Modern Machiya | MIBU 壬生

Blending authentic Japanese motifs with a sense of modern fun, Modern Machiya Mibu offers the best of both worlds: the pleasure that comes with staying in a traditional-style Japanese home, but with the finishes of a more modern abode. Although it looks like an elegant but straightforward home from the exterior, there’s an undeniable sense of playfulness embedded in the design of the interior of Modern Machiya Mibu, with its bright pops of color and retro-quaint furnishings.
The house was constructed in the 1950s and was once a proud family home, most well-known for the fact that the headquarters of the Shin-sen-gumi, a historic military police force organized by the Bakufu (military government) during Japan’s Bakumatsu period, was located down the road from where Mibu now sits until 1869.

This Kyo-machiya (traditional Kyoto house) styled home is big enough to comfortably accommodate nine people without feeling cramped. The two-story house features an additional mini-kitchen on the second floor to keep everyone happy. Spend a little time here, and you’ll easily fall in love with the house’s quirky personality and clear connection to the area’s heritage, and don’t forget to put aside a few hours to soak in the stylishly modern bath, which comes complete with private garden views.