Uda Medicinal Bath Inn, Yatakiya

An Accommodation with a historic herbal bath experience

An Accommodation in Uda City, Nara Prefecture, home to Japan’s oldest private botanical garden. We stayed here after it was recommended to us for the experience of blending medicinal herbs, especially the local specialty “Yamato Toki” (Japanese angelica root). The Accommodation is a wonderful renovation of a 300-year-old traditional house, and we stayed in a Room converted from a kura storehouse. What impressed us most was the breakfast, made mainly with produce from their fields and local vegetables. Everything—from presentation and seasoning to overall balance—was excellent. One other point is dinner. It is creative French cuisine, and while it is thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented, I felt it would be even better if the flavors highlighted the ingredients more and avoided becoming too heavy. Since this is such a special place, I also think guests would enjoy it more if the menu listed specific ingredients rather than generic items like “today’s pasta.” Unfortunately, the service did not resonate with us this time either: when a friend came by to visit, they were not offered even a cup of tea; drink options felt limited; and the herbal bath blend came with only minimal guidance—simply putting herbs into a bag. It would be nice to have explanations of ingredients, benefits, and aromas, or perhaps a written summary of what was chosen. We support Uda City and hope that this unique herb-focused Accommodation—with its wonderful location—will continue improving its overall service and dining experience. Thank you very much.