Date visited: September 4, 2026 (Fri)
Weather: Rain
Before work.
Time to find some breakfast.
A Morning in Nara, Before Work
This trip to Nara was a business trip with one extra day added for travel.
This morning, I had work.
But—
breakfast doesn’t have to be in work mode too.
Breakfast wasn’t included at my hotel.
There was a Starbucks downstairs, with its entrance outside.
Convenient.
But that felt a little boring.
Since I’m in Nara, I might as well enjoy breakfast too.
On my way to work, I found
Ohana-san no Omusubiya,
a small shop specializing in Japanese rice balls.
The Hana Musubi Set
I ordered the
Hana Musubi Set — ¥850.
It came with two omusubi rice balls, miso soup, a small piece of grilled fish, pickles, and tsukudani.
You can choose two rice balls from six varieties.
I chose:
homemade kombu.
Homemade salmon.
According to the information in the shop, they use Koshihikari rice grown in Nara Prefecture.
The rice is stored with the husks still on, and only the amount needed each morning is husked and polished that day.
It’s an omusubi shop.
Of course they take their rice seriously.
But My Favorite Was…
I came here for the omusubi, but what especially stayed with me was—
the miso soup.
The aroma of the dashi came through clearly, and I really liked the flavor.
The set also included tsukudani made from ingredients that had already been used to make the dashi.
They don’t simply throw them away once the stock is finished.
They turn them into another dish.
Using food to the fullest.
I like that.
The miso soup was delicious.
And the ingredients used to make the dashi were given another life.
Both appealed to me.
“Which One Would You Like First?”
The two omusubi don’t arrive at the same time.
The staff asked me,
“Which one would you like first?”
They serve them one at a time, with a little time in between.
Since they were making the effort, I wanted to eat each one freshly made.
But—
I was
taking photos.
One Downside of Having a Blog
Take a photo of the set.
Take a photo of the omusubi.
One more for the blog.
And by the time I finally started eating,
the nori was already soft.
The omusubi were fairly large, too.
They were gently shaped rather than tightly packed.
So when I tried to eat one—
it fell apart.
…
The staff had gone to the trouble of serving them one at a time.
I was the one taking photos.
Since starting my blog, whenever food arrives,
before “eat,”
there is now another step:
“Take a photo.”
I want to keep a record of my travels.
But with food, there are also moments when—
right now is when it tastes best.
That morning gave me something to think about.
At an Omusubi Shop, and Yet…
Homemade kombu.
Homemade salmon.
Grilled fish, pickles, and tsukudani.
It was a proper breakfast.
But my favorite thing that morning was—
the miso soup.
At an omusubi shop.
Well, mornings like that happen too. Haha.
Once breakfast was over,
it was time to go to work.
YUMEVOJA Food Radar
Ohana-san no Omusubiya — Hana Musubi Set, ¥850
Sweetness: ★☆☆☆☆
Saltiness: ★★☆☆☆
Dashi: ★★★★★
Oiliness: ☆☆☆☆☆
Spiciness: ☆☆☆☆☆
Aroma: ★★☆☆☆
Portion size: Average
Ease of visiting: ★★★★☆
【YUMEVOJA Satisfaction】
★★★☆☆ Depends on your taste
This is my personal impression, including the food, atmosphere, and people.
📍 For the latest opening hours, closing days, crowd levels, menu details, and prices, please check Google Maps and the official website.
Information may change.
📍 Google Maps 👇
Ohana-san no Omusubiya
My Three-Day Journey in Nara
These three days in Nara were neither just a business trip nor just sightseeing.
I added one day off, met the Great Buddha and the deer, and wandered through Naramachi.
Even on my workdays, I looked for breakfast and enjoyed the flavors of Nara after work.
A little journey attached to a business trip.
Even with limited time, I still make room for good food.
Here are the first and second parts of my Nara journey.
→【🚉Stopover Journey|Solo Trip to Nara – Part 1 | Meeting the Great Buddha Again】
→【🚉Stopover Journey|Solo Trip to Nara – Part 2 | Beyond the Great Buddha and Deer】
👉 Related illustrations here
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