Tsukihitei Ryokan

“Once in a lifetime experience”

What a place! It's in a world heritage site. Our uber took us right to the door. But we walked into the deer park and shrines. We had the full Japanese experience with traditional dinner served in our room and breakfast. Lots of fish. We had a bigger than a king thick mattress in the bedroom. Our … more

What a place! It's in a world heritage site. Our uber took us right to the door. But we walked into the deer park and shrines. We had the full Japanese experience with traditional dinner served in our room and breakfast. Lots of fish. We had a bigger than a king thick mattress in the bedroom. Our family had a smaller room with heated floor mats . They slept on futons. I think it's hard to book but try it! It was like living in a treehouse. We stayed in March and had lots of rain /drizzle and still loved it. They have umbrellas and slippers for moving about.

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“Secluded ryokan in a serene UNESCO forest”

One of our favorite activities in Nara is hiking the Kasugayama (Mt. Kasuga) Primeval Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that remains largely untouched. Hunting and logging have been banned since 841 A.D., and public access was restricted until after World War II, which has helped preserve its ra… more

One of our favorite activities in Nara is hiking the Kasugayama (Mt. Kasuga) Primeval Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that remains largely untouched. Hunting and logging have been banned since 841 A.D., and public access was restricted until after World War II, which has helped preserve its rare flora and fauna. Today, anyone can explore its network of trails winding through ancient cedars and colorful maples, with vistas overlooking Nara Park and the city below. Trailheads to this little-known natural wonder are just minutes from Nara Park, Todaiji Temple, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine—making it easy to combine a full day of sightseeing with a nature escape. This time, we planned to tackle the extended 11.5-kilometer route, so staying nearby that evening seemed only logical. Little did I know a ryokan existed within the Primeval Forest - and a first-rate one at that. Nara Kasuga Okuyama Tsukihitei (henceforth, Tsukihitei) was founded in 1902 (Meiji 35) as a guesthouse and restaurant for the Governor of Nara Prefecture to entertain distinguished guests. Surrounded by the trees of the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, it now operates as a five-room ryokan. It was somewhat outdated until the Miyako Hotel Group - owners of the Shima Kanko Hotel, several Miyako-branded properties, and a number of Marriott affiliates - acquired it and began extensive renovations. The Sakura Villa, Wakaba, and Take no Ma rooms were all refurbished between 2023 and early this year. If you stay here, I highly recommend choosing one of these three, as the other two (Hagi and Yanagi) have yet to be renovated and are noticeably simpler. The property grounds feel like an extension of the forest itself, with tasteful touches such as a stone lantern and a small bridge spanning a creek. The true highlight, however, is the architecture—faithfully preserved and perfectly suited to its setting. Covered wooden walkways connect the reception building and lounge to the guest rooms, offering lovely views of the untamed natural scenery. The grounds aren’t vast, but what’s there is wonderfully atmospheric. The main building houses the lounge and a banquet hall occasionally used for private events. There are also two indoor private baths available to guests when unoccupied. (Note: Tsukihitei does not have onsen baths.) We were fortunate to secure the Sakura Villa, a 90m² suite and the best of the five accommodations. Rebuilt in April 2023, it’s designed in a “modern rural Japanese” style that harmonizes beautifully with the surrounding forest. While the tatami room is traditional, the recessed floor beneath the table allows guests to sit comfortably “into” the ground rather than on top of it. Amenities include heated floors, Western-style beds with light, fluffy bedding, and a hinoki bath. Internet access is fast and reliable, but there’s no television - a thoughtful omission in my mind, since most guests come here to reconnect with nature. Guests staying in Sakura, Wakaba, and Take no Ma enjoy meals served in their rooms, while those in Hagi and Yanagi dine in private rooms just steps away - ensuring a bespoke culinary experience for everyone. The creative kaiseki dishes were meticulously prepared and beautifully presented. Interestingly, Tsukihitei sources ingredients from across Japan rather than focusing on local specialties. This isn’t necessarily a drawback - the quality of seafood, meat, and produce was uniformly high - but it does make the experience feel different from regional ryokans that proudly detail the provenance of each ingredient. Our server didn’t elaborate much on the menu, though she did mention that the abalone (including its liver) and sea urchin were sourced from Hokkaido - and both were outstanding. One standout dish was local: the Yamato Kamo Kuzu-uchi clear soup. Yamato duck is a crossbreed raised at the foot of Mt. Katsuragi in Nara Prefecture. Here, the duck was lightly coated with kuzu (arrowroot starch) and parboiled, creating a smooth, translucent surface that sealed in the umami. The soup also included Miwa somen - fried, hand-pulled noodles from Nara - along with tomatoes, grilled white scallions, taro stems, and fragrant yuzu. It looked simple, but each bite revealed remarkable depth and evolving layers of flavor. Luxury travelers to Nara aren’t spoiled for choice. Fufu Nara is sleek and new but leans more hotel-like (and corporate), lacking Tsukihitei’s intimacy. Noborioji Hotel Nara has an unbeatable location next to Nara Park, Kintetsu Nara Station, Higashimuki Shopping Street, and the UNESCO-listed Kofukuji Temple, but its suites aren’t great value by Nara standards and the property feels a bit tired. Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is also well-located but has small rooms - the largest suite is only 53m². None of these are bad options, but if you want to stay somewhere central yet enjoy true seclusion and serenity, Tsukihitei has no equal.

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“If you can afford it stay here!”

Just had a 2 nights stay and we absolutely loved it It is in a very secluded little valley in the park itself and everything feels very remote quiet and peaceful even though all the tourist hustle and bustle is only a 5 minute walk away The place itself feels quite new and very “japandic” (a mix be… more

Just had a 2 nights stay and we absolutely loved it It is in a very secluded little valley in the park itself and everything feels very remote quiet and peaceful even though all the tourist hustle and bustle is only a 5 minute walk away The place itself feels quite new and very “japandic” (a mix between Japan and Scandinavian)… The food was amazing… The staff speak a bit of english but what they perhaps lack in language the more than make up for in trying to make you feel at home and at ease It is expensive so perhaps not for everyone but if you do have the financial means it is a no brainer… Loved every second of it

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“BEST service!”

It was hard to find & hard to get to by foot, but we made it & had an amazing experience! We did the kaiseki meal & had a private room. The presentation of the food was phenomenal & the service was the best we've had in Japan! Our 18-month old grandson fell asleep during the meal, so the server … more

It was hard to find & hard to get to by foot, but we made it & had an amazing experience! We did the kaiseki meal & had a private room. The presentation of the food was phenomenal & the service was the best we've had in Japan! Our 18-month old grandson fell asleep during the meal, so the server brought in pillows & made a bed for him. We went during the lantern festival, so one of our courses included a lantern on the tray. The servers were so kind & explained each food to us, which was helpful. I would definitely recommend eating here!

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