Wellness Retreat in Nara: Traditional Inn with Vegan Cuisine & Herbal Baths

Herbal remedies and vegan cuisine restore body and mind at this peaceful traditional inn in Uda, Nara—just an hour from Kyoto by car. Nestled in the quiet countryside of Nara’s Uda City, Yatakiya is a renovated 300-year-old kominka with a distinctive Yamato-style roof, now operating as a cozy inn and restaurant. Guests can enjoy creative Italian-style dishes made with organic vegetables and medicinal herbs grown on-site, along with soothing herbal baths using Yamato tōki, a traditional healing plant from Nara. With vegan-friendly options and meals that honor Japan’s natural food culture, it’s a rare and refreshing experience. From early morning nature walks to hands-on harvesting in the garden, a stay here offers a full sensory dive into rural life. Reconnect with yourself as you take in the slow rhythms and gentle beauty of Uda’s satoyama landscape.

Creative Italian dishes made with local produce and healing herbs
Stay close to nature in cozy rooms with herbal baths
Morning mindfulness: Reset with a guided nature walk
Farm-to-table experience with lunch: Discover rural Japan firsthand

Creative Italian dishes made with local produce and healing herbs

Meals at Yatakiya are prepared with care, using organic vegetables and herbs grown on the property. Dinner features a course of Italian-inspired dishes that highlight the natural flavors of each ingredient, while breakfast offers a light and nourishing start to the day. They also make a conscious effort to avoid animal-based ingredients as much as possible and are flexible in accommodating vegan diets.

Stay close to nature in cozy rooms with herbal baths

Yatakiya offers four unique rooms, all warm with natural wood and equipped with cypress-lined baths and ceramic tubs from Shigaraki. Soak in the gentle scent of hinoki and unwind in a traditional herbal bath with Yamato tōki leaves. The top pick? The spacious Mahoroba room, which opens onto a private garden terrace—offering peaceful views of the countryside and a moment of pure stillness.

Morning mindfulness: Reset with a guided nature walk

Start the day with the Kantenbōki Tour, a gentle walk through nearby forests, shrines, and ancient ruins. Led by a local guide, this early-morning stroll invites you to breathe deeply, reconnect with nature, and get a taste of Japan’s deep-rooted reverence for the land.

Farm-to-table experience with lunch: Discover rural Japan firsthand

Roll up your sleeves and take part in seasonal farm work—planting, harvesting, or tending to the fields. Then, enjoy a fresh-from-the-garden lunch made with the vegetables you helped pick. It’s a hands-on way to feel the rhythm of rural life and connect with nature through all five senses.