Machiya Homes with Spacious Japanese GardensExperience the serenity of Kyoto through a private tsuboniwa garden

Japanese gardens are more than just landscaping—they are living works of art that reflect the seasons, invite quiet contemplation, and create harmony between architecture and the natural world. The machiya holiday homes we have selected below all feature a large 'tsuboniwa' Japanese gardens, offering you the opportunity to enjoy lush nature in complete privacy, right in the heart of Kyoto. Whether you're sipping green tea while gazing at a moss-covered stone lantern, listening to the gentle sound of a tsukubai water basin, or watching maple leaves flutter down in autumn, each garden invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the present moment.

Have you ever heard of the Japanese concept “Shichū no sankyō” (市中の山居, “mountain residence in the city”)? This philosophy captures the idea of creating a peaceful oasis within an urban environment—such as building a tea house or designing a Japanese garden within a bustling city residence.

・In Kyoto, many aristocratic homes were designed with these serene garden spaces to resemble a hermitage deep in the mountains.
・These inner gardens offered a place to escape from the distractions of everyday life, while still being physically located in the heart of the city.
When you stay in one of our traditional machiya homes with a large tsuboniwa garden, you’ll experience that same sense of calm and solitude—as if you’ve stepped into a mountain retreat, all while remaining in central Kyoto.