Choja-yu
Kitano, Kyoto
- Mon, Wed to Sun
- 15:10 to midnight
- Tue
- Closed
Source: 1010.kyoto, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Choja-yu opened in 1917 and keeps its early Showa look, from the curved gable over the entrance to the koi pond, stone lanterns, coffered ceiling and wicker clothes baskets inside. The tile pictures show Kinkaku-ji in snow on the men's side and Kiyomizu-dera in cherry blossom on the women's, and the water is well water heated over a wood fire. Kyoto City named the building a historic landscape building in August 2025.
Insider tip
Entry is ¥550, paid at the bandai, the raised desk by the door. A sauna was added in October 2023. Towels are for rent or sale and shampoo is sold at the desk. It's closed on Tuesdays.
What's on near Choja-yu
Upcoming events within a ten-minute walk of Choja-yu, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Raku Special Exhibition: Chrysanthemums in Full Bloom (Kikka Ryoran)
樂歴代 特別展 菊花繚乱
Time 10:00 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00), closed Mondays unless a holiday Station Imadegawa (Karasuma Line), exit 6, 13 min walk
The Raku Museum shows how successive generations of the Raku family treated the chrysanthemum motif, which appears in Raku work earlier than the Edo-period chrysanthemum craze.
Seimei-sai at Seimei Shrine
晴明祭
Time Eve 19:00, procession 13:00 to 18:00 Station Ichijo Modoribashi Seimei-jinja-mae bus stop (City Bus 9, 12)
The festival of the shrine to the court diviner Abe no Seimei, on the autumn equinox and the night before. The eve has yudate kagura at 19:00 and a lantern procession of about 100 local children, and on the day the mikoshi leaves at 13:00 behind a boys' fife and drum band and goes round the parish until 18:00.
Fg2, Public domain Heian court dress and maiko dress-up experience at Nishijin Textile Center
十二単・束帯・芸舞妓・花嫁の装い体験
Time 10:00 and 13:00 Station City bus stop Horikawa-Imadegawa, 1 to 2 min walk
Dress-up sessions in twelve-layer court robes, sokutai, maiko or bridal kimono at 10:00 and 13:00 from 1 November. Reservation form on the organiser page. Closed Mondays and 29 Dec to 3 Jan.
Lundariokn45, CC BY-SA 4.0 Nishijin-ori Haku 2026
西陣織博2026
Time Sat 10:00 to 17:00, Sun 10:00 to 17:00 (kitchen cars Sat 11:00 to 17:00, Sun 11:00 to 16:00) Station Horikawa-Imadegawa bus stop, 1 to 2 min walk
The Nishijin textile trade show with new obi, kimono and kinran on the 5th and 6th floors, demonstrations of weaving preparation crafts on the 1st floor, a paid hands-on workshop, short kimono mini-concerts and kitchen cars in the west car park. Parking is closed on both days.
Lundariokn45, CC BY-SA 4.0 Agency for Cultural Affairs and Prefectural Office Area Machikado Museum
文化庁・府庁界隈まちかどミュージアム
Time Hours and dates vary by venue Station Marutamachi (Karasuma Line)
Forty venues around the Prefectural Office open historic buildings and gardens, show crafts and contemporary art, and run workshops, with a stamp rally. Some venues charge or need booking.
Nearby
Around Kitano
Tenjin's head shrine, Kyoto's oldest geisha district and Daitoku-ji
Start at Kitano Tenmangu, head shrine of about 12,000 Tenjin shrines, founded in 947 for Sugawara no Michizane, the scholar students still pray to before exams. Come on the 25th, when the Tenjin-san Market fills the approach and the lanterns are lit after dark. Kamishichiken, Kyoto's oldest geisha district, lines the shrine's east approach, and Daitoku-ji's Zen temples are about 1.7 km north-east.
Kitano has 25 places on the Roam Kyoto map: 10 shrines and temples, 3 cafes, 3 shops, 2 restaurants, 2 bathhouses, 1 viewpoint, 1 neighbourhood, 1 museum, 1 bar and 1 market. Read the Kitano guide.
Good to know
- What is the address of Choja-yu?
- 450 Suhama Higashimachi, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都府京都市上京区上長者町通松屋町西入ル須浜東町450).
- What are the opening hours of Choja-yu?
- Mon, Wed to Sun 15:10 to midnight; Closed Tue.
- How do I get to Choja-yu?
- The nearest station is Horikawa-Shimochojamachi bus stop (City Bus 9, 12, 50, 67). Choja-yu is in Kitano, Kyoto.
- How much does Choja-yu cost?
- Choja-yu is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Choja-yu?
- Plan for 1 hour.
- When is the best time to visit Choja-yu?
- Early evening.
Stay near Choja-yu
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