An urban oasis within an urban oasis, this wonderfully-groomed Japanese garden is situated towards the west edge of Nara Park. The site once housed the priests of Kofukuji Temple, but now it’s the playground of some world-class gardeners. 
During the Meiji era, when there was a heavy anti-Buddhist backlash from the Shinto-promoting state, this land was purchased from the temple and developed as a private garden. It was named after the small river which runs through the site, and the buildings inside date back just over 100 years to 1919.
The gardeners tend to three separate garden areas within Yoshikien: one showcasing moss, one featuring ponds, and one geared towards enhancing the tea ceremony experience with gorgeous flowers. If you only visit one garden in Japan, Yoshikien Garden is a safe bet due to the lovely variation on display.
The best part is that entry to this garden is totally free!

This free-to-enter garden showcases the very best of traditional Japanese gardening, with three distinct areas to explore.    
                                 

Yoshikien Garden Food Experiences & Restaurants | byFood

Yoshikien Garden 

Lying to the east of Osaka and south of Kyoto, Nara Prefecture is a popular day trip destination, but with enough to fill a whole month! The region has enjoyed huge significance in Japanese history as at times the political, military, and spiritual heart of the country. In fact, the very first fixed capital of Japan was modern day Nara City, then known as Heijo, in 710 AD.

Plenty of this history still stands in the region, particularly in the rural Sakurai area. Nara City also has plenty for itself. In the city park you’ll find Todaiji Temple and its gigantic carved buddha — once the head temple of all Buddhism in Japan — as well as forest shrines tucked among ancient trees. 

This park isn’t just home to spirits and buddhas: it also has by far the most famous deer in the world. The story goes that the priests of the temples made a habit out of feeding wild deer, which caused them to occupy the park en masse. Now tourists can feed them crackers and chill with them on the grass.

The prefecture also has some other photo-ops in Japan, especially at Mount Yoshino. The slopes of this mountain are covered with 30,000 cherry blossom trees, making it the most noteworthy sakura cherry blossom viewing spot in the country.

Whether you just stop off for a deer selfie on the way to Osaka, or make a fully-fledged pilgrimage around arguably Japanese history’s most significant prefecture, Nara will reveal itself as one of the most unique and memorable parts of your trip.

Come for the friendly tame deer, stay for the centuries of rich culture — Nara Prefecture has some of the most authentic experiences in all Japan.           

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The historic seat of power and faith in Japan, Nara has some of the most authentic and breathtaking culture in the entire country — and also friendly deer!

Yoshikien Garden is a beautiful Japanese garden showcasing not one, not two, but three different styles of traditional horticulture.

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Spanish

Located just at the edge of Nara Park, with clear views of the blossoming trees, Akordu cherishes the essence of Nara in their Spanish cuisine. Blending and reconstructing the different elements, each dish brings out aromas, colors, and textures in the best way possible.

On top of classic Spanish food like tapas and paella, expect a variety of experimental fish and meat dishes, including duck and Yamato beef. The bread dipped in olive oil, which is included in all of the courses offered at Akordu, tastes exactly like those you get in Spain.

With the calming atmosphere provided by the landscape of the park, and a soothing ambiance inside, this restaurant will set you at ease to enjoy their impeccable service and delicious food.

Located just at the edge of Nara Park, with clear views of the blossoming trees, Akordu cherishes the essence of Nara in their Spanish cuisine.

Akordu | Spanish Restaurant in Nara | byFood

Akordu

Pescetarian

Traditional Japanese / Kaiseki / Kappo

A cozy yakiniku restaurant lies on a quiet street in Osaka, and while it looks just about average on the outside, the variety and quality of beef served at Tsurugyu are second to none. Guests can enjoy grilling the meat right there at their table, with the assistance of the staff who make sure that the meat isn’t ruined by an amateur’s touch.

Offering both a la carte and set-course meals that allow you to taste a variety of beef and parts, every penny spent here is worth it. Some of the beef served includes the Kuri steak, finely-marbled and known for its ideal sweetness and tenderness,  and the Tajima beef that's from a pure breed of cattle raised in the prefecture.

With the course meals, every cut of meat comes with a different set of dips, and no two dips are ever the same. They use a mixture of simple and elaborate ones, matching to the specific meats. The best part of it all? The course meals come with a signature oxtail soup that goes extremely well with the tender, succulent, and juicy beef.

The service is impeccable as well, as the waiters constantly check on the tables to see if the meat is being overcooked, then assist their guests in flipping and arranging the meat properly. At the end of your dining experience at Tsurugyu, you'll be a veritable black-belt in the art of yakiniku grilling.

Enjoy grilling the meat right at your table at this authentic charcoal-cooked yakiniku restaurant, serving finely-marbled Kuri steak and Tajima wagyu beef.

Tsurugyu | Kaiseki Restaurant in Nara | byFood

Tsurugyu

French

Teleport to France with the authenticity of this humble, cozy French restaurant just three minutes from Nara Station on foot. Other than delivering the highest grade of food, La Trace's owners prioritize hospitality — whether it is warm service given to the customers or going out of the way to visit producers to personally introduce themselves.

This kindness is prominent in the course menus for both lunch and dinner, as origins of the ingredients in each dish are explained carefully to give credit to the suppliers and producers. For example, the yogurt is made in Takamatsu and the chicken is Yamato chicken.

Simplicity is also a key point of La Trace. The chef's culinary ethos is not to over-prepare or overseason any ingredient in a way that will interfere with its natural essence. The Bakuku pork is sauteed, placed in the oven and rested — these steps are repeated multiple times until all the fat has burned off. Techniques like this maximize the original flavors of the ingredients, and make their meats incredibly juicy and tender.

From the seats in La Trace, guests will be able to peek behind the scenes into the kitchen. Transparency and performance are the reasons behind the open-kitchen concept, as the staff are proud of the work they're putting in and they want you to share in the glory of the preparation with all its sights, sounds and smells.

Other than delivering authentic French cuisine, La Trace's owners prioritize hospitality, from warm service to communicating with their producers personally.

LA TRACE | French Restaurant in Nara | byFood

La Trace

Located in the historic city of Nara, which is home to some of the most beautiful temples and treasures in Japan, this kaiseki restaurant strives to provide the best traditional set-course dishes, steeped in the historic aesthetic traditions of Japan.

Those who have a little kanji knowledge might have read the restaurant name as "white," and while that is correct, there is also a deeper meaning to it. The unusual reading of it is "tsukumo," referring to the concept of “ninety-nine,” which is the state of incompleteness. Combining purity and whiteness in their clean interior, with the beauty of incompleteness in their slightly rustic vibe, the restaurant embodies both of these classic aesthetics.

Following the Japanese appreciation of modesty and dignity, Tsukumo intends to appeal to the cherished essence of the country’s culture. This Michelin-starred restaurant brings traditional cooking techniques that coax out the best possible flavors from ingredients.

Their classic dishes are presented in authentic forms, with improvements made in the preparation techniques so as to maximize the flavor of each premium ingredient.

This Michelin-starred restaurant in Nara strives to provide the best traditional set-course dishes, steeped in the historic aesthetic traditions of Japan.

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