Noborioji Hotel sits at the edge of Kōfuku-ji, one of Japan's oldest temples and a UNESCO World Heritage site, facing the greenery of Nara Park, where tame deer roam. Tōdai-ji and Kasuga Taisha are within an easy walk, and Kintetsu-Nara station is three minutes away. Opened in 2008 and fully renovated in 2022 around cuisine, music and history, the contemporary building in glass and steel holds 13 Western-style rooms in a white, contemporary-classic palette with solid-wood furniture: three suites, eight Deluxe rooms, a connecting room for four and a single. Restaurant Le Bois builds on classical French technique, with seasonal ingredients from Nara and Hokkaido and precise charcoal cooking, and guests choose wine from an underground cellar of some 1,000 labels with the sommelier. At the far end of the dining room stands a Steinway grand piano, a nod to the salon concerts of European private houses, and the 12-seat bar opens in the evening. The team arranges private visits to Kōfuku-ji and other temples on request. A Relais & Châteaux member since 2023, it is a small, adult-minded house in a World Heritage city.
- Nearest airport
- Osaka International Airport (Itami), about 60 minutes by car
- Rooms
- 13 rooms: three suites, eight Deluxe rooms, one connecting room and one single
Insider tip Ask the team when booking to arrange a private visit to Kōfuku-ji, the temple beside the hotel, and leave time before dinner to choose a bottle in the underground cellar. Hotel services, amenities and dining may change without notice.
Why I choose it A 13-room Relais & Châteaux house beside Kōfuku-ji, with a French kitchen built on Nara and Hokkaido produce and some 1,000 wines in its cellar. Hotel services, amenities and dining may change without notice.
