I know, I know. You're coming to Kyoto and have been thinking about staying in a machiya, which sounds like a great idea. But after a long day of walking around town, you're going to want to come back to rest in a comfortable room well-suited for relaxing, reading, conversation, pleasure. If you're interested in a homely, congenial,, utterly unique experience, you should definitely consider staying in The Moon Room.

Our apartment is located in Kyoto's Nakagyo-ku neighborhood ("Nakagyo" literally means Downtown). Unlike other B&Bs and guesthouses near Kyoto Station or Higashiyama, Nakagyo is quite central when it comes to dining and entertainment. All my guests receive a pocket wifi for finding their way through the city, including a carefully curated website I have prepared exclusively for guests recommending within the area restaurant/cafe/bakery/bar/ souvenir/services/sightseeing options (with the establishment addresses linked to google maps for easy directions).

Our space is just a five minute walk from Marutamachi Station, on the city's north-south subway line (Karasuma), and about ten minutes from Karasuma-Oike, where the city's two subway lines intersect, thus marking the center of Kyoto.

The Moon Room is great for families since it is less than ten minutes' walk from a major playground/ children's center as well as the Manga Museum, not to mention some wonderful bakeries and a crepe restaurant.

Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace are just ten-minute strolls away, while Higashiyama and its wonderful temple complexes are easy train and bus rides. (Kyoto's sites are spread out in all directions, so there's no one neighborhood that is near everything, which is why being in a dining-rich neighborhood might suit your accommodation needs best.)

The neighborhood itself, though close to Downtown, is quiet and traditional and it is not unusual to see women in kimono or monks chanting. Many of the neighborhood's machiya houses specialize in old-time industries like printmaking, woodcutting, and tatami-producing, as well as stores selling tea, ivory, dolls, medicinal herbs, and incense.

Nevertheless, The Moon Room is also a wonderful place to relax on a windy or lazy day, to contemplate or pleasure in the romance of living. Designed specifically by a local artist, there is nothing like our space in all of Kyoto. It is part of a first wave of what we hope is a designer's renaissance in this very old city.

In addition to regular wifi in the room, pocket wifi is provided to help you when you explore the city. And inside the welcome book you'll also find my handmade map, an insider's guide for dining in what might be one of the best culinary cities in the world.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sean