Stay in Nara Prefecture’s oldest soy sauce brewery, where traditional architecture still remains.
Maruto Soy Sauce, Nara Prefecture’s oldest soy sauce brewery, has been reborn as a stayable soy sauce brewery. Founded in 1689, Maruto Soy Sauce was once purveyor to the Imperial Household—so esteemed that members of the Imperial Family even stayed here. After the war, however, the brewery was forced to close when it could no longer secure satisfactory ingredients. Now, using the microorganisms that remained in the kura since its closure, locally sourced ingredients, and brewing methods reconstructed from historical documents, the fires have been lit again for the first time in 70 years—reviving Maruto as a stayable soy sauce brewery. From traveler to brewer. Experience firsthand our revival of soy sauce making, local resources, and the timeless landscapes of Yamato—all in one place.
We planned a three-night trip to Nara. The first two nights were at a Hotel near Nara Station, so for the final night we chose this place a little farther out—especially because it offered the rare experience of staying in a soy sauce brewery. It far exceeded our expectations.Right after arriving, we joined the soy sauce pressing experience and were immediately captivated by the owner’s talk. I was truly impressed by the story of how he revived soy sauce making from scratch after his grandfather had been forced to stop after the war.Dinner dishes made with this deeply meaningful soy sauce highlighted mostly home-grown vegetables and let each ingredient shine—everything was exceptional. Even dessert (I think it was crème brûlée?) used soy sauce, and it was genuinely delicious.The Hatsuse Room was also a comfortable, calming space where we could rest well. Not having a TV was actually great. The wooden bath was wonderful too.Breakfast—rice with raw egg, an egg with a white yolk (?), and fresh fried tofu with soy sauce—was simple but the best kind of feast.The staff kindly answered even my husband’s rather unreasonable (laughing) questions, and I admired their sincere hospitality.Visiting in midsummer was lovely, but next time I’d like to return to this Accommodation in another season.
I had been wanting to try a soy sauce pressing experience for a long time, so I came to visit. I joined casually, but the deeply moving stories you shared left a strong impression on me. Enjoying freshly pressed soy sauce with grilled kuzumochi was exceptionally delicious. I was also happy that there was a lounge where we could freely enjoy wine and coffee. The wine provided happened to be from one of my favorite wineries, which made me even happier. The meal was wonderful—each ingredient’s flavor really stood out, and everything was delicious. There were so many ways to enjoy the soy sauce that my excitement never faded. The Room was very clean and comfortable. All of the staff were incredibly kind, and I’m truly grateful for your hospitality. It was a truly luxurious time for both mind and body. Every time we enjoy the soy sauces we bought as souvenirs, we’re reminded of Maruto Soy Sauce, and my husband and I still talk about how much fun it was whenever it comes up. We’ll be back again.
| IN | 15:00～18:00 |
|---|---|
| OUT | 10:00 |
| Number of rooms | 7 rooms |
| Pet | Not allowed |
| Your child | Permitted |
■Experience Information
At Maruto Soy Sauce, we offer the following complimentary experiences for guests staying at our Accommodation.
＜1＞Soy sauce pressing experience
＜2＞A gift of a dual-pilgrimage goshuin (temple/shrine stamp) book for Omiwa Shrine (Husband Deity) and Muraya Shrine (Wife Deity)
＜3＞A touring activity to experience the cultural area of Tawaramoto, Sakurai, and Tenri
(Free rental of an e-bike or cross bike in limited quantities)
＜4＞Morning visit to Muraya Shrine, a subsidiary shrine of Omiwa Shrine [Guided by Kimura, the 18th head of the family]
＜5＞One complimentary bottle per person of mineral water and Yamato tea in the Room refrigerator
＜6＞Free drinks in the tea room (wine, Nara specialty juice, coffee, etc.)
(Available from check-in until 6:00 PM. Please enjoy them wherever you like—on the garden bench or in your guest room.)
Finally, please note that we actually brew soy sauce on-site within this Hotel.
To help you prepare for an immersive experience—from traveler to kura-bito (brewery artisan)—we kindly ask that you refrain from eating natto starting one week before your stay.
We sincerely appreciate your cooperation so we may guide you into a deeper world.
■Soy Sauce Brewing Experience (Soy Sauce Pressing)
Guided by Kimura, the 18th head of the family.
The session starts promptly at 16:45. If you wish to participate, please check in by 16:15.
■Morning Shrine Visit
A morning visit to Muraya Shrine, a branch shrine of Omiwa Shrine.
Our Facility staff will accompany you.
[Nearby Sightseeing Information]
Maruto Soy Sauce is located in central Nara Prefecture, a convenient base for exploring the region,
and from this Hotel you can easily access sightseeing destinations throughout the prefecture.
*Access to World Heritage Sites
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara: Nara City (40 min by car)
- Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range: Mt. Yoshino (50 min by car)
- Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range: Mt. Koya (120 min by car)
*Around the Facility: within 20 minutes by car
- A treasure trove of ancient historical sites: Asuka Village (20 min by car)
- Yayoi-period moated settlement ruins: Karako-Kagi Archaeological Site (5 min by car)
- Ancient government road: Yamanobe-no-Michi Trail (10 min by car)
- Ichinomiya Shrine of Yamato Province: Omiwa Shrine (15 min by car)
- The “Temple of Flowers”: Hasedera Temple (20 min by car)
| Card information | VISA / MASTER / JCB / AMEX / DINERS / UnionPay |
|---|---|
| Pets | Not allowed |
| Breakfast | There is no information about breakfast. |
| Your child | You can stay. |
| Room service | Not available |
| Common amenities |
|
| Facilities and Features |
|
| Esthetic Massage | None |
| Fitness gym | None |
| Sauna | None |
| Hot stone spa | None |
| About Hygiene Measures | At UN Nara Maruto Soy Sauce, to prevent COVID-19 infection and the spread of the virus, we place the health and safety of our guests and staff first and are implementing the following preventive measures so you can stay with peace of mind.
■ Measures in shared indoor spaces
To protect guests’ health and safety as well as public hygiene, our staff may serve you while wearing masks.
We carry out more thorough alcohol-based disinfection cleaning than usual for in-house facilities, equipment, and amenities. High-touch areas such as light switches, door handles, toilets, thermostats (air conditioners), kettles, etc. are disinfected especially carefully.
■ Safe dining service
When serving food at our restaurant/café, our chefs follow infection-prevention measures (mask-wearing and sanitizing).
For meals for staying guests, we will serve your dishes in a private room that is open to outside air.
We disinfect tables and chairs and ensure ventilation.
We do not offer buffet-style service; drinks will also be served individually.
■ Measures for staying guests
At check-in, we will confirm your health condition (temperature check) as well as travel history.
A droplet-prevention shield has been installed at the front desk counter.
■ Measures for staff and suppliers
Staff are required to wear masks.
We thoroughly check employees’ health condition upon arrival (fever/vomiting/diarrhea) by having them complete a checklist. Employees with a fever of 37.5°C or higher along with symptoms such as coughing are instructed to stay home.
Hand sanitizing upon entering each work area is carried out using alcohol sanitizer provided on site.
■ Requests to guests
To help prevent droplet transmission, please wear a mask when visiting the Accommodation.
For your peace of mind while using this Accommodation’s Facility areas, alcohol hand sanitizer is available at key locations throughout the building; we appreciate your cooperation in using it. We also ask that you wash your hands frequently and gargle regularly.
For all guests using this Accommodation’s Facility areas, we will confirm your health condition (temperature check) as well as travel history upon arrival.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience; however, if you have any of the symptoms below, please refrain from visiting:
Fever of 37.5°C or higher / headache / sore throat / cough / sneezing / chills / joint pain / swollen lymph nodes / loss of smell / loss of taste / etc. |
*Reviews that have been translated from Japanese.*
*Showing only reviews from 一休.com (Japanese) and Yahoo!トラベル.*
10 minutes by taxi or Shuttle Service from Kintetsu Tawaramoto Station
[Access to Nearby Attractions]
*By car
Omiwa Shrine: 15 min
Asuka Village: 25 min
Hasedera Temple: 30 min
Kashihara Jingu Shrine: 30 min
Todaiji Temple: 40 min
Mt. Yoshino: 50 min
There are the following facilities and features. Free shuttle service
10 minutes by taxi or Shuttle Service from Kintetsu Tawaramoto Station [Access to Nearby Attractions] *By car Omiwa Shrine: 15 min Asuka Village: 25 min Hasedera Temple: 30 min Kashihara Jingu Shrine: 30 min Todaiji Temple: 40 min Mt. Yoshino: 50 min
・Fee： Free for guests ・Parking space： Length --- Vehicle width --- Vehicle height --- ・Number of parking spaces： 15 cars ・Valet Service： Unavailable
At UN Nara Maruto Soy Sauce, to prevent COVID-19 infection and the spread of the virus, we place the health and safety of our guests and staff first and are implementing the following preventive measures so you can stay with peace of mind. ■ Measures in shared indoor spaces To protect guests’ health and safety as well as public hygiene, our staff may serve you while wearing masks. We carry out more thorough alcohol-based disinfection cleaning than usual for in-house facilities, equipment, and amenities. High-touch areas such as light switches, door handles, toilets, thermostats (air conditioners), kettles, etc. are disinfected especially carefully. ■ Safe dining service When serving food at our restaurant/café, our chefs follow infection-prevention measures (mask-wearing and sanitizing). For meals for staying guests, we will serve your dishes in a private room that is open to outside air. We disinfect tables and chairs and ensure ventilation. We do not offer buffet-style service; drinks will also be served individually. ■ Measures for staying guests At check-in, we will confirm your health condition (temperature check) as well as travel history. A droplet-prevention shield has been installed at the front desk counter. ■ Measures for staff and suppliers Staff are required to wear masks. We thoroughly check employees’ health condition upon arrival (fever/vomiting/diarrhea) by having them complete a checklist. Employees with a fever of 37.5°C or higher along with symptoms such as coughing are instructed to stay home. Hand sanitizing upon entering each work area is carried out using alcohol sanitizer provided on site. ■ Requests to guests To help prevent droplet transmission, please wear a mask when visiting the Accommodation. For your peace of mind while using this Accommodation’s Facility areas, alcohol hand sanitizer is available at key locations throughout the building; we appreciate your cooperation in using it. We also ask that you wash your hands frequently and gargle regularly. For all guests using this Accommodation’s Facility areas, we will confirm your health condition (temperature check) as well as travel history upon arrival. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience; however, if you have any of the symptoms below, please refrain from visiting: Fever of 37.5°C or higher / headache / sore throat / cough / sneezing / chills / joint pain / swollen lymph nodes / loss of smell / loss of taste / etc.
