oito (inn)

This is a complex of a coffee shop and an inn. Up to 4 adults per day can stay at the inn.

The building is one of the oldest townhouses of the “Kawaramachi Tsumairi merchant houses,” which is a national preservation area for traditional buildings, that were built at the end of the Edo period, approximately 200 years ago. It has an elongated structure like an “eel bed*”, as seen in machiya houses in Kyoto. There is one room at the far end of the building and one room on the second floor over the coffee shop.

*Metaphor for a land or building with a narrow frontage and an elongated depth.

The walls are made of dried earth, the floor is covered with Oya stone, and traditional furniture and equipment are installed. In the coffee shop, chairs produced by Matsumoto Folk Craft Furniture are used.  The counters and tables are manufactured by furniture artists and craftsmen who respect traditional methods.

The overall tone of the furnishings is prestigious and the view from the courtyard is refreshing. The natural light from the skylight and the view of the Tsuboniwa* garden recreate the mindful lifestyle of the people who spent their time here in those days.

*a Japanese garden designed for a tiny space

The facility also serves as a coffee shop, where guests can enjoy flannel drip coffee and local craft beers during their stay.

Basic information