Special Tour of a Long-Running Ryotei in Nara with Exclusive Kaiseki Meal & Souvenir

Nara’s Leading Guest House, Loved By Dignitaries and Literary Figures

In front of the torii gate of Nara’s Kasuga Taisha Shrine is Kikusuiro, a ryotei restaurant that has been in business for over 130 years. Throughout its long history, it has welcomed numerous foreign dignitaries, historical figures, and literary figures since its establishment in 1891, year 24 of the Meiji era (1868–1912). It was once known as Kikusui Hotel, and it also operated for a long time as a ryokan inn where the food was a highlight of the accommodation experience.

Built with materials from Enjoji Temple during the Meiji era, Kikusuiro’s front gate has a majestic aura to it

Kikusuiro’s spacious grounds, covering about 1,800 tsubo (approximately 5,950 square meters), stand on the former site of Kozen-in, a sub-temple of Kofukuji Temple. A Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property, Kikusuiro’s building uses luxurious wood from Enjoji Temple and fixtures that reflect Japanese artisanship, such as a coved ceiling.

Staff will welcome you with a warm smile (please note that this image is for reference only; staff may not be wearing kimonos during your experience)

This experience begins with a staff member of Kikusuiro welcoming you at the majestic front gate, a valuable piece of architecture that once belonged to Enjoji Temple. Pass through the noren curtain bearing the kikusui (“chrysanthemum on water”) crest, and step into a refined space that retains a Meiji-era ambiance.

A Special Tour of Kikusuiro with a Staff Member as Your Exclusive Guide

Kikusuiro has three buildings: the former main building that was built during the Meiji era, the main building, and an annex, which was built in 1975 and is currently used as a wedding venue. In this plan, you will tour the former and current main buildings — and, as a Wabunka exclusive, a staff member assigned to you will accompany you as your private guide.

*Please note that the tour route and the rooms shown to you during the tour are subject to change depending on the circumstances on your experience date.
*Kikusuiro is an old building with many steep stairs, so please take this into consideration if you have any issues with your legs and/or joints.

A tea vessel called okuchi-susugi, from which you can enjoy Yamato tea (Nara-grown tea) from Yoshida-en, a tea shop in Nara City

Before the tour begins, you will be led to a private room, where staff will greet you and give you a welcome drink. You will see a piece of tableware called okuchi-susugi, a jar with teacups. In ancient times, this vessel was handed to guests who arrived via horse-drawn carriage rides down unpaved dirt roads, for them to rinse their mouths with peppermint water. Today, it is rare to find a place where this tradition is still in practice, although Kikusuiro only performs it during special occasions such as weddings.

Marumado no Ma, named for its round windows, is a rare example of a room with a coved ceiling

The tour begins on the main building’s second floor, formerly Kikusuiro’s lobby. Here, you will see a large round window with a chrysanthemum motif. Next, you will visit Marumado no Ma, a room named for its two beautiful round windows. This is Kikusuiro’s only private room with a coved ceiling, a feat that is said to be difficult to achieve today. On this tour, you will see examples of superb craftsmanship in each room.

The intricate carving on the ceiling of the main building’s entrance reminds visitors of Kikusuiro’s luxury and prestige

At the entrance to the main building, the kikusui design can be found all over, as ceiling carvings and decorations on the sliding doors. This will give you an idea of Kikusuiro’s attention to detail and the aesthetic sensibilities back in the day. Spotting fascinating little details and recurring designs will add an extra layer of enjoyment to your tour.

A Building Full of Stories from Over 130 Years of History

Aside from carvings on the ceiling, the entrance to the main building is filled with other valuable fixtures that will remind you of Kikusuiro’s long history. For example, you will see a work of calligraphy that Heihachiro Togo, a well-known admiral of the Japanese Navy, wrote when he visited Kikusuiro. It says “Kikusui no gotoshi,” which translates to “Like a chrysanthemum on water.”

Displayed at the main building's entrance are Heihachiro Togo's calligraphy, a knife-carved wooden deer, and a seasonal uchikake wedding kimono

Even now, you will see traces of the time when Kikusuiro was a guest house. For example, certain traditional architectural details such as the tokonoma alcove make it clear that the ryotei’s private dining rooms were once guest rooms. Additionally, the ceilings were designed to be high for the purpose of placing beds in the rooms and ensuring a comfortable stay for guests.

Another highlight of the tour is the view of the outside scenery, which will give you a sense of Nara’s changing seasons

On the main building’s third floor is a large banquet hall with a stage, which used to be the only place in Nara where maiko (apprentice geisha) made their debut. With no pillars and approximately 110 tatami mats (182 square meters) in size, this hall is the largest of its kind in Nara and has thus been used for various gatherings and occasions. One staff member, who says that it is her favorite part of Kikusuiro, says, “I recommend this hall not only for its view of the Nara townscape, but also because you can see as far as Mount Ikoma from here.”

You can clearly observe for yourself the deep feelings the staff have for Kikusuiro

You will then visit Kikusuiro’s former main building, which mainly housed guest rooms. There, further witness the building’s meticulously detailed design for yourself: an intricate arch-shaped bamboo frame by the entrance to the main room, flooring made from a single piece of Japanese zelkova wood, and so on. You can also see photos from when Kikusuiro was a ryokan — these are not normally shown to the general public. These will give you a deeper sense of Kikusuiro’s historical significance as a guest house.

Enjoy Flavors and Hospitality Refined by Tradition

After the tour, sit down to a Wabunka-exclusive kaiseki-ryori course meal. As a ryotei, Kikusuiro takes pride in carefully selecting the finest ingredients of the season and serving dishes that use the ingredients’ flavor to the fullest. Head chef Mikihiro Komasaka, who was appointed to the position in 2022, remains faithful to inherited traditions as he proactively incorporates Nara’s local ingredients and seasoning into his creations.

Head chef Mikihiro Komasaka explains the dishes and ingredients

The main dish for this course is stone-grilled abalone, which Mr. Komasaka will prepare and serve in front of you. Though it is one of Kikusuiro’s signature traditional dishes, it is not included in the ryotei’s regular courses.

The meal is guaranteed to be a delightful multi-sensory affair, with the sound of the abalone sizzling on a hot stone and its aroma wafting through the air stimulating your appetite. The menu changes with the seasons; for example, in summer, you might have stone-grilled abalone with Yamatomaru eggplant, a traditional vegetable grown in Nara’s Yamatokoriyama City.

Flavorful stone-grilled abalone with a thick sauce called bekko-an

Experience the Old-World Glamor of a Long-Standing Ryotei Steeped in Nara’s Customs and Culture

In addition to the meal and tour, this plan also includes a special book that will serve as a souvenir and offer a deeper understanding of Kikusuiro. It describes in attentive detail the context behind Kikusuiro, as well as its history of over 130 years as a guest house for dignitaries, a ryokan, and eventually a ryotei. Additionally, the book sheds some light on the thoughtful consideration behind Kikusuiro’s cuisine and design arrangements, giving you the opportunity to look back on the beauty of this building and the hospitality you were treated to during the tour.

The book that you will receive as a souvenir will remind you of your time at Kikusuiro

Wrap up your experience with a visit to Ashitana. Located in Kikusuiro’s annex, Ashitana, whose name translates to “Bookshelf of Tomorrow,” is a shelf for storing letters describing guests’ visits to Kikusuiro, as well as their thoughts and feelings at the time. ⁡Feel free to write a letter of your own, too. You can address it to your future self or a special someone. Like a time capsule, this space links the present to the future, so adding a letter to Ashitana will surely enhance the memorability of this experience.

Located in an annex is Ashitana, the Bookshelf of Tomorrow, where you can drop a letter to your future self into one of 132 boxes with Japanese words written on them

Kikusuiro’s staff say, "We believe that preserving Kikusuiro is also related to preserving Nara’s culture. We hope you will feel for yourself the history engraved in Kikusuiro and the appeal of Nara.” Come to Kikusuiro for an encounter with elegant old-world aesthetics and time-honored hospitality cultivated for over 130 years in Japan’s ancient imperial capital.