月日亭(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.

Tucked in the hills of Nara this four room Inn is super private. The ladies dressed in their kimonos provide 5 star customer service. With the kaiseki meals you get a throwback to traditional Japanese customs during your stay here. This is the most traditional Japanese stay you can experience, a true ryokan. Here are a couple things I did not see in other reviews I read. The room has a traditional bathtub and shower setup but there are also two much larger, nicer setups you can “book by time”. Seeing that there are only a handful of rooms these are easily, readily available and private. I would highly recommend this. Lastly, you are in the mountains of an old traditional ryokan. There are spiders, critters of all sorts that make their way into your room and around your meals. This is the only downside we experienced but I’m not sure how you can avoid it being nestled into the forest. This is not the 100 story mandarin oriental. This is a portal back in time so just go into your stay with that in mind.

For all the traveling I've done in my life, Tsukihitei Ryokan will remain close to my heart as one of the most memorable stays I've had. It is everything you will want in a Ryokan experience. I believe we experienced the most traditional Ryokan in Japan. We really did step back into time for two days and loved every aspect of it. We decided to stay two nights to really immerse ourselves in the experience. Upon arrival, we were given a tour and then shown our accommodations, which overlooked the woods of the Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest. We were greeted with ceremonial matcha green tea. Our dinners and breakfast were absolutely incredible. The presentation was artwork. We were served in a private dining room that was connected to our sleeping room, which made it all feel very personal and private. All the meals were distinctive in their flavors and tastes. Walking the line between thoughtfulness and artwork, the food was just another extension of all the other wonderful elements we experienced while staying at Tsukihitei. The two bathing houses were gorgeous and luxurious, lit up by stained glass windows. The aesthetic felt like it belonged in an ancient forest. The customer service was top notch. Everyone was so kind to any need we had during our time there. From our first greeting to our last, we felt very taken care of. I will never forget how magical the experience was. I hope to go back there one day and stay with them again.

We spent a couple weeks in Japan, and our stay at Tsukihi-tei was one of the hightlights! The location in the forest is amazing. The staff was fantastic - from greeting you on arrival they make every effort to make you feel welcome. The food is the best we had while we were in Japan. If you want a wonderful ryokan experience, I would highly recommend Tsukihi!

An excellent choice to stay in this 200-year old property. Staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Enjoyed the dinner set which is beautiful and delicious.

Totally lovecthe ryokan and its location. Just 2 3 km walk to the top of the mountain. Stunning food and hinoki bath. Worth every cents.

Absolutely amazing experience! The inn is in a magnificent forest very near Kasuga Shrine and Nara Park. The comfort, food, and hospitality are second to none. Be sure to use the private cedar baths! The staff were extremely kind and gracious and we appreciated their patience in guiding us through a relaxing stay. Stay here! You will never forget it!