Live Like a Local in the Port City of Obama

Experience the authentic Japanese lifestyle in a traditional townhouse by the sea

Come to the city of Obama and step back in time by spending a night in a historical townhouse. Stroll down charming, nostalgic streetscapes set beside the Sea of Japan, with houses aligned in the same traditional grid patterns they were built in centuries ago.

In central Obama, find iconic Japanese architecture meticulously preserved, some from as early as the Meiji period (1868-1912). Step into this designated Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and you’ll be transported back to Japan’s bygone days, when distinguished travelers made pilgrimages to nearby temples and entertained themselves with geisha in structures now open to modern-day guests.

Located within this historical area, Obama Machiya Stay offers visitors the opportunity to stay in one of these structures, with every detail retained in its original form. Spend the night in lodgings renovated from a sumptuous Meiji-era restaurant, a former confectionery from the Taisho period, or luxurious machiya traditional townhouses—all just a stone’s throw from the water’s edge.

The charm of this port town isn’t limited to its sights—Obama long served as a logistics base for seafood to be transported to nobles in the ancient capital of Kyoto. Dine on masterfully prepared Kyoto-inspired cuisine featuring fresh-caught Wakasa fugu (blowfish), Echizen crab (considered among the finest varieties of snow crab), and other delicacies. All lodgings offer modern amenities as well as traditional charm.

Access: From Kyoto Station, take a rapid train on the JR Kosai Line to Omi-Imazu Station (about 50 minutes), then take the JR West Bus to JR Obama Station (about one hour).

Obama is just two to three hours by train and bus from Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya, making it perfect for an overnight stay.