Accommodations

Tsutaya's buildings have been renovated to retain the qualities of old private homes, and the floor plans are almost exactly as they were in those days. Therefore, for those of us accustomed to modern housing, minor differences in steps and gaps can feel inconvenient, and private spaces seem less private. However, for the people of that time, steps were meant to separate spaces and class, and gaps were meant to allow the passage of light and air flow. A floor plan without private rooms was rational in a lifestyle that emphasized family harmony rather than individuality. We hope that will find these old inconveniences quaint and just part of the experience of staying in a traditional Japanese house, as you contemplate the lives and minds of the people of those days.