Tondaya Nishijin Lifestyle Museum

Situated about six kilometers north of JR Kyoto Station in the Nishijin district to the west of Kyoto Gyoen, the Tondaya Nishijin Lifestyle Museum offers visitors an experience of traditional Japanese culture. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for more than 1,200 years and retains diverse forms of traditional culture passed down over hundreds of years, including annual events, customs, and traditional ways of life.

This museum takes its name from Tondaya, a family of merchants that can trace its history back to the Edo period (1603–1868). The current building was erected in 1885, and on its grounds stand six gardens, a tea house, and an annex for Noh plays. Some 140 years after it was built, it remains an exceptional example of Japanese architecture from that time. The furniture and other exhibits inside the building are of great value. In 1999, the building was designated a Tangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government, and in 2007, it was registered as a Structure of Landscape Importance by the city of Kyoto.

Today, the Tondaya Nishijin Lifestyle Museum seeks to raise awareness and educate visitors about traditional Kyoto ways of life. To this end, it offers various traditional cultural experiences. As a former kimono wholesaler, Tondaya possesses a wealth of luxury kimonos. Visitors can try these kimonos on, as well as take part in tea ceremonies, write Japanese calligraphy, and craft origami.

Traditional ozashiki parties, which feature a maiko performance, are also popular and the Kyoto-style lunches and dinners are sure to make for a lasting memory. The museum also reveals how interior decorations change with the seasons. It showcases traditional Kyoto machiya townhouse ways of life and provides explanations about diverse customs and seasonal events.

Tondaya enables visitors to experience traditional Japanese culture first-hand. Reservations are required for all cultural experiences, and can be made via a form on the Tondaya website.