From April 1 to May 31, 2026, the 8th-floor bar "Rooftop Terrace" at Novotel Nara (Nara City, Nara Prefecture) will be offering a limited-time "Cherry Blossom Evening High Tea." The special menu brings together Nara's branded ingredients and Yamato vegetables with sakura-scented accents, combining savory bites and pastry chef–crafted sweets in a high tea format perfect for leisurely spring evenings.
The menu draws on Italian cuisine as a base, blending Nara's local produce with the flavors of the season for a relaxed experience running from late afternoon into the night.
Two drink packages are available: a free-flow plan including rosé sparkling wine, and a premium free-flow plan with champagne. Both are well-suited to enjoying the springtime ambiance from the rooftop.
Savory Highlights
The savory section opens with a "Yamato Vegetable Sformato"—a traditional Italian baked egg-and-cheese dish made with locally grown Yamato vegetables, steamed to highlight the fragrance of spring produce.
Next is the "Sakura-Scented Escargot Beignet," a light fritter combining escargot and Yamato vegetables with the delicate aroma of cherry blossoms for a distinctly springlike bite.
Rounding out the savory items is the "Baaku Pork Salsiccia Slider"—Nara's branded Baaku pork, known for its sweet fat and rich flavor, crafted into salsiccia sausage and served as a small slider.
Pastry Chef's Spring Sweets
The sweets lineup includes a fruit tart piled high with fresh fruit on a buttery tart base, a strawberry shortcake made with Nara-grown strawberries, and a richly baked Gâteau Fromage using generous amounts of cream cheese.
Novotel Nara's Mini Pizza and Roast Beef
The hotel's signature Margherita pizza is made from dough combining Nara-grown spelt wheat and Kotomugii wheat, fermented for five days and baked in a pizza oven. The result has a nutty aroma from the spelt and a gentle sweetness from the Kotomugii.
The main dish is a slow-roasted beef cooked at low temperature, served alongside seasonal Yamato vegetables for a taste of Nara's spring harvest.
A Special Evening in Spring Nara
This high tea blends Nara's local ingredients, sakura aromas, and the essence of Italian cooking into a memorable spring evening. It's also a great option after a day of cherry blossom viewing around Nara.
Cherry Blossom Evening High Tea
| Period | April 1, 2026 (Wed) – May 31, 2026 (Sun) |
| Hours | 5:00 PM–8:00 PM (last entry) ※ 2-hour seating |
| Price | ・Free-flow plan with rosé sparkling wine: ¥7,500 ・Premium free-flow plan with champagne: ¥9,500 *Prices include 10% consumption tax and service charge. |
| Sample Menu | ■ High Tea Stand ・Nara strawberry shortcake ・Fruit tart ・Gâteau Fromage ・Yamato vegetable sformato ・Sakura-scented escargot beignet ・Baaku pork salsiccia slider ■ Main ・Slow-roasted beef ■ Pizza ・Nara spelt wheat Margherita ■ 90-minute free-flow (premium plan includes champagne) ・Rosé / sparkling wine ・Red wine ・White wine ・Beer ・Various cocktails ・Soft drinks ・Coffee / tea |
※ Menu items may change depending on ingredient availability. ※ Photos show a serving for two.
About the Rooftop Terrace
Location: Novotel Nara, 8F
Hours: 2:00 PM–10:30 PM (L.O. 10:00 PM)
*Fridays, Saturdays, and holiday eves: 2:00 PM–11:30 PM (L.O. 11:00 PM)
The Rooftop Terrace offers views of Nara's mountains alongside original cocktails, making it a relaxed spot for friends and colleagues to unwind. Novotel Nara is located at 7-1-45 Omiyacho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, an 8-minute walk from Shin-Omiya Station or a 10-minute bus ride / 6-minute drive from Nara Station.
