Date visited: September 3, 2026 (Thu)
Weather: Rain, with occasional heavy showers
More than 20 kinds of Japanese pickles.
Rice porridge with tea.
Steamed rice too.
And it’s a buffet.
…Well, then.
Food fighter, summoned.
I arrived at Kintetsu Nara Station just before 10 a.m.
I had left home without breakfast that morning.
First, I headed to Tōdai-ji to say hello to the Great Buddha.
And then, lunch.
By now, I was properly hungry.
My destination was Chagayu Saron Tsukihiboshi, a restaurant I had been curious about for some time.
No breakfast.
And I had already done plenty of walking.
I was ready.
First, Buy a Meal Ticket
When I entered, a staff member showed me to my seat.
Then I was told to buy a meal ticket from the vending machine.
The price that day was ¥2,000.
Once my seat was settled, it was finally time for the buffet.
For the steamed white rice, a machine lets you choose a small, medium, or large portion.
I started with a small.
No need to go too hard right from the start.
Probably.
More Than 20 Kinds. Where Do I Start?
Rows and rows of Japanese pickles.
I’m not good with spicy food, so I avoided anything that looked heavy on the chili peppers.
As for everything else—
A little at a time. I wanted to try as many as possible.
I picked several kinds to go with my white rice.
Finished those.
Then went back for more.
Why is it that at a buffet, people suddenly start thinking, “Well, since I’m here…”?
No.
Not people.
Me.
Next Up: Chagayu
After the white rice came chagayu, rice porridge made with tea.
I ate it with small portions of different pickles.
And when I finished the chagayu—
I went back for another small serving of white rice.
…Wait, we’re going back?
The food fighter hasn’t left yet.
Make Your Own Miso Soup — and Tea
The miso soup was interesting too.
The miso comes inside a monaka, a crisp wafer shell.
There’s a pot of hot water on the table.
Pour in the hot water yourself, break up the monaka, and stir.
Miso soup: complete.
There are tea leaves in the teapot as well.
Again, you pour in hot water from the pot and brew your own tea.
Strong or light.
I liked being able to adjust it myself.
One Onsen Egg Per Person
Among all the dishes on offer, the onsen egg is limited to one per person.
Now then.
What am I supposed to do with this?
Looking nearby, I found everything I needed gathered in one place.
A stone for cracking the egg.
A bowl for the egg.
Soy sauce.
And a place to discard the shell.
Crack the egg there, put it into the bowl, and add soy sauce.
I see.
Everything is right here.
I had no trouble figuring it out when I visited, but if someone had just cleared away the shells, I might have found myself wondering,
“Where do I put the shell?”
More Than 20 Pickles — and the MVP Is…
I ate the white rice.
I ate the chagayu.
I tried all kinds of pickles.
I ate the onsen egg too.
So.
What was my favorite thing that day?
The sweet-simmered sweet potato.
…Wait.
That’s not a pickle.
Gently sweet and comforting.
I liked it enough to go back for more.
Seconds.
With more than 20 kinds of pickles in front of me, that was an unexpected result.
Monaka for Dessert
Dessert was monaka.
You fill the crisp wafer shell with sweet red bean paste yourself.
Of course I had one.
And by the time I finished—
I was full.
Whenever I go to a buffet, I get greedy.
“Just a little of each.”
“Well, since I’m here, I might as well try this too.”
This time was no different.
I left the restaurant and started walking through Nara again.
…
I was walking slowly.
I had eaten too much.
I had summoned the food fighter.
Now I had to live with the consequences.
Restaurant Information
Chagayu Saron Tsukihiboshi
Opening hours, prices, and other details may change. Please check the official website for the latest information.
How Easy Is It to Visit?
When I heard “Japanese pickle buffet,” I imagined that most of the customers might be women, but I saw men dining there too.
There were also customers from overseas.
Although much of the meal is self-service, a staff member explained how everything worked at the beginning, and I didn’t have any particular difficulties during my visit.
Even on my own, I could enjoy the meal at my own pace.
YUMEVOJA Satisfaction
★★★☆☆
I ate until I was full and got plenty of energy for more walking around Nara afterward.
However, I wouldn’t particularly recommend this place to someone who prefers rich, heavy dishes.
That said, I wouldn’t describe the flavors as especially light either.
These are pickles, after all, so there is a definite saltiness.
On the other hand, I didn’t find much of the aromatic, fragrance-driven flavor that I personally enjoy.
For me, the most interesting thing about this restaurant wasn’t simply the taste.
It was being able to choose things myself, prepare some of them myself, and try a little of many different foods.
The meal itself became a small experience.
And my favorite?
The sweet-simmered sweet potato.
Thank you for the meal.
Walking Through Nara That Day
That day, I walked through rainy Nara Park and on to Tōdai-ji.
I went to see the Great Buddha again, even though we had met before.
Deer sheltering from the rain.
The Great Buddha, whose expression seemed to change depending on where I stood.
And the pillar-hole challenge I hadn’t tried on my previous visit.
Plenty of walking before lunch—and then more walking afterward.
→ 【🚉Stopover Journey|Solo Trip to Nara – Part 1 | Meeting the Great Buddha Again】
👉 Related illustrations here
(Free to use)
▶︎ 🎨View illustration page