Private Machiya Holiday Homes in Kyoto, Kanazawa & Takayama
If you’re planning a winter holiday in Japan, consider spending a few nights somewhere a little different: a traditional Japanese machiya house.
Rather than staying in a typical hotel room, reserve an entire private house for your stay. Enjoy more space to spend time together, separate bedrooms, modern kitchens and bathrooms, and traditional Japanese architectural details that make each machiya unique.
With approximately 100 machiya holiday homes across Japan, you can choose a house that suits your travel plans. No two machiya are exactly alike, with each home featuring its own architecture, layout and design.
December in Kyoto: Local Staff Recommendation
If you want to avoid the peak autumn crowds while still having a chance to enjoy Kyoto’s colorful foliage, early December is one of our favorite times to visit. Autumn colors often linger into the beginning of the month, while the city gradually transitions into winter.
Explore historic neighborhoods and temples, discover local restaurants and cafés, and enjoy a slightly slower side of Kyoto before the year-end holiday season begins.
Stay a few nights and give yourself time to experience more than the city’s popular sightseeing spots, before returning to your own machiya home at the end of the day.
Each MACHIYA RESIDENCE INN private machiya combines traditional Japanese architectural design with modern facilities for a comfortable stay. Settle in for a comfortable winter stay with the space and facilities of a private machiya home.
All machiya homes are equipped with heating and air-conditioning, as well as multiple portable heaters and thick winter blankets. Depending on the machiya, floor heating or heated carpets may also be available.
Many machiya feature multiple bedrooms, giving everyone in your group space to stay together while still having separate sleeping areas.
Relax in bathrooms that come in a variety of styles, from hinoki wood baths to modern designs and bathrooms with garden views. Select machiya also feature multiple bathrooms or separate shower rooms, convenient for groups.
Prepare a warm meal or enjoy a quiet evening in with modern kitchen facilities, including a microwave, IH stovetop, toaster and more, available in our traditional machiya homes.
In-house washing machines are available at most machiya, making it easy to do laundry when packing for a longer winter trip. Laundry detergent is provided.
Our team is available by email or telephone during regular guest service hours, with 24-hour support available for emergencies.
House layouts, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, heating equipment and other facilities vary by machiya. Please check the individual property page for details before booking.
Winter feels different in each of our destinations. Discover seasonal recommendations from our local teams and find inspiration for your December, January or February stay.
Visiting Kyoto in early December? You can still catch the city’s colorful autumn foliage at spots such as Shimogamo Shrine and Kyoto Gyoen National Garden. As the New Year approaches, experience Kyoto’s year-end traditions, including Joya no Kane, when temple bells ring 108 times on New Year’s Eve, and warm up with a bowl of Kyoto-style nishin soba.
See Kanazawa prepare for winter with the iconic yukitsuri ropes at Kenrokuen Garden and komogake straw coverings along the walls of the Nagamachi Samurai District, with the chance of seeing the city’s first snowfall of the season. December is also the season for kobako-gani, a prized local snow crab, which you may find served in Kanazawa oden.
Welcome the start of winter in the Japanese Alps, when the crisp mountain air makes exploring Takayama’s historic Old Town especially enjoyable. Browse local shops and sake breweries, sample Hida beef, or take a trip to nearby Gero Onsen for a relaxing hot spring experience. In the evening, see the red Nakabashi Bridge illuminated against the winter scenery.
Enjoy a quieter side of Kyoto after the New Year, with crisp winter air and a calmer atmosphere in the city’s historic neighborhoods. Visit temples and shrines for hatsumode, Japan’s traditional first shrine visit of the year, and if the timing is right, you may even catch the rare sight of Kyoto’s temples and gardens covered in snow.
January is one of the best times to experience Kanazawa’s winter food culture, from snow crab and fatty winter yellowtail to the traditional local specialty kabura-zushi. Explore the snow-covered Nagamachi Samurai District, where komogake straw mats protect its historic earthen walls, and enjoy the atmosphere of this former castle town in the heart of winter.
January brings deep winter to Takayama, with snow often covering the historic Old Town and surrounding Japanese Alps. Stop by a local sake brewery, enjoy warming Hida beef specialties, or visit nearby Hida Folk Village (Hida no Sato), an open-air museum of traditional gassho-zukuri and thatched-roof farmhouses surrounded by winter scenery.
See the first signs of spring as ume plum blossoms reach their peak at temples and shrines such as Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and Jonangu Shrine. Warm up with seasonal Kyoto favorites such as yudofu (hot tofu) and steamed sushi, and experience Setsubun festivities across the city in early February.
February is one of the best times to experience Kanazawa in the snow. See the striking contrast of white snow against the traditional bengara architecture of the Higashi Chaya District, and look for winter camellias adding color to the landscape. Warm up with Kanazawa oden or enjoy seasonal Hokuriku seafood, including snow crab, yellowtail and nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch).
If snowy landscapes are on your Japan wish list, February is a great time to visit Takayama. Use Takayama as your base and easily travel by bus or car to surrounding winter destinations, including Okuhida Onsen-go for mountain hot springs, the frozen Hirayu Otaki waterfall, or Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses.
Kyoto・Kanazawa・Takayama
Explore a selection of recommended machiya homes from MACHIYA RESIDENCE INN, offering approximately 100 private holiday house rentals across Japan.
Some blackout dates apply during the stay period.
These offers may end without prior notice, depending on availability.
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