The story
VILLA COMMUNICO sits at the foot of Mount Wakakusa in the ancient capital of Nara, a short walk from Todaiji and Kasuga Taisha. This five-room auberge, opened in summer 2024, is the evolution of chef Daiki Horita’s earlier restaurant communico in Higashi-Ikoma. The property is designed to immerse guests in the natural elements—fire, water, earth, wind, and wood—each room themed around one. The lounge overlooks the seasonal changes of Wakakusa, while the restaurant’s open flame anchors the entire experience.
Born in Nara in 1982, Daiki Horita trained in Italy at Bologna’s Il Sole and later honed his skills in France at Ramberry Kyoto. He became chef at Avarots in 2015 before opening communico in 2018. His cooking earned two toques from Gault & Millau for four consecutive years from 2019, and a Michelin star in 2022 and 2023. At VILLA COMMUNICO, he continues to refine his wood-fired technique, drawing on the raw energy of the mountain’s annual Yamayaki (mountain burn) and the solemnity of Kasuga Taisha’s rituals.
The restaurant’s wood-fired cuisine is defined by its flame. “No two pieces of food are ever grilled over the same fire,” the website states. The heat changes with the day’s temperature and humidity, making each dish a fleeting moment. This is a gastronomy of the present tense—primitive, powerful, and precise. The Michelin one-star (2026) recognizes the high quality of this cooking, where ingredients are sourced from local producers and the fire is the final, essential ingredient.
Guests can stay overnight in one of the five rooms or dine in the restaurant. The space is filled with works by Nara-based artisans and creators, from ceramics to furniture, all contributing to an atmosphere that feels both refined and grounded. The auberge is a place to discover Nara’s roots through food, design, and landscape—a full immersion in the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
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