"Kaya" Mosquito Nets, going back as far as the Nara period (710-794) were a common summer sight in Japan.
Not only used to keep pesky blood suckers at bay, the woven hemp nets were also fashion (originally a privilege reserved for lords and those in the know), and were thought to protect one from lightning while allowing the summer evening breeze to cool you down.
The "kaya" netting was so popular that it became frequently used in haiku poetry to invoke a summer atmosphere or nostalgia as in this poem by Matsuo Basho:

初秋や
畳みながらの
蚊屋の夜着

Early autumn
folding my Kaya net
I dawn an evening quilt


This summer we have prepared "kaya" hemp mosquito nets for our Sujiya-cho and Ishifudono-cho home guests.
Sleep in style and safely protected from the storm!
We are able to provide one mosquito net (can shelter up to 2 guests) for each house.
Please inform our staff prior to your arrival if you are interested.

Phone: (075)352-0211
E-mail:

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Sujiya-cho
http://www.kyoto-machiya.com/eng/sujiya.html

Ishifudono-cho
http://www.kyoto-iori.com/eng/ishifudono.html

Due to neighborhood construction, we are introducing a reduced rate at our Zaimoku-cho property for a limited time!

What you need to know:
Our offer: During the indicated time period the Iori Zaimoku-cho home can be rented at 50% of the standard seasonal rate.
When: For the interim of construction next door (May 17 - August 31) *note
What to expect: Construction next door to the Zaimoku-cho home Monday through Friday from 8:30 until 18:00 during the time of this offer.


*note Offer is not valid for:
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays
During the Gion Festival （July 13 - 19)
Bon Holidays (August 12 - 16)

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Zaimoku-cho
http://www.kyoto-machiya.com/eng/zaimoku.html

Zaimoku-cho Reservations
http://www.kyoto-iori.com/calendar_e.php?machiya_index=7

“Shobu-yu” is the traditional way of taking a bath when a family celebrates their son’s growth and presperity during “The boys festival”, or “Tango no sekku” on May 5th.
During this festival, it is tradition to have a bath infused with calamus leaves (or “Shobu” in Japanese) on this day.
We will be preparing calamus leaves in each of the Iori machiya homes from May 5th to May 7th. We hope you will enjoy “Shobu-yu” and wish you health and prosperity for boys and girls alike!

With warmest thanks for all your support and good will in 2009, and wishing you much happiness, health and prosperity in the coming year!
from Iori

We hope you will enjoy using our newly updated website.
Please feel free to send any comments to info@kyoto-machiya.com