Yanagichaya: Nara Chameshi beside Sarusawa Pond
An established wooden teahouse serving Nara chameshi, matcha sweets and tea beside Sarusawa Pond, with views toward the pond and pagoda precinct.
Verified site photographs are being prepared.Discover Yanagichaya: Nara Chameshi beside Sarusawa Pond
Yanagichaya is a teahouse beside Sarusawa Pond where a walk around Kofuku-ji and Nara Park can turn into a meal built around Nara chameshi. The restaurant says its roots date to the Meiji era and highlights its old wooden building, sweets and quiet pond-side seating. A historical note preserved by Nara Prefectural Library describes the shop's founding in 1902: its first proprietor revived a chameshi meal associated with the monk communities of Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji. That record gives useful context for the dish, while the present menu and prices should be taken from the restaurant's current official page. It is a small, focused place for a pause between heritage sites, rather than a large dining hall or a guaranteed view from every seat.
Try the rice dish that gives the teahouse its story
Nara chameshi is tea-cooked rice associated in historical accounts with the temple communities of Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji. The Nara Prefectural Library's historical profile says Yanagichaya's first proprietor began the shop in 1902 to bring the dish back after it had fallen out of everyday use. The current restaurant offers a Nara chameshi set meal and tai chazuke; its own menu is the authority for ingredients and current service. The old account explains the dish's local connection but is not a claim that today's recipe is unchanged from the historic preparation.
Choose a meal, sweet or tea
The official menu checked for this guide lists a Nara chameshi set at ¥2,500 and tai chazuke at ¥1,500. Sweets include warabi mochi at ¥650, matcha cake at ¥690 and a house parfait at ¥1,400; tea, coffee and other drinks are also listed. A seasonal matcha fondue is marked limited to 20 servings a day. Prices are tax-inclusive on the operator page, but stock, seasonal availability and prices can change. The menu note says rice dishes may finish early and gives 16:00 as the last order, while the general access section lists 16:30; use 16:00 as the safer meal cutoff and confirm before travel.
Pause by the pond, while keeping the view in perspective
Yanagichaya describes a Meiji-era wooden building and seats looking toward Sarusawa Pond and the pagoda area. It also lists tables and private rooms for groups or family occasions. A pond view is a feature of some seating, not a guarantee for every booking; request a preferred seat directly. This is a useful stop after walking the Kōfuku-ji grounds or before continuing through Naramachi, but allow time for a meal instead of treating the teahouse as a takeaway counter.
Use the current address and booking route
The operator's current site gives the address as 49 Noborioji-cho, Nara City and says it is about a 15-minute walk from Nara Station, near the pagoda area. Visit Nara retains an older address, 4-48 Noborioji-cho beside Kōfuku-ji, along with different weekday closures and telephone details; use the current operator address and call 0742-23-4763 to confirm the day's service. The official site lists 11:30–17:00 with last order at 16:30 and provides a Google Forms reservation request; it says confirmation will be sent within 24 hours. Reservations therefore need advance lead time, and the page does not promise immediate confirmation.
What to look for
Nara chameshi and tai chazuke on the current menu
Meiji-era wooden teahouse beside Sarusawa Pond
Official reservations are requests confirmed later, not instant bookings
Photo notes
Do not reuse the restaurant's food, building or interior photographs without permission. Ask staff before taking photos inside or of other guests; be considerate in the small dining space. Keep pond-side and temple approach paths clear when taking exterior photographs.
SEASONAL CALENDAR
Events connected with Yanagichaya: Nara Chameshi beside Sarusawa Pond
These records are shared with MyNara’s event calendar, so dates and notices have one source. Recurring patterns are not confirmed dated editions; check the organizer’s latest guidance.
Uneme Festival
At Uneme Shrine beside Sarusawa Pond, a procession and a pair of music-bearing boats honour the spirit of a court lady in local legend. Kasuga Taisha's official annual calendar identifies this as the festival of its subsidiary Uneme Shrine; the actual procession and rites take place at Sarusawa Pond, not at the main shrine. The festival follows the mid-autumn moon and its Gregorian dates vary; the shrine and Nara City Tourism Association publish the year's programme and viewing details. Sarusawa Pond Yoshidaya advertised pond-facing rooms for watching the 2023 edition, but no current or later viewing offer is confirmed; ask the inn about the specific year's rooms and availability.
Check organizer informationMake a day of it
Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.
Sources & editorial status
Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.
- Yanagichaya — current operator address, hours, menu, prices and booking process
- Nara Prefectural Library — historical profile of Yanagichaya and Nara chameshi
- Official Nara Travel Guide — secondary venue listing with older address and schedule
- Nara Prefecture — Nara Park visitor information and park context