Shikitei is a ryokan of nine rooms in Takabatake, Nara, right beside the first torii gate of Nara Park of Kasuga Taisha. The inn says it has been open for over a century, in a building of temple-and-shrine style rebuilt five times up to 2000. Before you book, three things matter: the official booking page lists plans from 33,000 yen per adult; check-in runs 15:00 to 19:00; and the English site asks foreign guests to email first, since an English speaker is not always on staff.
Shikitei at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1163 Takabatakecho, Nara City, next to Nara Park’s first torii gate |
| Rooms | 9 Japanese rooms, each for 2 guests or more |
| Check-in | 15:00–19:00 (booking page) |
| Bath | One hinoki-wood bath, up to 6 guests; 15:00–0:00 and 6:00–9:00 |
| Dinner | Yamatoji Kaiseki, served on Akahada-yaki pottery |
| Plans | From 33,000 yen (room only) to 49,500 yen (dinner and breakfast) per adult |
| Parking | Free, reservation required |
| Contact | info@shikitei.co.jp; phone +81-742-22-5531, 9:30–17:30 Japan time |
The nine rooms at Shikitei
The inn says each of its nine rooms has its own meaning, and every room takes two guests or more. You can name a room you want, but the inn notes it cannot always grant the request.
| Room | Size (tatami mats) | What the inn says |
|---|---|---|
| Zuiun | 31 + 6 | Built by shrine carpenters of Kasuga Taisha; sunken kotatsu table |
| Matsu no Ma | 15.5 + 10 | The only room on the 1st floor, with almost no steps |
| Kochu | 10 + 4.5 | Few steps; faces the Kasuga Taisha garden side, where you may meet deer in the morning |
| Kanjuan | 12.5 + 4.5 | Built like a true tea room |
| Kissho | 12.5 + 4.5 | The five-story pagoda of Kofuku-ji is visible from the anteroom |
| Kangetsu | 12.5 + 4.5 | The only room on the 3rd floor; sunken kotatsu |
| Kakusho, Yoro, Seishin | 12.5 + 6 or 4.5 | Kakusho, like Kanjuan, has a stone floor at the entrance where slippers are provided |
Which room suits guests who find stairs hard?
By the inn’s own descriptions, Matsu no Ma on the 1st floor has almost no steps, and Kochu has few. The official pages do not mention an elevator, so ask the inn if stairs are a concern.
Meals at Shikitei
What is dinner like?
Dinner is the inn’s Yamatoji Kaiseki, based on tea-ceremony kaiseki and served on Akahada-yaki, a Nara pottery counted among the Enshu seven kilns. The menu is planned to go well with sake, and the inn uses local produce where it can, with fresh seasonal food from Oyagyu in Nara. The booking page lists meals in your room or in the restaurant.
Does the menu change with the seasons?
Yes. The inn serves osechi and Nara-style zoni soup at New Year, lights a small flame on one dish during the summer Tokae candle festival, and in autumn, during the Shoso-in treasure exhibition, shapes the Shoso-in storehouse in Akahada-yaki.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
The official pages do not say. Email the inn with your needs before you book.
Can non-guests eat there?
Yes. The restaurant and private dining rooms take reservations by phone only. The restaurant is open 11:30–15:00 (last order 14:00) and 17:30–21:00 (last order 19:00).
The bath at Shikitei
When is the bath open?
The inn has one bath with a granite floor and a tub of aged hinoki cypress. It is open 15:00 to 0:00 and 6:00 to 9:00, and up to six guests can bathe at once.
Is there a private bath, and can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention a private or open-air bath, and they do not state a tattoo rule. Email the inn before you book; our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Prices, children, cancellation and payment at Shikitei
How much does a stay cost?
On the official booking page on October 21, 2026, three plans were listed, priced per adult: 33,000 yen room only, 39,600 yen with breakfast and 49,500 yen with dinner and breakfast, all as starting prices. The exact price for your dates and room shows on that page.
What do children cost?
The booking page has options for elementary-school children (a children’s dinner and the adult breakfast) and for infants (with or without meals and bedding). The official pages do not give the child prices in text; they appear when you search your dates.
What is the cancellation policy?
The official website does not state one. Read the rule on the booking page for your plan before you confirm; see our hotel cancellation guide for how fees in Japan work.
How do I pay?
The booking page lists payment at the inn or in advance by card.
Getting to Shikitei in Nara
The inn’s access page gives travel times to Nara: about 30 minutes by Kintetsu limited express from Kyoto or from Osaka, about 3 hours 30 minutes from Tokyo by shinkansen to Kyoto and then the Kintetsu limited express, and about 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagoya. By car from Osaka, it is about an hour on the Hanna Road. The official pages do not give the walking time from the station or mention a shuttle. For the trip from the capital, see our Tokyo to Nara guide.
Drivers: the access page says the car park is just past the outer wall, entered from the right side. The booking page lists it as free with a reservation. The inn stands near the Nara Park sights, including Todai-ji.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Shikitei
- Email before you book. The English site says there is not always an English speaker on staff and asks guests to contact the inn by email first: info@shikitei.co.jp.
- Phone calls are taken 9:30–17:30 Japan time.
- The booking page is in Japanese; a browser translation tool helps with plan names and options.
- Arrive between 15:00 and 19:00, and reserve parking if you drive.
- Every room is for two guests or more, so solo travelers should ask the inn first.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a night at Shikitei cost?
What time is check-in at Shikitei?
Can I contact Shikitei in English?
Can I use the bath at Shikitei with a tattoo?
Is there parking at Shikitei?
Bottom line (2026): Shikitei is a nine-room ryokan beside Nara Park’s first torii gate, with a hinoki bath and Yamatoji Kaiseki on Akahada-yaki pottery. Plans start at 33,000 yen per adult on the official booking page; email the inn first if you need English.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Shikitei’s official pages: home (Japanese), rooms, facilities and bath, cuisine, seasonal menus, access, English site and its English access page, and the official booking page. All were read on October 21, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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