We're looking for three groups to try The Other Nara
The guided drive is on us for the next three groups who run it with us — normally ¥20,000.
We introduced The Other Nara in June — a private guided drive into Oku-Yamato for guests staying three nights or more. It has been on our plan list since then, and now we'd like to run it with a few people before it settles into a routine.
So: for the next three groups, the drive is free. Normally ¥20,000. Everything else about your stay is unchanged — you book as usual.
How the day works
Before the day, we'll send you a short form. Tell us what you're drawn to — mountains, water, ruins, food, walking, doing very little — and we'll build the route around that. We leave the house at 10:00 and are back around 17:00, having visited three or four places at a pace that lets you actually be somewhere rather than pass through.
Gojo sits in the middle of it. Koyasan is about an hour from the house, the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails 45 minutes, Yoshino 30 — all part of one UNESCO World Heritage listing across the Kii mountains. And Asuka, the ancient capital 25 minutes north, joined the World Heritage list itself this July. We won't cover them all in a day, and the quiet places in between are often the better part of it.
Details
- Free for the next three groups. Normally ¥20,000 per group
- Available on stays of 3 nights or more — this is a condition of the plan itself, not of the trial
- Up to 4 guests, in English
- Any day of your stay except the day you arrive
- Your lunch and any entrance fees are not included
- We go ahead in light rain. In winter some mountain roads are closed or icy, so the route shifts accordingly
- For stays through 31 March 2027
What we'd ask in return
Tell us honestly what worked and what didn't. Ten minutes of conversation after the day is enough — we'd rather hear the awkward parts than the polite ones. If you take photos along the way and you're happy for us to use one or two, that helps, but it is entirely optional.
To take one of the three, book your stay and let us know. We'll be in touch to work out the day.