Découvrez Taditional Japanese House! Sumire

This little house is an interesting dive in the history of Japan. If you go to the Edo-Tokyo Museum or the Shitamachi Museum, you will find the same architectural elements found in the house. That said, you can also have modern comfort. The kitchen, although small, is well equipped. At the time of our stay, there was only one armchair in the living room (instead of two in the photos). The Skytree tower is visible as soon as you leave the house. If you have the opportunity, go to the Kameya Bakery, you will enjoy!

For our two week trip to Tokyo, three of us (mom and two kids) stayed at the charming SUMIRE house for the first 10 days, ideally located in a residential area of Tokyo, within walking distance to Skytree station and a 10 minute bus ride to Asakusa. Please note that this location is outside of the more touristy areas, so plan to spend 35+ minutes by train getting to Akihabara, Ginza, Ueno, and more to Odiaba or Harajuku. You can order a cab or take Uber, but expect to pay at 3000¥ and over to these locations.

Rarely will you find a rental of this character, situated next to a revered neighborhood shrine and steps away from a Family Mart where you can find anything you need. The night time can be a bit noisy with large cars driving by, and in the summertime the cicadas are quite noisy at daybreak, but this was not enough to deter us from renting again (will just bring headphones or earplugs).

The home is small - the ceilings and doorways are very low (5’7” at the kitchen)- so I do not recommend renting with more than 4 people, or if you are over 6’ tall. The kitchen is nicely equipped, the beds comfortable, and the bathroom was nicely renovated with western convienences.

We are familiar with Asian customs, but if you haven’t yet traveled to Japan, take note that the bath towels are not large or fluffy, so you may want to bring one or two of your own.

The owners were very helpful and communicative by email, and the house provides a nice guide to the appliances and attractions.

Overall, I highly recommend SUMIRE house if you are traveling with one or two people and want to get a true local experience in a unique home.

Thank you Hide for sharing your place with us.

This place is a sweet, small home off a busy street. We had 5 people staying here (one a small child) and it felt a bit tight for 5. There were only enough chairs for 4 at the eating area/table top and there wasn't really a space for a 5th person to sleep besides a mat on the floor.

It was a convenient location, with a convenience store steps from the home and about a 5-10 minute walk to 2 different stations. We found the walk from here to Asakusa a lovely one, by the river and through bustling Asakusa to the temple area. It felt great to be in a residential-type area and not a busy hotel somewhere.

Some of the downsides: It is an older building and my allergies were a bit crazy with the dust (not that the suite is dirty but the older wood and antiques do collect dust), it didn't have a couch or futon in the "lounge area" which would have been really nice. The kitchen is tiny and we bumped our heads many times (and we are not tall people). My husband finally marked it with some paper so we learned after a few times! I would have liked fluffier pillows and duvets as it got chilly at night in early May. And it would be nice if earplugs were here, as the traffic noise is loud & early. Luckily, I had some on me.

Upsides: Hisae the property manager was very nice and waited for us even though we got lost on the train the night we arrived. She was very helpful when we had questions. It is quaint and an experience you won't soon forget.

The final word: Despite some of the minor challenges, we still loved it and would love to return again one day. It would be great if they implemented some of the suggestions for bedding, a couch or futon for the living area (which could double as the 4th bed), etc. Otherwise, highly recommended.

This is a cosy home-like house in a residential area. You are next door to a temple and surrounded by Tokyoites. Family Mart is 10 seconds (!) away from the place, Oshiage metro station is 10-15 mins on foot. The house has everything you might need for a comfortable stay for 4 persons. We had a great time there, don't hesitate to book if you want to have a worry free holiday.

On the whole, I would strongly recommend this property. The location is pretty good (it's an easy 1 km walk to the subway). Family Mart is literally next door and very convenient. If you have a JR Pass, there are two stations a 10 min bus/cab ride away. The home is very clean, things worked etc. The assistant (Mana) was great, speaks perfect English, was very responsive to emails, met us for check in and was very friendly.

So why 4 instead of 5 stars? This home is a bit tricky if you're tall and a bit clumsy (like me). The doors and light fixtures are about 5'6" above the ground and I kept bumping into them all the time and found myself tip-toeing around to avoid banging into things. No fault of the home/owner by any means (I'm a clod) but I would say this isn't the perfect place for tall people.

Still, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Tokyo and can recommend Sumire house 100%.