Chef Yuya nakamura using a pair of tongs to tend an indoor sand pit in a traditional Japanese setting, featuring wooden sliding doors.
Gourmet dish with meat and garnish on a ceramic plate with a black background.
Traditional Japanese house with wooden elements and tiled roof, featuring a stone wall and sliding doors.

Welcome to INA

Nestled in a century-old farmhouse in the quiet hills of Uda, Nara, INA is an intimate fine dining concept where each dish is a reflection of it’s seasonal surroundings.

We invite you to slow down and experience the rhythm of nature through thoughtfully crafted cuisine that reflects , the land, the time of year and chef’s culinary heritage.

We welcome a small group of guests each day to join our experience.

Lush green tea field with rolling hills and trees in the background on a sunny day. Uda, Nara, Murouono.

Our Story

INA was founded by Chef Yuya Nakamura, a Fukuoka native with experience in both traditional Japanese kitchens and international restaurants. After training in Kyoto and working abroad, he returned to Japan to build a restaurant shaped by regional connection. Along with Jeelang Lee, they chose the tranquil countryside as INA’s home, surrounded by the natural landscape of Murou.

Soup in a black bowl with a green leaf on top of a small white dumpling.

The cuisine at INA blends the elegance of traditional Japanese cooking with Korean fermentation techniques and modern perspectives shaped by their global experiences. Ingredients are sourced locally—from Nara’s farmers, producers mountains, and rivers.

The menu is in constant evolution following the ever shifting seasons of Japan. Each day, we revolve our courses around the most seasonal ingredients available, highlighting what is at it’s best that day. From wild mountain herbs and traditional heirloom vegetables to local game meats, we carefully select the best of what nature offers. Guided by purity and simplicity, our cuisine expresses the stories of time and place, combining deep-rooted tradition with quiet innovation.

INA operates INA.Lab, a research and development platform focused on fermentation and preservation - producing seasonal products such as kimchi, vinegars, and ferments that complement and elevate the menu while exploring traditional methods with modern precision.

Chef in dark uniform slicing meat on a wooden cutting board in a kitchen setting, with a bowl of sauce nearby.