A Different Side of Kyoto: 8 Lodgings with Unique Activities

If you dream of recharging amid nature by taking forest walks or resting by a clear river, Ayabe is the perfect destination for you. Ayabe Station can be reached in about 70 minutes by limited express train from Kyoto.

Our recommended lodging in Ayabe is Satoyama Guest House Couture, run by a married couple who moved here from Osaka in search of a lifestyle closer to nature.

At Couture, guests can enjoy a dormitory-style room-share stay for 3,000 yen/night per person, or rent the whole house for 5,000 yen/person.

One of the activities that can be enjoyed at Couture is home-cooking with Mrs. Kuchu, your hostess. You can help out with chopping vegetables for dinner or breakfast dishes. All the ingredients are acquired from local farmers.

If you’ve always wanted to learn to cook Japanese cuisine, this is your chance to learn how daily dishes are cooked and served. At Couture, you can experience living in a Japanese household.

Another exciting activity that can only be enjoyed at Couture is the “Night Safari.” Mr. Kuchu, a licensed guide, will take you on a drive through Ayabe at night when the animal inhabitants of the forest come out into the village!

It’s not rare to spot deer even during the day, but at night the fields and streets of the village are filled with deer! During a 30-minute drive, we had several encounters with deer, as well as with foxes and raccoons crossing our way just two or three meters away.

Komyoji Temple, with a gate designated a national treasure, Ayabe Onsen – a resort with excellent hot springs, as well as a cedar forest famous for fringed irises are all located nearby, so it’s worth spending several days at leisure in Ayabe.

If the rustic atmosphere of the Kayabuki-no-Sato village in Nantan’s Miyama district has stolen your heart, you might want to spend some time here and experience the traditional lifestyle yourself. The locals take pride in preserving their thatched-roof houses. Some of these are century-old, and their residents will be happy to tell you how the thatch roofs are made and maintained.

If you want to stay right in heart of Miyama Kayabuki-no-Sato, the area designated a historical building preservation district, we recommend Minshuku Matabe (Japanese). An overnight stay with two meals included starts from 9,000 yen/person. The lodging has three individual Japanese-style tatami rooms and an irori fireplace where guests and the hosts can gather for a chat.

Another beautiful guesthouse in Kayabuki-no-Sato is Minshuku Hisaya (Japanese). The price for an overnight stay with meals depends on the number of guests but is around 14,000 yen per person. If you visit as a family or group, the whole house can be rented. The meals consist of homecooked dishes prepared with flavourful local ingredients.

For those who wish to stay in a thatched-roof house all by themselves, we suggest Miyama Futon & Breakfast. You can choose from four different cottages that have been renovated and provided with all the necessary amenities for a comfortable, stylish stay. The facility offers support in English.

LOGOS LAND is an outdoor leisure facility in southern Kyoto, located between Uji and Nara. Ideal for those with children or in a group, the spacious, stylish rooms here provide a beginner-friendly camping experience that can be enjoyed regardless of the weather outside.

The guestrooms here contain the necessities for a camping trip, and nothing more. There is no Wi-Fi or television set in the rooms, allowing you to be more present and enjoy the experience.

Guests can choose between the Plum Inn and the Iris Inn, which both have large rooms that fit at least four guests. The Plum Inn has rooms with tents, bunk beds, and a wheelchair-friendly option, too.

The Iris Inn also has several types of rooms also ideal for a camping experience. The rooms on the first floor have a terrace. The campsite-type rooms (above) are charming and may remind you of your childhood if you’ve camped inside your bedroom before. There is even an electric campfire for an evening of fun.

For food, breakfast is provided at the restaurant, and dinner and lunch are also served (separate fee required, those with dietary restrictions should inquire in advance). LOGOS is a Japanese outdoor gear brand that is known for its style and quality. All of the room furnishings and rental gear here are made by this brand, and you can purchase the merchandise at the lodging store if you’d like.

Farmstay Enu to Enu is a traditional tea farmhouse-turned-guesthouse, surrounded by the picturesque tea fields of Wazuka. The tea-based activities and homemade tea-infused cuisine here are a must for tea lovers and anyone curious to learn about Japanese green tea.

The lodging here is limited to one party per night, meaning your stay will be private and comfortable. The hostess and her family do their best to make you feel at home with their hospitality.

A night’s stay comes with an exquisite homemade dinner and breakfast, using vegetables and ingredients grown from their garden, infused with tea leaves, matcha, and other tea-based ingredients. Everything is delicious and satisfying––ideal for enjoying after and before a full day of sightseeing. If you have dietary restrictions, please inquire when you make a reservation.

Guests can also participate in one-of-a-kind activities at Enu to Enu, from tasting delicious shade-grown gyokuro tea from their fields nearby and whisk their own cup of matcha in the morning. You can add on extra activities, too, like a tour through the family’s extensive tea fields to tea picking (available only during certain seasons).