall, everything was prefect and we were delighted with our stay. I would definitely recommend it to others, and I would be happy to stay there again. Arigatou gozaimasu!!!!

Our second wonderful stay in one of these excellent holiday apartments in a beautifully renovated machiya - warm & comfortable even on the coldest night & kind helpful hosts.

Shofu-an provided a perfect launching point for our very brief visit to Kyoto. Our group of 3 adults and 2 children fit perfectly in the Shofu-an. We were warmly welcomed upon our arrival and enjoyed the experience of sleeping in a real Japanese home complete with tatami mats, heated floors and futon bedding. The location is perfect for launching out for sight seeing during the day and exploring dining options at night. I hope to stay here again next time I get to visit Kyoto.

Surrounded by many great things to do and see. We were also picked up and dropped off from Kyoto station which helped a great deal. Many suggestions helped us pick great things to do and see.

Yumi and Mariko, My husband and I were so pleased with our stay at our Saiho-ji Garden Machiya. It's always kind of scary booking something out of the country and so far in advance, but we couldn't have been more pleased. I used to live in Osaka and have visited Kyoto many times, but I have never been to the Kiyomizu neighborhood. What a great place to stay! It was so nice to come home to a real house at the end of a busy day. I gave the brochure of your five properties to friends visiting Kyoto next fall and insisted they book one of your places instead of a hotel.

Great location. Fantastic house. Amazing service and friendliness. Could not recommend more highly.

We were 5 in this house and it was perfect. The house was clean and big enought. We all enjoyed this location.

Very nice and beautiful ryokan in a quiet and central neighborhood of Kyoto. All comfort. Great experience!

We had a wonderful time! When we arrived at house Marika was there to greet us and was so friendly. She showed us around the house and how to operate everything like the washing machine. There were also laminates there with instructions in case you forgot. The house was spotlessly clean. Beds were comfy. Me and my husband were allocated the futons by our teenage children and we found them great. We loved the Nespresso machine which came with lots of capsules, we enjoyed our morning coffee on the little deck upstairs. Was very hot when we visited and the air-con worked great. although checked out on google maps I was still surprised how easy we were able to walk to Gion Festival in town, refered to Kiyomizu-dera as 'our temple' as it was so close.There were plenty of convenience stores and a supermarket near for stocking up on supplies. As I had already seen in previous reviews the walls were quite thin and could hear some noise from outside and occasionally neighbours. Doors were quite rattly in high wind ( was storm when we were there ) this if anything added to the charm of staying in an old Kyoto building for us so certainly not a negative in my book but I know from other review websites some people like to cut themselves off from world so probably not for them. I would stay here again in a heartbeat!!! Thank you!

This being my fifth visit to Kyoto, I wanted to book something special and unique for my partner and his family who were visiting from Australia over the New Year period. Shofu-an was perfect for what we were after. The house is well-equipped and was comfortably able to host five adults for a week. Whilst the living space was a bit tight with five people, the bedrooms are very spacious and the bathroom with separate bath, toilet and laundry worked really well for our group. It even snowed whilst we were in Kyoto and the house remained warm and cozy inside. Most importantly however, Shofu-an is in a brilliant location, close to Kyoto's most popular shrines and temples, as well as shopping and restaurants. We mostly walked everywhere however, the house is serviced by a number of buses and train stations. I would definitely stay here again and recommend Shofu-an to anyone looking for a more memorable and unique accommodation experience.

We are a family of 4, 2 adults n 2 teenagers. The space is right for our family n we enjoyed the veranda. In fact, we enjoyed a late lunch there n it was great way to get away fr the crowd, as we were there during a long weekend holiday. The Machiya experience is unique as it gives us a feel of living like the Japanese. It's located at the foot of Kiyomizu Temple and we could reach many important and famous places at a walking distance: Yasaka pagoda, Kodaiji temple, Maruyama Park. There is also 24 hr supermarket nearby for us to stock up on breakfast as kyoto generally starts "waking up" around 11.

My husband and I were recently in Japan for our honeymoon and had a really lovely time at Shofu-an. It's delightfully quaint (I especially liked the little garden) yet equipped with modern comforts like a high-tech bathroom and heating. The beds were firm but very comfortable. If you are a light sleeper or particularly sensitive to noise, do note the walls are very thin and we could often hear our neighbours' conversations and the cars passing, neighbour's dog barking etc. However, we found the location quite unbeatable and loved how easy it was to get to most places via a quick bus ride. Thanks Roxana for your hospitality and we really enjoyed that oil soba place you recommended! Look forward to coming back in the near future.

We have been in Kyota for two weeks and stayed at Shofu-an for only 4 days . It was the best experience - the apartment was perfect, it was situated in a great area , close to wonderful eating places, shrines all tucked away everywhere and temples. Our favourite place in Kyota. Roxana, our host, was delightful. She was super helpful during our stay and added to our whole wonderful experience.

Location was excellent. New bathroom, kitchenette and washer. Only downside is lack of comfortable western style seating.

We had a great time at Shofu-an. Roxana was incredibly welcoming and extremely helpful. The location couldn't be better--close to all the amazing sites on the east side of town. We loved it, and we miss it already! Looking forward to coming back in the future!

What a great location for site seeing! Walking distance to Gion, and located in the area where the most of Kyoto's cultural sites remain. Convenient to the bus, which is easy to use and is actually fun. We found the one day passes the easiest way to get around. The house is spectacular, and is just as advertised. We'll equipped, comfortable and quiet. Roxanna was an exemplary host, always happy to go that extra mile. Her restaurant recommendations were all great, and her guidance on how to get around was always spot on. We've stayed in a lot of apartments and vacation houses over the years, and this one ranks as one of the best. Thanks for the hospitality!

My husband and I and our three teenage children had a wonderful stay at Shofu-an. It is a beautifully restored and remodeled traditional wooden home on a quiet side street within walking distance of many of Kyoto's highlights. We loved the serenity of the simple design and experiencing the "feel" of a Japanese-style home. Although small, the house has all of the conveniences you could ask for: washing machine, wonderful bath and shower room overlooking the interior garden, compact, but usable kitchenette, and best of all - a lovely deck to enjoy the cool night/morning air. There is no real living-room, but we didn't mind as we used our bedrooms and the deck for relaxing after busy sightseeing. Roxana was very friendly and helpful throughout our visit. We would highly recommend staying here.

This house is located in a quiet area near all the major sights of Southern Higashiyama. It is very comfortable for family of 5, with enough living space as well as modern appliances and a well-equipped bathroom. This house is the perfect place to relax between visits or while getting over jet lag. The house itself very much reflects the ancient spirit of Kyoto with its tatami mats, rice paper widows and traditional design. The kitchen is small but large enough to cook meals at home, and the outdoor sitting area upstairs is great for breakfast, tea or simply reading and relaxing. The house is removed enough from main thoroughfares that the sounds of the city become a charming backdrop rather than a jarring cacophony. When we arrived, the hostess was waiting to greet us and gave us a tour of the house as well as a run-down of the neighborhood. She had even stocked our fridge with a few essentials. Kyoto and this house in particular are the ideal experience for Western travelers looking to experience a wholly different culture and language. While being homey, safe and throughly hassle-free, this house was outstandingly authentic and was an ideal home base for exploring Kyoto's many temples and historic sites. We had a wonderful time and would love to return again; we recommend this house to anyone planning a trip to Kyoto.

The house is beautiful. Very comfortable for family of 4 - esp. in sleeping accommodations and nice kitchen facility. Smallish living room area without much space for sitting, but nice outdoor deck upstairs. Really gives you the feeling of old Kyoto and in great walkable location to some of Kyoto's most beautiful sightseeing spots. The caretaker Roxanna is very warm and helpful.

We enjoyed our stay in this traditional house. Roxana was so helpful and provided so much helpful advice.

Great location for this gorgeous traditional house. The lady who looks after the property (Roxana) is friendly and helpful and provided useful information about our stay prior to our arrival. All in all a very lovely stay.

Everything went smoothly, payment, check in, orientation. The Manager, R, was top notch, friendly, informed, helpful with perfect recommendations for food and attractions. The unit was huge by Japanese standards, private, but handy. Totally spotless and offered each guest privacy. The deck/ garden was a bonus. The shower/ tub/ bathroom was perfect, even a washer. Did I mention a latte, expresso machine? The beds comfy, two on tutami mats, two on raised bed frames. Perfect!

This was our first trip to Japan and we were a little apprehensive about traveling on our own because of the language barrier. We selected to stay at Pine Breeze because we wanted to experience Japan not as tourists. We were impressed with reviews which said how helpful Roxanne is as manager of the property. There are many other similar places but I doubt any have such a delightful and helpful contact person as Roxanne. Since she is Italian but has lived in Kyoto for over 20 years, she gave us so much insight into the Japanese culture, probably more so than someone born in Japan because she knew what were the cultural differences in lifestyle. WIthout her, we would never had been able to figure out how to operate so many things in the house. The place itself is somewhat awkward without comfortable furniture but it is how the Japanese live and we grew to love the beauty of the place and spent a great deal of time just relaxing and enjoying the design. We felt we got to know Japan on a deeper level because we lived life and didn't just visit tourist sites. We added on four extra days at Shofu-an and skipped going to Nara and other places. Highly recommend the home with Roxanne as contact person.

The location: We don't know Kyoto well at all - so we took Roxana's word that the location was great. And it was! A short walk up some narrow traditional streets took us to some amazing temples and shopping / eating areas. A longer walk took us through beautiful districts into town. Everything was either walking distance or a 1000-1500 yen taxi ride away. The house: The house was excellent. Underfloor heating is wonderful (even in April when it's not so cold), tatami rooms with traditional sliding screens are beautiful, the deck and balcony are great too. Our five year old had a great time exploring the house, hiding in cupboards; we only had to ask him to not stomp around too much, as old houses like this with thin walls transmit the noise, and we didn't want to be noisy neighbours. Small things make a difference too: heated toilet seat, fantastic water pressure in the bathroom and also facilities like phone, internet, washing machine really appreciated. Finally, comfortable futon-style beds - we slept really well (my wife and I in twin beds that we pushed together, our son on a floor futon in an adjoining room). Only two shortfalls: not enough food preparation and storage space in the kitchen: we cooked and packed snacks for our son each day - and ate breakfast in. Also, no real space for lounging around, not that we wanted to do that anyway, as we were out from morning until close to bedtime. The host: Roxana was wonderful. She greeted us on arrival, and spent close to an hour showing us the house and its workings, orienting us to the area and making recommendations for walks, shopping (practical stuff, like supermarkets) and sights. She booked our taxi on departure, and as early as it was, double-checked that it had arrived. She came by during our stay to check that all was well - it was! She's a delightful and warm person, with excellent English: very approachable and knowledgeable. In brief, we're seriously talking about visiting Japan again sometime soon and we'd definitely stay at Shofu-an again. Thanks Roxana.

Had a great visit to Kyoto and really enjoyed our stay at Shofu-an. The location is fantastic and the place was very clean and orderly. Roxana was on top of everything and made life easy. Really enjoyed our stay.

Our family of 5 loved staying in this immaculate machiya in the heart of Kyoto's temple and Gion (geiko) area. The house was a good size for the five of us, the living area is compact but that was not a problem as most of our time was spent sightseeing. The futon mattresses both on the beds and in the tatami room were super comfy and made up with lovely bed linen. The house was extremely clean and it was lovely to find Roxana arranging flowers on our arrival. The nespresso coffee machine was a treat, as was wifi and the washing machine (although of a different sort!). The house is very well located in a quiet street off a main road, so it was extremely easy to pick up taxis/ buses, as well as walk to the temples etc for sightseeing. Roxana herself was a great hostess and took care to spend some time making map notes to ensure we got the most out of our stay. Perfect in every way.

What a wonderful home! Roxana is the perfect hostess! She is organized (emails maps/necessary info prior to arrival), keeps an impeccable home, and is most helpful about the Kyoto area. The home is a great place with lots of charm and is in a fabulous location. Couldn't imagine a more perfect way to spend our time in Kyoto! We loved our time there! A true highlight! Highly recommend this home!

Our family of five (8yr girl, 11yr boy, 12yr boy) was very comfortable at Shofu-an. We spent each day touring Kyoto, but our children begged to stay in our "house". They loved staying in a traditional Japanese house. We all did. Having things like a washer and dryer were a real luxury. The house was VERY clean and beautiful. It was very hard for us to leave. Roxana was super helpful. There is very little English available in Japan, so having someone like Roxana to help was such a joy. The house is in a great location for walking to attractions and to the subway. There are also great restaurants and a grocery store in the neighborhood. We felt at home in our Japanese house. We hope to visit again someday.