Tsukihitei

This is a must visit place! Beautiful place and great service. Served two meals and very tasty. The only minor point is check out time I'd 10am which is very early for travelers, especially when you arrive late (the night before ). Staff are very friendly and speak English well.

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 It was somewhat outdated until the Miyako Hotel Group - owners of the Shima Kanko Hotel, several Miyako-branded properties, and a number of Marriott affiliates - acquired it and began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