A former late-Meiji tea house between Gion and the river, carefully restored to preserve its original Kyoto character.
Project Type
Heritage Restoration
Completion
September 2024
A former tea house, preserved with care.
Set in a protected exclusion zone between Gion and the river, next to the Celestine Hotel, this former tea house dates back to the late Meiji period. With its layered timber details, tatami rooms, original staircases, traditional windows, and refined proportions, the building carried a cultural presence that called for a careful and respectful renovation.
Heritage Homes approached the project with a focus on preservation rather than replacement. Original features were retained wherever possible, while modern interventions were kept quiet and considered. The result is a culturally significant Kyoto property that keeps the atmosphere of its past, while allowing the building to continue its life with comfort, stability, and renewed purpose.
⸺ Sourcing
We locate heritage properties across Kyoto and rural Japan — machiya, kominka, and former temples whose architectural integrity makes them worth preserving. Each candidate is evaluated for structural soundness, historical character, and restoration potential.
⸺ Design
Our in-house architects assess the structure and develop a sensitive restoration plan. We map what to preserve, what to repair, and where modern systems can be integrated without disturbing the home's character.
⸺ Structural Restoration
Original timber frames, beams, and lattice work are stabilized and refinished by hand. We reinforce where needed using traditional joinery and contemporary techniques — always invisible, always reversible where possible.
⸺ Modern Systems
Plumbing, electrical, insulation, and climate control are introduced behind the scenes. Kitchens, bathrooms, and storage are reimagined for contemporary life, specified in materials that match the home's vocabulary.
⸺ Interior Detailing
Hand-applied plaster, custom joinery, hinoki ofuro, integrated lighting — every visible surface is considered. We source from the same workshops that have supplied Kyoto's machiya for generations.
⸺ Handover
The completed home is documented, photographed, and prepared for its next chapter. We support new owners through purchase, registration, and the early months of living in their restored property.
