Restaurants to Visit After Sightseeing at Todai-ji in Nara Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Reservation Guide-

Update-date: Jun 04 2025

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Todaiji Temple in Nara Prefecture, built in the 8th century, is a historic temple known for its large Great Buddha statue that one has to look up to see. The surrounding Nara Park and Wakakusa Mountain are home to many wild deer, attracting numerous tourists who come to see the Great Buddha and the deer. When sightseeing in the Todaiji area, delicious meals are a must. Here are recommended restaurants to visit in this area.

See full listings of Izakaya, Steak, and Sweets restaurants found in and around Nara.

Kitsune

Kitsune, located a 5-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, is a sukiyaki kaiseki restaurant where guests can enjoy sukiyaki in various styles. The recommended dish is the "Sukiyaki Chirashi Ju," which features sweet and savory sukiyaki served over vinegared rice. It is beautifully presented with colorful seafood and vegetables. For those who want to fully savor sukiyaki, the "Kitsune Full Course" made with Yamato beef is perfect.

Restaurants to Visit After Sightseeing at Todai-ji in Nara

The restaurant features a simple and clean interior, with wood used on the floors and walls that creates a warm atmosphere. Guests can relax in a calm environment. The fully private rooms, ideal for groups and families, are equipped with wall materials used in sound systems, providing a quiet space that blocks outside noise. Diners can enjoy their meals without worrying about their surroundings.

Kitsune

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 13,860 JPY / [Lunch] 4,500 JPY
Access: 5-minutes walk from Exit 1 of Kintetsu Nara Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line / Past Higashimuki Shopping Street, it's one street back from Sarusawa Pond
Address: Shika Saru Kitsune Building, 22, Ganriin-Cho, Nara-Shi, Nara
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Kamameshi Chazuke GRANCHA

Located a 1-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, Kamameshi Chazuke GRANCHA is a Japanese restaurant where freshly cooked kamameshi can be enjoyed. The restaurant is particular about its rice and broth, and it starts cooking only after receiving an order. The recommended dish is the "Kuroge Wagyu Kamameshi," which features tender Kuroge Wagyu beef cooked with a special seasoning and lavishly placed on top. Kamameshi can be enjoyed not only as a single item but also as part of a set menu.

Located in the bustling Higashimuki Shopping Street popular with tourists, the restaurant offers a calm atmosphere inside. The space, characterized by thick ceiling beams, features a purely Japanese-style interior, where the craftsmanship on the shoji frames and the displayed furnishings evoke a sense of Japan. The spacious private rooms, available by reservation, include a corner resembling a small garden, designed with sophistication.

Kamameshi Chazuke GRANCHA

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Friday - Sunday, National Holiday, Day before National Holiday] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 3:00 pm) / Dinner 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday, Thursday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Kintetsu-Nara Station
Address: 2F, GRANCHA, 22, Higashimukinaka-machi, Nara-shi, Nara
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STAND GRANCHA

Located an 11-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, STANDGRANCHA is a self-service stand cafe. This restaurant offers a variety of sweets and drinks made with Yamato tea produced in Nara Prefecture, which can be enjoyed both inside the restaurant and as takeout. The recommended item is the "Mont Blanc Soft Yamato Sencha Milk Shaved Ice (Yamato Matcha)." It is a dish featuring fluffy milk shaved ice topped with rich soft serve ice cream and wrapped in Mont Blanc paste.

Restaurants to visit after sightseeing at Nara's Todai-ji Temple

When proceeding to the back of the Yamato Tea Daifuku specialty restaurant located in Higashimuki Shopping Street, an entrance decorated with stones and bamboo comes into view. Inside the restaurant, there is an eat-in space where lighting hanging from the ceiling and displayed calligraphy and paintings create a stylish atmosphere. Visitors can take a break during sightseeing or shopping and enjoy sweets and drinks made with fragrant Yamato tea.

STAND GRANCHA

Open: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (L.O. 6:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Kintetsu-Nara Station
Address: 22, Higashimukinaka-machi, Nara-shi, Nara

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Ristorante Borgo KONISHI

Located an 11-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, Ristorante Borgo KONISHI offers Italian cuisine that makes the most of Nara's local ingredients. The restaurant operates by complete reservation only, and the menu consists solely of course meals thoughtfully created by the chef. In addition to the full-course dinner, the "Traditional Lunch Course," which can be enjoyed casually during lunchtime, is also recommended.

The restaurant interior, with glass walls that reveal the sky, has a simple and sophisticated atmosphere. Designed based on ergonomics, it offers a comfortable space with functional beauty. The seating consists of only eight calm counter seats. The counter and chairs, made of high-quality natural wood with a lacquer finish, are crafted by a workshop in Kyoto. Guests can enjoy Italian cuisine born in Nara in a space adorned with seasonal flowers.

Ristorante Borgo Konishi

Open: [Tuesdays-Sundays/Holidays] Lunch 11:00-15:00 (last order 14:00) / Dinner 18:00-23:00 (last order 21:30)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: 1 minute walk from Kintetsu Nara station; go straight down Konishi Sakura street, and it will be on your right.
Address: 2F Flats Konishi, 24 Konishi-cho, Nara, Nara

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Motsu Iki Nara Sanjo Restaurant

Motsu Iki Nara Sanjo restaurant, located a 6-minute walk from Nara Station, is an izakaya where various dishes including offal cuisine can be enjoyed. The recommended dish is the "Beef Skewers," which allow one to savor beef and beef small intestines. The high-quality fat's umami spreads with every bite. The "Wagyu Misugi Steak," served with homemade sauce, features tender meat and melting fat. Motsu Iki Nara Sanjo restaurant, located a 6-minute walk from Nara Station, is an izakaya where various dishes including offal cuisine can be enjoyed. The recommended dish is the "Beef Skewers," which allow one to savor beef and beef small intestines. The high-quality fat's umami spreads with every bite. The "Wagyu Misugi Steak," served with homemade sauce, features tender meat and melting fat.

The restaurant's exterior, adorned with a traditional noren curtain, gives a solid and refined impression, but once inside, a Japanese modern space unfolds. The interior, gently illuminated by warm-colored lights, offers a calm atmosphere where the warmth of wood can be felt. Along with skewers and offal dishes centered on Yamagata beef, visitors can also enjoy local sake from Nara. Why not experience Japanese food culture in this casual and relaxing Japanese-style space? The restaurant's exterior, adorned with a traditional noren curtain, gives a solid and refined impression, but once inside, a Japanese modern space unfolds. The interior, gently illuminated by warm-colored lights, offers a calm atmosphere where the warmth of wood can be felt. Along with skewers and offal dishes centered on Yamagata beef, visitors can also enjoy local sake from Nara. Why not experience Japanese food culture in this casual and relaxing Japanese-style space?

Motsusui Nara-Sanjo Branch

Open: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: 6-minute walk from Nara Station on JR Lines, Kintetsu-Nara Station on Kintetsu Line
Address: 34, Shimosanjo-cho, Nara-shi, Nara

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Teppanyaki Sanga

Located a one-minute walk from Nara Station, Teppanyaki Sanga is a teppanyaki restaurant where guests can enjoy dishes made with high-quality ingredients, including Yamagata beef of A4 grade or higher. There are three types of seasonal courses, allowing diners to savor the marbled Yamagata beef carefully prepared to perfection by skilled chefs. The sake selection, which enhances the flavor of the meat, is carefully curated, with a particularly rich variety of local sake from Nara.

The restaurant located in the basement of a hotel near the station is attractive for its excellent access, being close to tourist spots such as Nara Park. The interior, adorned with high-quality decorations, is enveloped in an elegant atmosphere. From the open kitchen, the sounds and aromas of meat grilling can be heard and smelled, heightening anticipation for the upcoming meal. Guests can enjoy a comfortable time along with the sophisticated service unique to a hotel.

Teppanyaki Sanga

Open: [Wednesday - Friday] Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm) [Friday - Sunday, National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Monday, Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY
Access: On the B1F of Piazza Hotel, immediately from the front exit of JR [Nara Station]
Address: B1F, Piazza Hotel, 11-20 Sanjo Honmachi, Nara city, Nara

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Sakana-dokoro Sakura Chaya

Located a 4-minute walk from Omiya Station, the restaurant Osakanadokoro Sakura Chaya is a Japanese cuisine restaurant where customers can enjoy fresh seasonal fish carefully selected by the chef. The restaurant offers course meals featuring seasonal seafood sourced from more than 10 fishing grounds across Japan, including Sakaiminato in Tottori Prefecture. There is also a wide variety of sake chosen to complement the fish dishes, with over 20 types available, including some not listed on the menu. Customers can also enjoy sake tasting.

The restaurant is located in a quiet residential area slightly away from the bustling station front. Since there is no signboard, one might not notice the entrance if they are unaware. Inside, the restaurant offers a calm Japanese-style space, with humorous paintings of demons and the god of fortune adorning the walls, creating a warm atmosphere. In addition to table and counter seats, private rooms that can be reserved for small groups are also available. The restaurant is located in a quiet residential area slightly away from the bustling station front. Since there is no signboard, one might not notice the entrance if they are unaware. Inside, the restaurant offers a calm Japanese-style space, with humorous paintings of demons and the god of fortune adorning the walls, creating a warm atmosphere. In addition to table and counter seats, private rooms that can be reserved for small groups are also available.

Osakanadokoro Sakurachaya

Open: Lunch 11:45 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm) *Reservations required by the day before / Dinner 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm) *Last entry at 9:00 pm
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 9,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: 275m from Shin-Omiya Station
Address: 4-253-3, Omiya-cho, Nara-shi, Nara
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Yamato Seasonal Vegetables, Fish, and Chicken Junpei

Located a 4-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, Yamato Shunsai, Fish, and Chicken Junpei is an izakaya that uses fresh seasonal ingredients. The recommended dishes include the sashimi of horse mackerel called 'Oyogi Aji,' which was swimming in the restaurant's tank until just before serving, and 'Yamato Jidori Amiyaki,' grilled local chicken from Nara Prefecture. In addition, there are dishes that bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients, such as the 'Specialty Vegetable Sashimi Assortment' made with vegetables directly sourced from farmers in Nara Prefecture.

The interior of the restaurant features walls that the owner personally painted, walls that the owner personally painted, as well as wooden tables and floors, creating a warm and inviting space. Wooden tables and floors create a warm and inviting space. Guests can relax in a homely atmosphere. In addition to counter seats, there are horigotatsu-style tatami seating areas where guests can stretch their legs while dining. The owner, who holds a sake sommelier qualification, carefully selects local sake from Nara, allowing guests to enjoy a leisurely time savoring these drinks.

Yamato Shunsai, Fish, Chicken Junpei

Open: Dinner 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (last order 11:30 pm) / Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (last order 1:45 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY
Access:
Address: 1F Maison de Ban Inoue, 7 Kamisanjo-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture Map

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Aburi-yaki Toriyokiyoshi

Aburiyaki Toriyokiyoshi, located a 3-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, is a restaurant where one can enjoy bold Miyazaki-style grilled chicken. The chicken, blackened and smoked by charcoal smoke, is characterized by its concentrated sweetness and umami flavor. The "Yokiyoshi-yaki," a dish featuring a three-part assortment of the day's recommended chicken cuts, is a must-order item. The "Torikatsu-don," a popular dish topped with a large chicken cutlet so big that the bowl's lid cannot close, is also well-loved.

The restaurant offers a cozy atmosphere where guests are comforted by the owner's gentle smile. Warm set meals are served even late at night, making it convenient for dinner. Inside the restaurant, many papers displaying recommended dishes are posted. The counter seats facing the kitchen are prime spots where guests can watch the dynamic flames right in front of them. Table seats are also available, ideal for group use.

Aburiyaki Toriyokiyoki

Open: [Sunday,Monday,Wednesday - Saturday,Holidays,Day Before Holidays] 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (last order 12:30 am)
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY / [Lunch] 2,500 JPY
Access:
Address: 1F Yonezawa Paint Building, 446-5 Aburasakacho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture Map
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One's Heart Cafe Naramachi

Located a 15-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, One's Heart Cafe Naramachi is a restaurant where customers can enjoy Japanese cuisine and Japanese-style sweets made with local ingredients. The 'Kuzu Udon Pasta,' made with dried udon noodles kneaded with kudzu from Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, is characterized by its unique texture. The 'One's Heart Meal,' which changes its menu every two weeks, offers gentle-flavored dishes made with rice from Nara Prefecture and seasonal vegetables.

The restaurant located in a residential area is a charming space renovated from an old folk house. Inside, tea utensils and pottery are casually displayed, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Japan about 100 years ago. The alcove features hanging scrolls, offering a setting that evokes the essence of Japanese aesthetics. Although it has tatami seating, tables and chairs are used, making it easy to stand up and sit down, so even those who are not comfortable with traditional tatami seating can feel at ease.

One's Heart Café Naramachi

Open: [Sunday - Tuesday,Thursday - Saturday,Holidays,Day Before Holidays] 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (last order 4:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,400 JPY
Access:
Address: 1028-7 Takabatakecho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture Map

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This article was written by AI Translation.

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.