Traditional Japanese Machiya built in 1887 and fully renovated. As you go through the traditional Japanese sliding latticework doors, you come out into the small Japanese garden and to the bath house with a beautiful original wooden ceiling. Isn`t this somewhere where you could relax? This recently renovated property consists of three guest rooms, these include two smaller Japanese style rooms (with super extra thick Japanese style beds) and a larger Western style room on the 2nd floor. There is a shared Japanese style living room, kitchenette, Japanese style garden and bathhouse for guests use. An undercover bicylce parking area is also on site. As well as being close to Himeji City (15minutes by bus to Himeji station), it`s close to the excellent Japanese train system that will take you to Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima and beyond or by ferry to Shikoku or the islands of the inland sea. John and his wife, Masami, were lucky enough to gain a `connected relationship` (the Japanese concept of “goen”) with this machiya and set about preparing a minpaku for everyone to stay in. We hope you can gain your own “goen” with this place. We think there are many different types of people who will want to stay in this house, people who want to experience the stillness and quiet, people who want to get in contact with Japanese culture, people who might be unsure of what exactly they should do in Japan or with their holiday. We also offer a range of cultural experiences to help you connect with Japanese culture at a small seperate price. While staying with us, you can learn how to make onigiri (a traditional Japanaese staple food you can add to any meal), in summer, you can rent a light kimono called a yukata and stroll the ancient Himeji castle town or many other options. Please contact us for further details. Please feel free to get in contact with us with any questions or concerns in either English or Japanese so we can help you find the perfect stay for you.

John I like the Japanese culture, history, people and way of life. For a long time I had fun studying these things that I love and thought that it would be nice to share my love of Japan with others. Although I like everything Japanese, my most favorite thing is castles. They aren’t just pretty, they are full of history and strategy in their construction and design. In Shikama, every day, right before my eyes I can see history but live in an extremely convenient place. I enjoy the modern Japanese living lifestyle while enjoying the beautiful old township. Masami I`m John`s bride! I`m waiting in this machiya in Himeji for people to come and quietly rest during their trip or to have a good chat about life or your interests. My hobbies and interests are my husband, travel, craft and cooking. Shikama is a little away from the centre of Himeji and quiet, but the public transport makes this place really convenient. It`s close to the sea and fresh fish and vegetables are easy to get.

In medieval times, Shikamaku Tenjin was the town where the Kitamaebune ship owners lived. These ships would take trade from Himeji, through the inland sea and out to Northern Japan and return with a wealth of products and goods. This house sat quietly waiting in this area with a rich past to be found by an Aussie named John who loves Japanese history, castles and festivals. He was so lucky because this house is close to all these things! The house is one of many well preserved and beautiful machiya in this area. Its a quiet area but convienient to public transport to get all over Japan whether its the bullet train from Himeji Station 15 minutes away by bus or the ferry terminal which is less than a kilometer away. With easy access to all the main attractions in Himeji such as the World Hertiage listed Himeji Castle and Mount Shosha or the Himeji City centre. A large shopping centre and convienience store within a few hundred meters also make life so simple. You can really get in touch with real Japan whithout having to sacrifice any of your valuable holiday time travelling somewhere remote.