Maana Kiyomizu — Hotel in Kyoto

Maana Kiyomizu is a beautifully designed, impeccably renovated machiya that feels more like a home than a hotel. Tucked away on a serene, local street, it’s a peaceful retreat yet perfectly located—a short walk from the Four Seasons Kyoto and right next to Kissa Kishin, a cozy cafe with incredible food, tea, and coffee. Highly recommend adding the breakfast option here; their siphon coffee is hands down one of the best cups of coffee I had in Japan!

The property is ideally situated, about a 20-25 minute walk from popular spots like Gion, Pontocho Street, and Nishiki Market. But one of the true highlights of our stay was the exceptional concierge team, Sergio and Sherry. Their recommendations were spot-on, and they handled all the logistics with our bags and transport seamlessly. Anytime we had a question, they were prompt and thorough, making us feel entirely supported throughout our stay.

For a luxurious, authentic experience that blends seamlessly into Kyoto’s local vibe, Maana Kiyomizu is a perfect choice. It’s the ideal place to come back to after a day of exploring—peaceful, welcoming, and refined. Highly...

Style. Renovated contemporary century old townhouse. Kyoto architects Shigenori Uoya and Takeshi Ikei

Setting. Quiet little alley in Higashiyama

Explore. Kyoto

Rooms Both rooms are upstairs. Next to the meditation room is the bedroom, a small space where it is difficult to latch shut the tiny window. The bathroom is downstairs & not convenient in the middle of the night. Walls are thin so in the daytime, could hear the conversations from POJ studio from the bedroom. Having said all that, I slept well here.

@ the hotel. Love the quiet residential neighborhood and the downstairs minimalist living space. Entrance being on street level, felt like a home and is literally next door to other units. I was in suite 3, 60m² of airy space, super high ceilings. Part of the hotel is POJ studio (with unique craft for sale and hosts workshops), and popular Kissa Kishin cafe

Food & drinks. Kissa Kishin, part of the “hotel”

Prices. $629

Rating. 4/5 Not perfect but enjoyed this unique accommodation that allowed me to live like a Kyoto local, will come back and check out suite 1...

We were lucky enough to stay at Maana Kiyomizu recently and we were blown away by the experience. The rooms are beautiful and the attention to detail and quality are incredible. It feels like any room in the house could be a tranquil meditation retreat, especially the rooms that are dedicated to exactly that purpose.

The location is perfect for exploring Kyoto as it is conveniently located close to a number of major tourist sites and transportation hubs. That said, it is quiet and almost pastoral, because it is one step removed from the busy streets, tucked behind a beautiful temple.

We were already big fans of Kisshin Kitchen in Gion, so the Kisshin cafe in front was a huge draw for us. The cafe menu was excellent and was a nice change from the original Gion location.

Finally, the Pieces of Japan store beside our room was another incredible highlight. I have been a huge fan of their work since they started their online business, but to see their retail space was something else.

Amazing work Maana, we will be back...