Where Ancient Paths and Present Lives Intersect

Along the Yamanobe-no-Michi — said to be Japan’s oldest road — we were entrusted with an old farmhouse nestled at the foot of the Nishiyamazuka burial mound.

Once abandoned, the house was lovingly restored with the help of local residents and friends from across Japan. 

It was reborn as cofunia — the first inn in Japan where you can stay at the foot of a kofun (ancient burial mound).

It’s more than a place to sleep — it’s a space to reconnect with a way of living in harmony with nature.

Back to the Roots

A Way of Living That Bridges Past and Present

To light a fire.

To knead clay.

To draw water.

To live with plants and trees.

Before the conveniences of modern life, people lived in rhythm with the seasons and in tune with the earth.

Here, the wisdom of handcrafting — a way of living once shaped by necessity — still endures. 

That memory lives quietly within us, passed down through the body. When something is missing, we make it. We have that creative spirit — the power to shape and to adapt.

cofunia is a place to pause, reflect, and return to that essence — a place where ancient and modern times quietly meet.

Concept

Inspired by the ancient philosophy of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, our spaces help you reconnect with nature’s cycles.

“The Rhythm of Daily Life × The Five Senses”: Celebrate the harmony of life through your senses.

“Flow of Time x Five Elements”: Embark on a journey through the passage of time

Come experience a journey through time — from Nara’s ancient past to a life that continues into the present.

Our Logo

The “cofunia” logo takes its soft, circular silhouette from Nishiyamazuka Kofun. Inspired from an ancient ornament unearthed from the soil, it symbolizes a link between the lives of the past and those of us living today. 

At the center of the logo is the kofun itself, radiating outward into four “Cs,” each representing our commitment to co-existence:

Team