[1 Night] Stay in an Exclusive Villa in Shigaraki and Experience Delicious Locally-Sourced Cuisine with a Michelin-Starred Chef

Visit the Town of Shigaraki Where Extraordinary Soil Gives Birth to Delicious Food and Fine Ceramics

Nestled in the heart of the picturesque countryside of southern Shiga prefecture, the small town of Shigaraki is blessed with extraordinary soil. For hundreds of years, the land here has produced rice, tea, and vegetables, which were once shipped to the nearby cities of Kyoto and Osaka along the Old Tokaido Road. The high-quality clay of the area also gave birth to a pottery tradition known as Shigaraki ware, now honored as one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan. 

Shigaraki is surrounded by a fertile landscape of rivers and forests

The origins of Shigaraki ware are said to date back to as far as the 8th century, though ruins of pottery kilns from the Kamakura period (1185-1333) found in the Shigaraki area are the oldest confirmed evidence of the tradition. As well as useful everyday items, Shigaraki ware kilns were also known for producing high-quality tableware that was sought after by the elites in Kyoto. Shigaraki ware is also known for its famous tanuki statues, which you will soon glimpse around town. 

During the chef-led excursion, you can also visit the Shigaraki ware kiln to learn about this unique local pottery tradition (please be aware that the excursion may change slightly depending on the season).

Discover Peace and Beauty within the House and Gardens of the Exclusive Private Auberge, Keyaki no Yado EN

When you first arrive at Keyaki no Yado EN in Shigaraki, you may wonder for a moment if you have stepped back in time. This auberge, opened in 2022, was brought to life by an architect from Kyoto, a landscape designer from Shigaraki, and a master chef from Kyoto who combined their talents to breathe new life into this former private home. The result is a truly beautiful property that balances timeless Japanese aesthetics with modern comfort and convenience to provide each guest with an exclusive personal experience. 

Keyaki no Yado EN in Shigaraki is a former private home that was thoughtfully restored by an architect, a landscape designer, and a master chef

Designed by an architect entranced by the charms of Shigaraki, Keyaki no Yado EN pursues a seamless integration between the house itself and its surrounding gardens. Windows and glass doors look out onto the exquisitely crafted mix of greenery and rockeries that adorn much of the property. The pièce de résistance of the entire design is the traditional Japanese dry landscape garden, with its grey stones raked into swirls reminiscent of waves upon the sea.

The traditional Japanese dry landscape garden of Keyaki no Yado EN evokes the rushing waters of a river flowing to the sea

Take some time after you arrive simply to wander through the house and its garden, taking in the exquisite attention to detail that has gone into its construction. All of this is yours for the duration of your stay—Keyaki no Yado EN is an exclusive auberge that only permits one group at a time to enjoy it as a sanctuary of calm and beauty.

Relax Indoors or Outdoors with Your Own Private Sauna, Deck, and Hot Spring Bath

The interior of Keyaki no Yado EN is a fascinating blend of timeless traditional architecture and modern comforts. At the heart of the house you will find the Irori no Ma, a stunning gathering space characterized by its high ceiling, keyaki (Japanese zelkova) wooden pillars, modern wood-burning stove, and traditional irori hearth. Throughout your stay, this room provides the perfect place to gather together for meals and drinks, or just relax on the comfortable chairs and sofas.

The Irori no Ma provides a stunning centerpiece inside Keyaki no Yado EN which is also a perfect space for meals and gatherings

The house is able to accommodate between 2-8 guests with ease. The master bedroom, which contains two queen beds, is a centerpiece of classic Japanese carpentry, using time-tested joinery techniques to emphasize the warmth of natural wood without the use of nails or bolts. For larger groups, futons can be provided for additional guests to sleep in the attractive traditional tatami rooms.

The master bedroom contains two queen beds, while additional guests can sleep on futons in the tatami rooms

On the other side of the house, you will find an outdoor space flanked by a bathhouse where you open the doors to bathe as you look out on a small garden and the trees beyond. Next to the bathhouse is a sauna converted from an old storehouse. In front of the sauna and bathhouse are two cold plunge baths where you can cool off, as well as an outdoor patio with chaise-longue deck chairs.

Warm up in the bath or sauna, then cool off in the plunge baths or lounge on the patio chairs

Savor Gourmet Dishes Prepared by a Michelin-Starred Chef Using Local Seasonal Ingredients

Master chef Kazuo Ikuta will personally prepare your dinner and breakfast at Keyaki no Yado EN. Chef Ikuta possesses an unfathomable wealth of knowledge and experience, having honed his craft over half a century. He was formerly the head chef at Kyoto Brighton Hotel as well as the owner of Kyoto Okazaki Ikuta, which was awarded a Michelin star seven years in a row. 

Your dinner and breakfast will be prepared by Michelin-starred chef Kazuo Ikuta

Dinner is served as a traditional Kyoto kaiseki meal in the kappo style, with numerous small dishes meticulously designed for a perfect balance of flavor, texture, aroma, and color. Chef Ikuta bases his dishes on fresh local seasonal ingredients, some of which he selects and collects personally from the fields and farms in the surrounding community. Take your time with each dish to savor not only its subtle beauty and sublime flavors, but also the great care and thought that went into its creation.

Each dish in your kaiseki meal is meticulously crafted to be as beautiful as it is delicious

*Please note that a wine cellar is available. You may also bring your own beverages for an additional fee.
*Drinks are not included in the experience fee.

Join the Chef Before Breakfast on an Excursion to Gather Local Ingredients, then Learn the Secrets of Making Great Dashi Stock

While Chef Ikuta has refined his skills through decades of experience in the kitchen, he is also a major proponent of leaving the kitchen behind for a while and going out of doors to where the food itself is grown and harvested. For a bright early start to your morning, join the chef for an exclusive Wabunka excursion around the local area where he will show you how he sources the finest seasonal ingredients (including eggs, fruit, and vegetables) to produce superior quality meals. An interpreter-guide will accompany you. You can also visit the Shigaraki ware kiln (Hakudou-gama) used by the inn to learn more about this fascinating local pottery tradition.

Join the chef for a morning stroll through Shigaraki in search of local ingredients

After you return to Keyaki no Yado EN, Chef Ikuta will show you how to prepare dashi stock, one of the most important components of any traditional Japanese meal. You can choose which type of dashi that you would like to prepare: simple cooking dashi, dashi for boiled vegetable dishes, or dashi for fine dining. It is a seemingly simple process – involving only water, kombu seaweed, and katsuobushi flakes – but getting it right requires delicacy, timing, and precision. 

Chef Ikuta will guide you through the subtle art of preparing the perfect dashi stock

Having worked up quite the appetite during your morning excursion and dashi-making experience, you will no doubt welcome the arrival of breakfast. This hearty morning meal will include rice cooked in a traditional wood-fired kamado oven, fresh grilled fish, and pickles, as well as the eggs, fruit, and vegetables collected on your morning excursion. The dashi stock you helped to prepare will be used to make your miso soup, giving you the chance to taste the fruit of your labors.

Breakfast will include some of the eggs, fruit, and vegetables collected on your morning excursion with the chef

Experience Peace and Relaxation while Experiencing True Japanese Architectural and Culinary Artistry 

A stay at Keyaki no Yado EN is a truly unique experience, giving you privacy and time to truly appreciate some of the finest elements of Japanese culture. The house itself was constructed using time-tested carpentry techniques while the surrounding gardens were developed based on traditional landscaping and gardening aesthetics. And yet the property’s incorporation of modernity and convenience are reminders that Japanese architecture has always been evolving and adapting traditional ways to the times.

A stay at Keyaki no Yado EN gives you time and space to appreciate Japanese landscaping and architecture

Your time with Chef Ikuta will provide a precious personal encounter with an individual who has spent decades of his life in service to Japanese cuisine. Through conversations about the dishes he prepares and the ingredients he uses, as well as his philosophy as a chef, you may come to understand something deeper about the great place of importance that food has come to occupy within Japanese culture.

Your time with Chef Ikuta will provide valuable insight into the importance of food within Japanese culture

While it is just an hour’s drive from Kyoto and Osaka, the small town of Shigaraki feels like another world, with its rich tradition of Shigaraki ware pottery and beautiful natural landscapes. Staying at Keyaki no Yado EN in Shigaraki is a unique experience that offers tranquility and comfort along with the mystique of timeless Japanese tradition.

Let your imagination wander as you gaze out on the dry landscape garden of Keyaki no Yado EN