The Kyoto Moyashi House, also known as Moyashi Machiya, is a typical example of Kyoto's historic machiya houses – traditional townhouses that usually contained both a shop and home for their owners.Once common in the city, the machiyas are gradually disappearing as both real-estate developers and homeowners shy away away from conducting expensive repairs, and instead choose to replace the buildings with contemporary properties.In response, house owner Masashi Koyama saw an opportunity to turn his old building into a tourist attraction.
Working with his sister Akiko Koyama and architect Uoya Shigenori, he planned a full restoration.Functioning as both as a guesthouse and an events space, the revamped building showcases a number of interior design traditions, from tatami-mat flooring to paper-covered windows and sand-textured walls.The aim was to "bring to light and honouring the traditional architecture and construction process of machiyas in Kyoto, dating back to over a century ago".