Nara man’yō wakakusa no yado mikasa

We wanted to spend the BF’s birthday in a ryokan and I found this places in Nara. Since we were going there anyway, why not try this place.
It’s pricey but it’s his bday so we booked a room with a private onsen.
The ryokan provides a shuttle service from the train station but since we didn’t know what time we’d get in, so we took a taxi.
When we got there, our name was on the welcome sign, which was a nice touch. We were greeted by this really nice lady who spoke pretty good English and showed us around the property.
The room was huge! I mean, it’s bigger than what I have imagined. The private onsen was heavenly! The view was very relaxing as well. We saw a family of deer and a wild boar roaming around.
Because of the room category that we booked, we had a private room for dinner and breakfast. It was a traditional Japanese tasting course and it blew our minds! We’ve never had one before but be prepared to eat for at least 2 hours for dinner!
It was a great and unforgettable added experience to our trip in Japan!

Mikasa is a ryokan located part way up a mountain, about 10 – 15 minutes away from Nara Station (Kintetsu or JR) by car.
It’s a moderately priced place that varies in cost depending on the view, whether you want a maisonette, or an in-​room hot spring bath. For our stay, it was about ¥47 000 for two people including breakfast, dinner and a two floor room with en-​suite hot spring bath.
There was one staff member who spoke English who greeted us at the door. After she left, we were left to communicate in Japanese. However, she was able to give enough of an orientation that for many people, it would be enough. There may be some difficulties understanding the server during dinner but some gesticulation and a dictionary should suffice. I would make sure to study onset etiquette and review how to put on a Yukata if this is your first time.
The meal was amazing. It isn’t the best I’ve ever had but it was a multi course Kaiseki meal with some fantastic flavours. The standouts include the Matsutake Chawanmushi, nabe, sashimi, broiled fish… Actually it was all tasty!
Breakfast is Japanese style again and very tasty. There’s fish, okayu, rice, and tasty egg roll, miso soup, pickled vegetables and salad. It’s as well balanced as it can get.
Beds were comfy though the comforter was really thick. The pillow was like a supercharged buckwheat pillow bit with larger balls inside. I wasn’t a huge fan but it’s supposed to be good for you. There’s other types of pillows in the closet.
The onsens are gender specific and alternate daily. There’s both an indoor and outdoor bath. There’s ample toiletries for you to use including combs and razors.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable stay. there’s a decent view of Nara but there’s not much to do around the area, which was fine because there’s plenty to enjoy here.