REAL Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City), which operates multiple accommodation facilities in Kyoto, together with Hoosiers Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo), engaged in real estate development and related businesses, is pleased to announce that the Kyoto City Designated Tangible Cultural Property “Nagaeke Residence (North Wing)” (Location: Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City) will open as an accommodation facility on January 15, 2026.

 

Nagaeke Residence (North Wing)

 

REAL Co., Ltd., which will manage the operation of Nagaeke Residence (North Wing), currently operates 21 hotel-style properties and 52 private machiya townhouses (whole-house rentals) in Kyoto City.

While addressing regional challenges such as vacant homes and the preservation and enhancement of townscapes and scenery, REAL has leveraged its expertise in machiya revitalization and accommodation operations to deliver special stays that combine Kyoto’s culture and history with the safety and comfort expected of modern lodging—welcoming guests from Japan and abroad.

Building on these efforts, we will launch an accommodation at Nagaeke Residence (North Wing), a cultural property, to utilize the building while safeguarding its value.

Through ongoing conservation and the sharing of its historical and cultural significance, we aim to pass on the value of the Nagaeke Residence to future generations and to communicate the appeal of Kyoto and other regions more widely through this facility.

 

Restoring a Traditional Kyoto Machiya

 

●About Nagaeke Residence

Nagaeke Residence is a Kyoto machiya where the Nagaeke family has lived since the mid-Edo period, after moving to Funaboko-cho, Shimogyo Ward (formerly Fukuroya-cho), where they ran a wholesale kimono fabric business.

The buildings were constructed from the late Edo period through the Taisho era. The main house consists of two structures: the North Wing (built in 1868) and the South Wing (built in 1907). With an approximate frontage of 13 meters and depth of 54 meters, it is a large-scale Kyoto machiya complex.

Because the property continues to preserve the typical machiya appearance of a combined workplace and residence, in April 2005 a total of six buildings—the main house North Wing (excluding interior), main house South Wing, a dressing room, a detached residence, and two storehouses—were designated as Kyoto City Tangible Cultural Properties.

In 2015, the Hoosiers Group succeeded the property with a commitment to preserving not only the architecture but also the culture of everyday life embedded in it.

The main house’s North Wing, which will be operated as an accommodation, underwent major interior alterations in the 1970s and 1980s. However, based on surveys of former Nagaeke family documents, physical traces, and excavation research conducted in 2018, restoration work was carried out to bring the building closer to its original machiya form. In preparing the property for use as lodging, construction has also been undertaken in accordance with the Kyoto City Ordinance on the Preservation and Utilization of Historic Buildings, maintaining the original layout and spatial composition while improving seismic and fire safety performance.

 

●Staying in a Cultural Property

Nagaeke Residence (North Wing) offers guests the opportunity to experience the history and daily life of a Kyoto machiya that has been handed down since the Edo period. While preserving period details throughout the building—such as the hashiri-niwa (a passage-like earthen-floor space) and the traditional floor plan—water facilities and bedding have been updated to meet modern expectations of comfort, achieving a balance between cultural value and convenience.

Staying in a cultural property is also a new approach that directly contributes to its preservation. Revenue generated through guest stays can be reinvested into ongoing maintenance and conservation, creating a sustainable cycle that helps pass historic architecture on to future generations—not only by “seeing” it, but by “using it while protecting it.”

By creating opportunities for domestic and international guests to engage with Kyoto machiya culture, this initiative also supports broader understanding and communication of the value of machiya heritage, which continues to decline. We hope this facility will contribute, even in a small way, to carrying Kyoto’s historic townscape and machiya culture into the future.

 

Second-Floor Zashiki (Tatami Room)

●Facility Overview

Facility Name： Nagaeke Residence (Kyoto City Designated Tangible Cultural Property)

Opening Date : January 15, 2026

Address : 394 Funaboko-cho, Ayakoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

Capacity : Up to 4 guests

Floor Area : 124 m²

Rooms : 1 unit (two-floor)

Access : Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line, “Shijo” Station

Reservation Page： Book Now