We chose Shiki Homes Aki as our Kyoto base because we like to cook for ourselves and relax in the evening, while still having access to local sights and the public transport system. Shiki Homes Aki provided a well maintained, comfortable base in easy reach of buses and the subway. The Imperial Palace Gardens, the Nishijin textile area and Nijo Castle were all short walks from the house and city buses took us to other shrines, temples and shopping areas. The house has a comfy double bed and lots of storage space for clothes. There are also two futon style beds and the sofa converts into another bed, but we didn't need to use any of the additional beds. The sofa was a good place to relax in the evening. We were grateful for the washing machine and space to dry our clothes during our stay. The bathroom is amazing, with a shower and a modern traditional Japanese bath for a deep soak after a long day's site seeing. The stove top and grill oven were easy to use, and we had all the pans, crockery and cutlery we needed. The dining table and seats provide plenty of space for eating and for relaxing over a cup of tea or coffee. The house is in a residential area and we felt really safe there, as well as appreciating the quiet away from downtown Kyoto. We will definitely look at Shiki Homes properties again next time we visit Kyoto.