Eat -Restaurants-

Tsubaichi Cafe, Inukai Man'yo Memorial Hall（つばいちカフェ 犬養万葉記念館） Renovated memorial museum celebrating the work of Takashi Inukai, one of the top researchers of Manyoshu poetry and an honored citizen of Asuka-mura. Mr. Inukai traveled all over Japan to visit the places related to the Manyoshu and was an advocate for the topography of manyo. Not only can you enjoy the scroll writings, book collections, and videos of Mr Inukai, who made the world of Manyo known widely to many people by his unique chanting of Manyoshu, but at the Tsubaichi Cafe you can also try 'omurice’ (700 yen), or omelet with locally grown rice cooked in tomato sauce, as well as other light foods and drinks. At this charming remodeled space that was once the Nanto Bank Asuka Branch, you can immerse yourself in the world of Manyoshu. Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Information desk open until 4:30 PM) Closed: Wednesday Free admission Access: Take the Asuka Excursion Bus at Asuka Station or Kintetsu Kashihara Jingumae Station (east exit) and get off at "Okadera-mae" TEL: 0744-54-9300 Address: 1150 Oka, Asuka-mura Hours: 10:00 - 17:00

Café Kotodama (cafe ことだま) Address:1223 oka Asuka-mura TEL/FAX:0744-54-4010 Opening hours: 10:00 - 17:00(Sat./Sun./National Holiday - 18:00) (Luch time 11:00 - 14:00 LO) (Tea time 14:00 to closing time, LO 30 mins before closing) Closed: Tuesdays and the third Wednesday of every month. (If it falls on a national holiday, please contact us for the availability.) Parking: 12 cars (the east of the cafe) A couple was enchanted by Asuka Village, moved to Asuka and opened this café Kotodama. They moved again, and reopened the cafe in March, 2016 near Ishi-butai Tumulus at the Oka area. They renovated a 40-year-old house and created a "home sweet home" atmosphere. Kotodama lunch set (1,620 yen, tax included): We buy fresh vegetables every morning at the local farmers’ market. Our Kotodama lunch has all the delicacies of Asuka, including Yamato chicken - the more you chew, the tastier it becomes - mild soy sauce, and delicious rice. Kotodama lunch set is limited in quantity, so please phone us for reservation before you come. After 2:00 pm, you can enjoy eating natural organic sweets as well. WEBSITE

Kokkoro Café(コッコロ＊カフェ) Address: 137-1 Misono Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-3039 Opening hours: 8:00 - 18:59 (Lunch until 14;59) Closed: Wednesday Capacity: up to 40 people Wheelchair accessible. Parking: 10 cars Bicycle parking available Our basic idea is "the cafe to serve good tea, sweets and snacks made from flour" Breakfast set (570 yen): freshly baked breads each morning and salad with fresh local vegetable. Lunch set (1,030 yen): all made from the scratch, fresh seasonal ingredients and rice with 15 different grains. Weekly menu. We also serve various kinds of sweets. Depending on the time you visit, you can enjoy different varieties of food. Woody atmosphere, high ceiling and open space. You can spend relaxing time here and enjoy chatting with your friends. WEBSITE

Coffee-kan Misono(珈琲館 御園) Address: 1-1 Misono Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-3386 Opening Hours：8:00 - 18:00 Closed: Friday Capacity: up to 50 people Wheelchair accessible Parking: 10 cars Bicycle parking available. We use coffee beans roasted with charcoal, and carefully brew it through the process of steaming to a siphon extraction instrument. We serve coffee with rich taste and moderate bitterness. We also serve delicious meals and tempting sweets. Breakfast set (drink price + 130 yen): drink, salad, boiled egg and a choice of bread: thick and fluffy toast or walnut raisin bread. (Picture 1 is one example of the morning sets). Asuka Zenzai (picture 1, rear: 700 yen) is sweet red bean soup with mochi (homemade rice cakes) and Maccha (green tea powder ground with stone mills). You can enjoy the exquisite balance between the bitterness of Macha and sweetness of homemade red bean paste. Smoking permitted. WEBSITE

Chanko nabe (Sumo Wrestlers' Hot Pot Dish) Yozaemon(ちゃんこ鍋 与左衛門) Address: 11-6 Koshi Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-4351 Opening Hours：11:00 ～21:00 Closed on Thursday Capacity: up to 70 people Parking: 5 cars Every morning we make homemade udon noodles. Our udon noodles are very chewy. Big size Kitsune Udon (600 yen): udon noodles with special big size sweet-salty deep-fried tofu. For parties, we recommend the Chanko nabe (Sumo Wrestlers' Hot Pot) with various vegetables. Oden (100 yen each): homemade chicken meatballs stewed with Shikoku Island soy sauce and various kinds of vegetables (including Japanese radish). We are located in front of the station. Thus, while you wait for trains, you can get kushi katsu (100 yen deep fried meat and vegetables) to eat or you can come here and enjoy as an izakaya.

Hidamari café Asuka(ひだまりcafe あすか) Address: 17 Koshi Asuka-mura Opening Hours: 11:00 am〜5:00 pm (lunch time 11:00 am 〜 2:00 pm) Closed on Wednesday and first Tuesday TEL･FAX：0744-54-3017 E-Mail：pension.asuka@hera.eonet.ne.jp Parking: 1 van and 10 cars available to park Parking available Wheelchair accessible Home page Hidamari café Asuka is located in Pension Asuka. There are various kinds of delicious items on the menu such as Napoli style pizza, black rice curry and more. Hidamari café lunch is one of the most popular items on the menu. Every 2 weeks, the menu of the changes. This lunch set contains various kinds of local vegetables, desserts and drinks. Our menu limited in quantity, so we recommend you make a reservation on weekends. We guarantee to satisfy your appetite.

Sen Bazuru(せんＢａづる) Address: 55-105 Hinokuma Asuka-mura TEL: 0744-54-5068 Opening hours: 11:30～14:00、17:30～24:00 Closed on Sunday Modern Japanese-style drinking/dining restaurant. We offer a delicious lunch set with various local seasonal Asuka-area vegetables. At a price of only 1,200 yen. (Picture 3) Starting with fresh raw fish, assorted tempura, seasonal vegetables and/or meats grilled on beautiful earthenware ceramics, tofu-based Japanese tapas (fresh from local tofu specialty store), and more, this dish will definitely satisfy your appetite, Another recommended lunch would be the large deep-fried shrimp tempura lunch set. At night, prices range around 3,000 yen and you can enjoy Japanese-style tapas and sake.

Cafe Asuka-ji Tabi no Eki by Ishida Store(明日香路 旅の駅　石田商店) Address: 44-1 Kawahara Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-2035 FAX：0744-54-2675 Opening hours: 9:00〜18:00 Closed: Wednesday Parking available Wheelchair accessible. Vending machines available Ice cream flavored with local Asuka vegetables and fruits are very popular. (Single size : 360 yen +) You can enjoy different flavors in each season. For example, Asuka strawberries (called Asuka Ruby), a great mixture with sweet and sour tastes. Black rice; you would love its texture as if the rice pops when you eat it. Other seasonal vegetable flavors should not be missed such as purple sweet potato and spinach. Light meals are available as well. We also deals in drinks and souvenirs. Please feel free to just pop in.

Café Tachibana(軽食・喫茶 たちばな) Address: 745 Tachibe Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-5610 ‎ Open：11:00～17:00(L.O.16:30) Closed on Monday (open if it is a National holiday) Wheelchair-users accessible, parking lot available: 1 Bus, 80 Cars Location: In the Health and Welfare Centre In the Health and Welfare Centre, there are hot springs known-as "Taishino-yu" which heal and cure travelers from fatigue. Why don't you try the hot springs and have some good food here? From our menu we can recommend the following specialties for you: "Mukashi-gohan Teishoku (set): 680yen" served with seasonal vegetable tempura, black rice, dessert and more. We provide great snacks for you to purchase, which would definitely satisfy your appetite after enjoying the hot springs. Karaoke and party rooms are available (reservation required). Also, there is pick-up service available from the nearest station if there are more than 10 people.

Traditional Local Food Yumeichi-chaya(夢市茶屋) Address: 154-3 Shimashou Asukamura TEL：0744-54-9450 FAX：0744-54-5505 Opening hours：11:00～16:00 (weekends and holidays open until 17:00) Open everyday Parking lot:10 cars Home page This farm village style restaurant is located near Ishibutai Kofun Tumulus. Local home made dishes served with wild rice and seasonal vegetables. We support the idea of "local production for local consumption". We recommend "Kodaimai Gozen (Wild Rice set menu) 1,080 yen" Picture 3 Red rice and black rice, various kinds of vegetables, tofu made from "Yoshino-kuzu" and soy milk, you will definitely enjoy not just the taste of this food but also the texture. In winter, "Asuka-nabe" is available The souvenir store is a must-see: "Asuka-no Yume-ichi -Yume Market" on the ground floor.

Asukano(あすか野) Address: 165-1 Shimashou Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-4466 FAX：0744-54-3883 Opening hours：11:00〜15:00（Meal）、9:00～17:00（souvenior shops） No scheduled holidays Capacity: up to 174 people Parking lot: 5 buses and 20 cars Vending machines available Home page This restaurant is located near Ishibutai. If you can make a reservation three days before you visit, you can enjoy the "Kodai-shoku," which is an Asuka-area original dish served with Asuka vegetables. Picture 1 is "Asuka no Utage 3,500yen(tax excluded)." This is a classic dish created from a historical recipe. It comes with traditional cheese, uncut boiled ret trout (Amago), red-rice noodles, grilled wild pig with miso, "Nigori-shu (unrefined sake), and more. You can enjoy an ancient adventure with simple but sophisticated food. Reservation required. Red-rice onigiri, Makunouchi Bento Box is alsoavailable(Seasonal price).

Hyaku Zushi(百寿司) Address: 1156 oka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-2028 Opening hours：10:00〜18:00 Closed: Tuesday and Wednesday. Capacity: up to 20 people Parking: 5 cars This local sushi restaurant has been running its business for 40 years, and it’s been popular among locals. Also provides catering services. Hyaku Zushi restaurant serves fresh fish and seafood and the best priced sushi - 8 pieces of sushi for 900 yen (tax included ) - made with delicious sticky "Hinohikari" rice grown in Asuka. There are various kinds of set menus. The most popular menu is the salad-roll sushi set with egg omelet and lettuce and with shrimp and cucumbers (970 yen: picture 1) Juicy fried chicken seasoned with special homemade sauce is also recommended. Our chef is very friendly. You will definitely have a wonderful time here, even when you visit alone. Both tables with chairs and tables on tatami-mat floors are available.

Café Sanpo(珈琲「さんぽ」) Address: 55-4 Oka Asuka-mura TEL・FAX : 0744-41-6115 Opening Hours : October-February 10:00 - 17:00(L.O.16:30) March-September 10:00 - 18:00(L.O.17:30) Closed: Thursday and Friday (open if it falls on a national holiday) Also closed for winter and summer holidays. Capacity: up to 14 people. Parking: 4 cars This small, cute café is a renovated old Japanese traditional house. Once you step in, you will enjoy the aroma of coffee. We serve fresh and high quality coffee locally roasted beans. Green tea chiffon cake is soft and delicious. (420 yen; if you order with coffee, 50 yen discounted) For your lunch, try Kainan Chicken Rice (Hainan Chi Han) cooked in chicken soup (1000 yen, limited in quantity). You can enjoy relaxing time with great food. You can enjoy breakfast and also buy coffee beans (per gram). Please make a reservation in advance for Kainan Chicken Rice (Hainan Chi Gan) and Chicken Curry Rice (1000 yen) for lunch (11:00 am-3:00 pm) . WEBSITE

Mendoya(めんどや) Address: 40 oka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-2055 Opening hours: 11:00〜till sold out Open everyday Capacity: up to 100 people Parking lot: 5 Buses, 10 cars available to park This is a famous long-standing historical restaurant where you can enjoy local food from Asuka village and Nara prefecture. The food is all home made with organic vegetables and natural well water. We do not use any chemical condiments. Homemade rich sesame tofu or warabi-mochi are popular souvenirs. Although advance reservation is required, it is definitely worth to trying "Asuka nabe (3,780 yen per person)," which contains fresh milk and chicken soup. "Asuka nabe" is a traditional dish: it is a cream soup stewed in fresh milk with seasonal vegetables and local chicken. The set course menu has boiled seasonal vegetables, kakinoha-zushi (mackerel fish sushi wrapped with persimmon leaves), sesame tofu, warabi-mochi, and fruit. A reservation is required for two or more persons. 3,780yen per person. ★ "Hyoutan Bento (1,620 yen)" is a bento box in which you can enjoy Asuka seasonal vegetables with reasonable price. "Hyoutan Bento" is very popular among female tourists. It contains more than 20 varieties of side dishes made with local Asuka vegetables, deep-fried vegetables, meats and more. Advanced reservation is recommended.

French-Japanese Fusion Restaurant Haru(創作フレンチ 榛) Address: 385-2 Oka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-4575（priority seats require a reservation） Opening hours:11:00～15:00、17:00～21:00 Closed on Monday (open on National holidays) Home page The chef, who has experience with a famous 5-star hotel, provides you healthy French-style fusion cuisine. We serve simple but delicious French-Japanese fusion cuisine, made with regional Asuka vegetables. Everyone will enjoy our special soy-based sauce. In the set course menu, you can enjoy various varieties of Japanese-style food, starting from boiled seasonal vegetables, Japanese mini bowl dishes, sashimi, rice, and Japanese pickles, You can enjoy the lovely French-Japanese fusion cuisine while relaxing in a Japanese-style room "Hori-gotatsu," where you can stretch your legs out beneath the table. Two lunch set courses are available for either 3,800 yen or 5,800 yen. Dinner set courses start from 6,800 yen

Imanishi-Seishin-Dou(今西誠進堂) Address: 383-4 Oka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-5288 Opening hours: 9:00〜17:00 Closed: Tuesday Category: Japanese sweets 0744-54-5288 Imanishi-Seishin-Dou is a very popular confectioner of Japanese sweets. They have their stores in Ohyodo and Yoshino. One of their specialty sweets is Yaki-mochi (90 yen per piece), a grilled rice cake with Hokkaido red-bean paste inside which are carefully cooked with granulated sugar in house. This is the most popular souvenir because it stays fresh and soft with elegant sweetness for a long time. In the store you can also enjoy Mitarashi, small rice cakes on a skewer with sweet soy sauce glaze. During autumn and winter, you can enjoy Kimtsuba (chestnuts), sweetened red-beans wrapped in wheat-flour dough. In spring time, you can enjoy Yomogi-mochi, rice cakes mixed with mugwort.

Sankirai(山帰来) Address: 66-1 Asuka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-3218 Opening Hours：11:30～14:30（Closed when sold out） Closed on Monday - Wedensday.（Open on National holidays） The soba noodle here is very thin but al dente texture. You can enjoy the wonderful soba scent. Most of customers are amazed how smooth this soba noodle is, even though the noodles are made from 100 percent buckwheat flour. The chief believes "The most important ingredient for soba is the quality of the buckwheat flour," and he grinds just enough buckwheat flour for a day's use. He has a secret recipe that grinds the flour roughly to keep the soba al dente and chewy. You will enjoy the crispy deep-fried sakura shrimp tempura and rarely found purple radish, called "Karami-daikon," with special sweet sauce. A special set is available during lunch: "Mini Hiruzen lunch set (1,650 yen)" which has buckwheat dough in soup and a choice of desserts: buckwheat ice cream, buckwheat rice cake or rice.

Japanese Restaurant Hagiou(日本料理 萩王) Address: 180 Asuka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-3688 (advance reservation needed) FAX：0744-54-5488 Opening hours　11:30～15:10、17:30～20:30 No scheduled holiday Capacity: up to 25 people. Parking: 3 cars Home Page This restaurant offers you unique Japanese cuisine, which will give you a different impression from typical Japanese food. There are various kinds of delicious items on the menu such as slowly smoked Yamato-beef sushi (smoked with low temperature), Yamato-pork spare ribs, ground green pea rice (jade green in color) and more. You will also enjoy the color of the dishes. "Fuku Midori", Macha green tea, Bavarian pudding, and Japanese-brown-sugar jelly are the most popular sweets made by the daughter of the owner, who is an expert in Japanese-style French confectionery. Two set lunch courses are available for 3,780 yen and 6,800 yen. Set dinner courses start from 6,800 yen (picture 3 is one example from the set course menu).

Lodge Hotel Iwaidosou(祝戸荘) Address: 303 Iwaido Asuka-mura Tel：0744-54-3551 Advanced reservation is required. Restaurant opens 11:30 am〜2:00 pm (open only when reservation is made). Closed on New Year's Day. Home Page Lodge Hotel Iwaidosou is the only hotel located inside Asuka National Historical Government Park Hall. You will enjoy the sound of the Asuka River and the views of Tounomine mountains in the east as well as traditional farm houses and terraced rice fields below our building. Iwaidosou is located in the center of Asuka, easy access to sightseeing spots, but yet very quiet. Iwaidosou is one of the great places for school/corporate training or sightseeing, full of historical atomosphere of Manyou remains. We welcome everyone. You can access sightseeing spots easily, spend a peaceful time with friends and family, and use the facility for corporate training and school trips. Our restaurant is open for outside guests as well. Please feel free to visit us. You can try our most popular dish "Manyou Asukaha Mori Gozen (Kodai Shoku)"

Café Restaurant Oku-Asuka Sarara(奥明日香さらら) Address：137 Kayanomori Asuka- mura TEL･FAX：0744-54-5005 Resavations are required Opening hours：11:00〜16:00 Closed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 　 Closed during winter holiday (From December 21 through the end of February), and summer holiday (From 1st to 31th August) *May be closed temporary during the regular season. Parking lot: 3 cars Home Page Oku-Asuka is located in southeast of Asuka village area. The area which includes three villages: Inabuchi, Kayamori and Nyuudani. This area is famous for the path which Emperor Tenmu and Jito used when they went to Yoshinomiya-taki (waterfall) 1,300 years ago. Our café 's name "Sarara" came from "Uno-no-Sarara-no-Himehiko," who was one of Emperor Jito's Princesses. We renovated a Japanese traditional house into a café. We serve fresh local vegetables as well as vegetables from the nearby mountains. Please feel yourself at home and enjoy the peacefulness of our place. (Please contact our cafe via phone before your visit.)

Goma Dango Maru-ya(ごま団子 MARU 屋) Address：2-2 Misono Asuka- mura TEL･FAX：0744-54-5558 Opening Hours：11:00〜18:00 (Limited quantity. Available until sold out) Closed on irregular. Parking: 10 cars Home Page Goma Dango specialty store: you can choose various flavors. Made on-order style. You will enjoy choosing from a wide variety of flavors and products such as black sesame candy, green-tea Macha, custard with vanilla beans and sweet potato. Our chewy Mochi made with wild rice offers a crispy joy for your mouth. Our mochi size is small and reasovable price. If you buy one or two, it will be 80 yen per mochi. If you buy three to nine, it will be 70 yen per mochi, and if you buy more than ten, it will be 65 yen per mochi. We would like you to enjoy our mochi in as many flavors as you can.

Satoyama Traditional Food Restaurant Okumura(里山料理 おく村) Address：397 Abeyama Asuka- mura TEL･FAX：0744-54-4670（Advance reservation is required three days before your visit.） Opening Hours：12:00～15:00（Reservation is required for dinner if you are a party of more than six. ） Closed on Thursday Capacity: up to 12 people Parking: 1 van and 6 cars You can enjoy beautiful views from our restaurant which reminds you of days gone by. There are terraced rice-fields surrounded by beautiful mountains. We offer you Kyofu Kaiseki Bento (Kyoto-style Bento Box). You will also enjoy the beautifully designed Japanese traditional-style garden. Picture 3: Price: 3,500 yen. You will enjoy our delicious food prepared with Asuka vegetables and fruits, rice and other seasonal cuisine. Advanced reservations are required due to our intensive preparation (we serve more than 15 dishes in our set course). We have received lots of positive feedback from our customers, for example "Very delicious! The portion size and taste were perfect!" Most of our customers come again.

Café Furatto (Cafe歩楽都) Address：115 Kawahara Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-4151 Opening hours：9:00～18:00（Morning until 11:00、Lunch time 11:30～14:00） No scheduled holiday Home Page Our special herb tea is very popular. Our aroma-therapist blends the herbs and creates special original and organic teas. We have a variety of menu items including "Osusume Lunch" (1,000 yen,) "Original blended coffee" (400 yen), "Homemade Cake" (350 yen), and more. You will relax in our wooden, well scented place. Our café also offers great views over Asuka village.

Hana-Tsubaki, Kawara-dera Temple (川原寺 花つばき) Address：1109 Kawahara Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-2043 FAX：0744-54-3035 Opening Hours：11:00-16:00 Closed: Monday to Friday（Could be opened by reservation.Contact us for availability during holidays.） Capacity: up to 50 people Parking: please use the nearby toll car park. Kawara-dera Temple has a long, honorable history dating back to the Asuka period. Our restaurant is located near the main hall of Kawara-dera Temple. You can enjoy the great food as well as the great scenery of Kagu-yama and Miwa-yama mountains. Mugi-toro Gozen (barley rice lunch set: 1,500 yen) includes barley mixed rice with an extra topping of grated yam, soy-sauce stewed river fish and cooked vegetables. More casual menu items are available, such as Udon. Our customers normally stay longer than they have expected. We welcome you to enjoy relaxing time here with the amazing mountain scenery. You can have a nice view of Amanokaguyama mountain in a spacious tatami-mat room (Japanese-style floor covered with straw mats). Our most popular dish is Mugi-Toro Gozen. Please call us anytime for further information. We look forward to serving you.

Zen(膳) Address： 660 Asuka Asuka-mura TEL：0744-54-5555 Opening Hours：11:00～14:30、17:00～22:00 No scheduled holiday Zen is a cozy Japanese restaurant which is renovated from a traditional Japanese house. Zen restaurant provides decent prices with high quality food close to hotel cuisine and definitely better than Izakaya/ Japanese bar style restaurant food. Asuka Kamameshi is rice cooked with juicy Yamatonikudori chicken and vegetables in a small pot. Picture 3: Yamato-gozen (3,780 yen) With Kama-meshi For dinner there are various menu items available including Kaiseki-ryori (set dinner course with various dishes made from local vegetables) as well as Japanese à‐la‐carte dishes. Everything goes well with sake.

Art Studio Yume-Akari(アトリエ夢灯り) Address：42-7 Shimashou Asuka-mura TEL･FAX：0744-54-5432 Opening hours：11:00～17:00 Open only on weekends and national holidays from March to May and September to November. Capacity: up to 16 people Parking lot：5 cars After a long walk around Asuka Village, we believe that Art Studio Yume-Akari is the best place you can relax. Our atmosphere with warm and cozy lighting leads you to back to childhood. You can also find lovely accessories for sale as well as small furniture, picture frames, and more　made of recycled materials. Café menu: blended Coffee (300 yen) and homemade cake set (500 yen) Open only on weekends and national holidays. However, depending on the month, we also take irregular holidays. Please check the schedule before you visit.

Murou Natural Yeast Bread Café Sizin(室生天然酵母パン　パンカフェ Sizin) 〒634-0103 Address：10 Asuka Asuka-mura TEL 0744-54-4154 In Manyo Cultural Hall Home Page Murou Natural Yeast Bread Café Sizin is located in the Manyo Cultural Hall. We provide bread made with Muro natural yeast and fresh local Asuka vegetables. We provide Dutch coffee (coffee from room temperature water) and various kinds of tea. You can enjoy lunch and afternoon tea. Our atmosphere is like going on a picnic, very relaxed. Please feel free to visit our café Sizin.

Chari-chari（茶りちゃり） Address: 1217 Oka, Asuka-mura, Takaichi-gun, Nara Phone: 0744-47-2090 Hours: weekdays: 10:00 – 16:00 (lunch available 11:30 – 14:00) Saturdays/Sundays: 10:00 – 17:00 (lunch available 11:30 – 14:30) Closed: Wednesdays, 2nd/3rd Tuesdays Parking: 3 cars Bike Parking: available “I want to offer our customers the taste I love and have long accustomed to.” That’s why we have ‘tea porridge’ in our menu. This rice porridge with roasted tea is made from the scratch for each order. You can savor its silky texture and the rich aroma of roasted tea . The lunch of the week comes with many obanzai (home-style cooking) dishes made with locally-grown vegetables, such as pan-fried ginger pork and Japanese mustard spinach lightly-cooked in soy sauce-flavored broth. Take off your shoes to enter the dining room, and you can be fully relaxed. The sundry goods and jewelries of local artists are displayed on the shelves in the restaurant. We also offer the shelf spaces for artists to rent and hold various workshops as well.

Asuka no Shokutaku (あすかの食卓) Location: 631 Asuka, Asuka Village, Takaichi District, Nara Prefecture, Japan TEL: 0744-54-3699 (Reservation required) Lunch: 11:00 - 16:00 Dinner: 18:00 - 22:00 Closed irregularly. Parking: 5 cars A female chef, who has made cooking her life's work for over 40 years, started this restaurant with her husband. Leisurely pass the time while you savor the chef's lavish full-course meals (Lunch starts at ¥3,300. Dinner starts at ¥5,400 for a party of 5 or more). Thanks to the local farmers producing new varieties of vegetables, she is able to work with almost 100 different ingredients. Her meals begin with a soup that aims to increase your metabolism, so even when full, you feel light after the meal. Her food improves your health and invigorates you. Her thoughtful actions, such as changing the plates to suit the character of her customers, allows you to happily enjoy your time at her restaurant.

Poca frere (ポカ フレール) Address: 51-1 Shimanosho, Asuka Village, Takaichi-Gun, Nara Prefecture (In Asuka Yume-no-jun Saikan). Hours: 11:30 to 17:00 (Varies, depending on the season. Please contact us for more details.) Closed: Wednesday Phone: 080-3101-7888 Parking: 5 cars The name of this restaurant, "Poka Freres" embodies what the Chef wishes for each of his customers-- "May my food warm both your body and your heart." ("Poka" is part of what is considered an onomatopoeic Japanese expression, "poka poka", which attempts to convey the feeling of "being warm" ) His cuisine which uses the seasonal vegetables of Asuka Village, is deep in flavor, while being gentle to the palate. The lunch menu consists of three choices: 1) "Hometown Asuka one-plate lunch" which comes with a choice of meat or fish or hamburger for its main "dish"; 2) "Asuka vegetables and scallop au gratin" and "spaghetti with Asuka vegetables and crisp bacon". (1,000 yen each). The home-made desserts, such as pound cakes,, are also popular.

Café Hisohiso（Café ひそひそ） Address: 540 Koshi, Asuka-mura, Takaichi-gun, Nara Phone/Fax: 0744-54-5630 Hours: 9:00 – 17:00 (last order at 16:30) Serves breakfast from 9:00 – 11:00 Closed: Tuesday/ Wednesday Parking: 15 cars Since April, 2015. The name “Hisohiso” reflects the owner’s wish to offer “space to quietly and leisurely spend time, just as if you were at your hermitage”. The retro-inspired interior décor creates peaceful atmosphere with the hand-crafted tables and chairs. Serves mainly home-made sweets such as cakes with seasonal fruits whose rich and gentle taste is just comforting. Their baked goods are also great to bring back home. WEBSITE

Asuka Curry Café（飛鳥カリーカフェ） As a graduate of "ASUCOME", a store that helps new shop owners get their start, they opened this cafe in the fall of 2015. After many long years of research, they have created a curry using 25 spices and locally grown vegetables that perfectly balances fruity sweetness with spicy hotness. With no oils or salt added, this curry is healthy and has a light aftertaste. In addition to the Kame-ishi Curry (800 yen), with its 16-grain rice shaped like the Kame-ishi stone, they now have new desserts in their menu. As a lively space where you can enjoy hobbies, culture, and food, various events will be held on the second floor, such as culture classes and gallery exhibits. Address: 11-4 Koshi, Asuka-mura, Takaichi-gun, Nara Hours: 11:00 - 19:00 Closed: Thursdays and the 2nd/ 4th Wednesdays

Assiette M（アシェットM） They serve pastas, French toasts, and desserts which are made from seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in Asuka-mura . The store’s name "Assiette" comes from the French word meaning "dish", accompanied by the initial letter M from the owner’s name, Mitsui. They wish the name to associate their intentions with each and every dish. They also offer a lunch set (1,000 yen) that comes with a salad, dessert, soup, and drink. Address: 411-1 Oka Asuka-mura (inside ASUCOME and next to Manyo Bunkakan) TEL: 0744-54-3455 (Main) Hours: April – November / 11:00 - 17:00 December – March / 11:00 - 16:00 Closed: Monday (open if it is a national holiday) Parking: shared with Nara Manyo Bunkakan

Ramen Waoh Noodle Shop（麺屋 倭王） Ramen restaurant opened in November 2016. Enjoy the relaxing Japanese atmosphere inside this traditional old house. Try the owner's recommended Chicken and Pork Broth with its light chicken flavor and rich pork-bone taste. Goes perfectly with its thick noodles. You can also enjoy a variety of other flavors, such as the Salted Sea Bream Soba with its strong sea bream aroma, or the Chicken Chintan Ramen with its concentrated chicken flavor. Business days are irregular so please call before visiting. Address: 551 Sakata Asuka-mura TEL: 080-3304-5639 Open irregularly (call or check our Facebook) Hours: 11:30 - 14:30 No parking