3-Day Journey to Untapped Travel Bliss in Kyoto, Mie, and Nara via Michi-no-Eki

Kick off your day at Michi-no-Eki Ocha no Kyoto Minamiyamashiro Village, a major stop marked by 600,000 visitors annually and a number one rank nationwide in the 2024 edition of "The Ultimate Michi-no-Eki Ranking" magazine.
Bring your appetite and head over to on-site restaurant, Murafudo Shokudo Tsuchi-no-Ubu. This is the spot to find Ocha-zukushi Gozen, a luxe set meal complete with deliciously tea-based delights including matcha-infused tea soba noodles, matcha tempura rice bowl, seasonal side dishes, and salad topped with matcha dressing.
You can also swing by earlier for breakfast from 8:00–9:30 on weekdays and 7:30am–9:30am on weekends and holidays, making this a great breakfast shoe-in for the next day.
Top off lunch with a little reward and bite of dessert over at Mura Chaya, a tea spot also found inside. The menu hear sings with Mura-cha tea, featuring seasonal treats like matcha soft serve ice cream and chilled sweet red bean soup, especially delightful during warmer months.
Once all said and done, be sure to drop into Nomon Market, a spot for all original "Mura-cha" tea goods and freshly harvested local vegetables.

Minamiyamashiro Village is ideally suited for tea cultivation due to its climate and terrain, lending to its over 230+ year title as a famed region for Uji tea. Even today, a visit will reveal some 50 different households that still cultivate tea across approximately 204 hectares of tea plantations, contributing to 20–30% of Kyoto Prefecture’s total tea production.
The new tea season (late April to early May) transforms the tea fields into a tranquil landscape, filled only with the gentle sounds of birdsong. Visitors are welcome to book a tea-picking tour and experience the luxury of hand-picking fresh tea leaves that you can taste immediately afterward.
There are also property tours available over at Tsujimoto Tea Factory, offering guests a close-up look on how tea is made from leaf to cup. Tea produced at the Tsujimoto Tea Factory can also be purchased at Michi-no-Eki Ocha-no-Kyoto Minamiyamashiro Village.

Accomodation’s on the first night are booked at Fairfield by Marriott Kyoto Minamiyamashiro, conveniently located just next door to the Michi-no-Eki. In the lobby you’ll find wall-to-wall warm vibes from Minamiyamashiro Village thanks to photographs of tea fields, local natural landscapes, and attractions. It also features tea mills, tea sets, and books about tea, creating a space deeply connected to the region's tea culture.
Depending on the room, your window may just open to picturesque views of sprawling tea plantations. If the timing’s right you might just catch a peek of the tea plants in Kabuse-cha (“shade-grown” tea) mode, where the fields are draped with protective black squares.
The hotel's marketplace sells original puddings and pound cakes from Michi-no-Eki, along with local tea from Minamiyamashiro Village and craft beers from the surrounding area so you can truly taste the region before even stepping out of the front door.

Just about a 30-minute drive from Minamiyamashiro Village you’ll find Sakagura Rikako, the direct sales outlet of the renowned Ota Sake Brewery in Iga. This age-old brewery produces the acclaimed label “Hanzo” and other flavorful sake primarily using sake rice grown in Mie and Iga that’s specially tailored to Iga's local climate.
Many know the lineup here thanks to the sought after Junmai Daiginjo Migaki 40, a label famously served to world leaders at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit. Sip this prestigious sake and savor the differing notes of the many sake varieties sold here.

As sake tasting time comes to a close its time to head over to Uda City in Nara Prefecture. Pop over in an hour to find Uda Yakuto-no-Yado Yatakiya, a centuries-old, authentic thatched-roof hotel and restaurant renovated from a 300-year-old traditional Japanese farmhouse. Many known for flora of Uda is packed with wild medicinal herbs, with green stars like Yamato-toki (Angelica acutiloba) providing the herbal retreat at Yatakiya via rejuvenating food and mindful moments.
At the restaurant you’ll find a savory flair for creative Italian lunches infused with medicinal herbs. The menu features two main course options: the pasta-focused "Yawora Course" and the meat-focused "Tamahi Course”. Both offer an edible celebration of organic and pesticide-free vegetables grown locally in Nara, meaning you get the best of natural ingredients that taste the way they should.
Complement your meal with Kiraku Cola, a craft cola made from Yamato-toki leaves and blended with nine types of warming, natural spices. Rich in vitamin E, it offers a spicy yet gentle taste beneficial for the body.
The restaurant is open to non-staying guests as well. If booked for overnight, guests are welcome to join an exclusive "Kanten-Boki Tour," following a sage local guide on a trek through the nearby natural landscape, shrines, and farms. This trek offers full immersion into the tapestry of medicinal plants and herbs, showcasing the fabric of their history and a tradition of healing down passed down through generations.
If time allows, spending a night at Uda Yakuto-no-Yado Yatakiya will truly enhance an unforgettable herbal retreat.

Your accommodation for the second night is Fairfield by Marriott Nara Tenri Yamanobenomichi, located about a 50-minute drive from Uda Yakuto-no-Yado Yatakiya. This hotel is conveniently adjacent to the Michi-no-Eki Nara Prefecture Historical and Artistic Culture Complex in Tenri City, Nara Prefecture.
Step inside to find a superior stay that brims with a sense of calm, thanks to photographs of Nara's landscapes and cultural heritage and traditional craftworks across the property. At the on-site marketplace you’ll find a curated selection of local treats such as Nara sweets, craft beers, and cider, perfect for enjoying leisurely in your room or the lobby lounge.
The lobby lounge is open 24 hours and features complimentary coffee, a microwave, toaster oven, and ice machine, ideal for enjoying meals or snacks purchased nearby.
For breakfast on your third day, reserve a breakfast box featuring local delicacies such as Nara’s famous persimmon-leaf sushi, Narazuke pickles, and sesame tofu.

Follow a local guide on a stroll along the acclaimed 6-kilometer southern route section from Isonokami Jingu Shrine to Chogaku-ji Temple. This ancient trail connects Nara City to Sakurai City and offers numerous historical highlights.
Visit the Isonokami Jingu Shrine, dedicated to the deities involved in Japan's founding, and the charming Yatogi Shrine, renowned for its traditional thatched-roof worship hall. Along the way, you'll encounter several ancient burial mounds ("kofun"), small roadside stalls selling local fruits and vegetables, and opportunities to interact with residents.
To fully enjoy Yamanobe-no-Michi, we recommend a local guide through our favorite portal below.

Cap off your walk with a final stop at Michi-no-Eki Nara Prefecture Historical and Artistic Culture Complex. You’ll find four fascinating buildings to explore on site:
・Community Building: hub for shops and restaurants.
・Art and Culture Experience Building: see artists-in-residence as they create their work.
・Cultural Asset Restoration and Exhibition Building: rare chance to see the restoration workshops used for the nation’s cultural assets.
・Information Building: comprehensive travel tips for tourists in Nara.
Step through these buildings for an up-close look at Nara's celebrated history, art, and culinary culture. The highlight here is Japan’s first year-round public viewing of restoration workshops covering four fields: historical buildings, archaeological artifacts, paintings and calligraphy, plus Buddhist sculptures. You can view restoration work behind glass, explore special exhibitions, or even participate in hands-on programs.
To cap off all the fun, the village even keeps a restaurants that serves delicious plates made with local Nara ingredients and shops with regional goods so you can head home satisfied.