Kagabi Machiya House is composed of four separate rentals, each with its own design and decor styles. The property is situated in the Higashi Chaya District, one of the three important chaya districts (teahouse districts) in Kanazawa, so the historicity of the machiyas is rather evident.

Design and Architecture

Traditional Kanazawa craftworks are plentiful at the homes, and you can find yuzen dyeworks, mizuhiki knotted ornaments, temari balls, and bamboo features spread across the property. Kagabi Take, one of the four rentals, takes its name from the extensive bamboo (known as 'take' in Japanese) features in the homes, including craftwork made from a combination of bamboo, metals, and other natural materials. Even the lamps are crafted from braided bamboo, which match well with the traditional Japanese rooms featuring heated tatami floors, shoji screen doors and windows, and an 'asano' leaf lacquer vase. These Japanese-style rooms are present in each home, and all the rentals have bathrooms featuring a 'hinoki' (a type of cypress) wooden tub.

Temari, another rental, is bedecked in 'temari' folk craft, objects made from intricate threadwork. Mizuhiki likewise heavily features knotted ornaments made of colorful string, which are called mizuhiki. Kagabi Yuzen, as the name indicates, is bedecked in yuzen artwork (a dyeing technique native to Kanazawa), and most of the works heavily feature geishas.

Kagabi Yuzen is a self-catering rental with a kitchen, so make sure to book it if you're looking to prepare your own meals. Kanazawa has its own special regional cuisine called Kaga no aji, and the dishes usually have a sweet edge to them. Jibuni is a great duck recipe that you should try out! The Kanazawa-style duck soup can be prepared with a few basic ingredients, including dashi fish stock, mirin (sweet sake), shiitake mushrooms, Kanazawa-style sudarebu (fresh wheat gluten), and, of course, slices of duck breast. The preparation is easy enough and involves boiling dashi stock with mirin and soy sauce while adding in vegetables and sudarebu. Add in the pieces of duck breast (which you can coat in flour to add thickness to the stock) and simmer until it seems just right. Serve hot!

You'll be delighted to know that Omicho Market is within a 20-minute walk from the property, so you can always go out for some fresh groceries or food. Restaurants open as early as 8 am at the market. You can also head to the nearby Ebisu Sushi for a delicious meal.

Cultural Experiences

The iconic teahouses of Higashiyama are all within a short walk of Kagabi Machiya House. Geisha House Shima is a 10-minute walk, as is Kaikaro Teahouse. Another iconic establishment here is the Hakuza Gold Leaf Store, which sells gold leaf handicrafts and has a teahouse that's covered with gold leaf inside and out. It's right next to Kagabi Machiya House, attesting to how easy sightseeing would be while staying here.

There are many temples and shrines in the vicinity as well, including Utasu Shrine and Matsuo Shrine, both Shinto places of worship and beautiful spots to relax. Make sure to check out the small Ochaya Art Museum as well.