A Premier Kyoto Sightseeing District Near Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace

Nijo Castle is a prominent World Heritage Site closely associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unified and ruled Japan in the early 1600s. On the nearby Nijo-dori, a street which runs from the castle, sits the Ōhara-juku villa – in an area which historically flourished under Tokugawa rule as a traditional medicinal business district officially sanctioned by the Edo Shogunate. At its peak, more than 100 medicinal wholesalers lined the street. Today, many of the area’s temples, shrines, and shops still bear connections to traditional medicine. Also within walking distance is the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the main residence of the Emperor for roughly five centuries. Despite being a central tourist draw in Kyoto, the area retains a serene charm and remains home to numerous private residences.

The current site of Ōhara-juku was once a small clinic that served the medical needs of the community, operated by the grandfather of current owner Kunihisa Ohara – who lived there as well. Its interior still preserves the elegant charm of its early 1900s origins, with Kunihisa ensuring that the space continues to be infused with an authentic blend of the aspirational Western modernity popular in Japan at the time and the traditional sensibilities of serenity handed down from ages prior. It is truly a place of magnificence.

A Stay with a Sense of Place

A Uniquely Fulfilling Experience

Kunihisa is a Kyoto-based experience designer also active in Tokyo and Paris, who arranges bespoke itineraries rooted in region. A student of literature, philosophy, and culture in France during his university days, he considers his current activities an extension of that same research. Since he launched Ōhara-juku in 2018, the lodging has been beloved by high-end travelers from across Japan and beyond as one of Kyoto’s hidden gems.

The second-floor bedroom ceiling has been removed to create a sense of open dimensionality through the exposed beams

Kunihisa was inspired by the influential Japonism movement that held sway in the European art world during the late 1800’s. “I want this to be a place where the depths of modern Japan’s aesthetic values and sensibilities can be unearthed and shared. I want to take visitors beyond surface-level tourism, and connect them with the locale through old and new. I also want to give people a chance for spiritual fulfillment by quieting the endless noise and information glut of modern life.” It is these kinds of sentiments that have connected so strongly with Kunihisa’s guests.

The quiet courtyard where guests can sense the shifting of the seasons

Where Art Deco Meets Japanese Tradition

Ōhara-juku retains its Art Deco styling from a century in the past. The first floor is home to a Western-style room furnished with antiques, a traditional tatami area, a counter kitchen, and a small garden. The second floor offers a sitting room complete with tokonoma alcove and a bedroom. Many of the furnishings and fittings survive from the original family home. An Emile Gallé vase, Old Baccarat glassware, traditional Japanese antiques, and other items from different eras and cultures all find a place together in the home’s seamlessly eclectic taste.

The original floors, fixtures, and ceilings fuse with 1960s modern art and present day audio equipment

Moments at the Table

Tradition and Innovation Brought Together in Exceptional Cuisine

Ōhara-juku’s dining only elevates the experience. Its signature Kyoto Breakfast is exclusively available to staying guests, fusing Japanese and Western cuisine with meticulous balance by Kunihisa, drawing on his extensive international background. Its menu also features items from Sen, a Japanese restaurant awarded one star by the Michelin Guide Kyoto/Osaka.

The Kyoto Breakfast available exclusively to staying guests: New Japanese cuisine made with gluten- and additive-free ingredients like rice flour waffles, soy milk yogurt, kudzu somen noodles, and mochi

Ōhara-juku’s menu features a range of balanced healthy dishes, incorporating seasonal local ingredients centered on rice and beans. Guests enjoy an uncommonly leisurely degree of freedom to savor it at their own pace as a brunch.

Dedicated staff offer commentary on the fascinating stories behind each piece of tableware and cutlery

A Moment to Experience Kyoto’s Refined Beauty and Quiet Sensibilities

A stay at Ōhara-juku offers a chance to appreciate an atmosphere imbued with history and the subtle presence of objects thoughtfully curated throughout the home. The original architecture and materials, together with antiques and art chosen with care, create a distinctly Kyoto sense of beauty that arises from harmony, balance, and restraint rather than lavishness.

Historic architecture and carefully curated furnishings creating a space of refined calm

Stepping away from the city’s bustle, guests can enjoy the changing seasons, allowing the mind to settle and breathe. In this villa where tradition and modernity meet, Kyoto’s deeper character comes through in a gentle way, inviting a stay that feels both intimate and enriching.