A truly unique experience is to watch a shokunin artist create a wagashi traditional confectionary right in front of you at Tsuruya Yoshinobu in Nihonbashi. This style of wagashi, called nerikiri, is made with a malleable white bean paste. The master works very quickly in creating these edible works of art. Guests are seated at…
Category: Kyoto 京都
Kyoto Obanzai
Nomura is a charming obanzai breakfast spot in Kyoto. Diners select six small dishes from a refrigerated display case. The basic set with rice and miso soup is a bargain 850 yen ($5.75). I upgraded and included yuba with a thick sauce over the rice. 🙂 The obanzai side dishes included mackerel, shiraae tofu sauce…
Kyoto Shaved Ice
Kakigōri shaved ice at Matakichi in the charming #Gion district of #Kyoto. Strawberry with sweetened condensed milk and the intriguing fig with kinomé. Kinomé is the leaf from the sanshō Japanese peppercorn bush. Kinomé has a citrusy and peppery aromas. It was a unique topping to shaved ice and was a nice pairing with figs…
Kyoto Potstickers
Gyōza potstickers in #Kyōto. @sukemasa.takatsuji #gyōza are made with Kyōto ingredients: Yamari #miso, Kujō negi leeks, Fushimi #cabbage, and Kyōto mochi buta #pork. The Japanese-style gyōza are seasoned with #katsuo dashi stock and miso. Who doesn’t love potstickers? The meal comes with rice, miso soup, and #tsukemono pickles. I added a side dish of fuki…
Kyoto Brunch
Kyoto Kacto is my go-to restaurant when I want comfort food. Located on the Kamogawa River there are seats on the veranda and cozy seating indoors. Brunch was packed on a recent visit with many diners ordering the signature pancakes. The fried chicken sandwich is juicy and delicious. Best of all the coffee from @the_roastery_by_nozycoffee…
Ippodo Tea
Kyoto Ippodo tea shop @ippodotea started in 1717. It has a lovely shop and Kaboku tea room café in the heart of the city, a short walk north of Nishiki Market and @bentoandco bentō shop. Knowledgeable staff help to educate customers on the variety of matcha and loose tea for sale. There is also tea…
Kyoto Potel
Umekoji Potel is a fun hotel in Kyoto. I loved the hotel room with the used artist brushes on the wall. There’s a small library with some books on Kyoto which were fun to peruse. There is also a simple snack bar with dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, juice, beer, and wine. There is a public…
Yellin Pottery Gallery
Near the Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto is a pottery gallery with a vast selection of ceramics from Japanese artists. Many of my clients love picking up pieces, notably guinomi saké cups, for their home collection each time they are in Kyoto. I was so happy to pick up a yunomi tea cup from Katsuya Kato….
Kyoto Tonkatsu
I love Katsukura tonkatsu because the shop gives diners a mortar filled with toasted sesame seeds. Using the pestle crush the seeds. The aroma fills the air. Add some of the tonkatsu sauce to the ground sesame seeds to season the tonkatsu. In springtime Katsukura also has bamboo shoots and ferns that are breaded and…
Kyoto Hotel Higashiyama
The Tokyu Higashiyama Hotel is a comfortable stay near the Heian Jingu Shrine. The rooms are large and spacious. The bar has some Japanese whisky and the Japanese breakfast includes a colorful selection of Kyoto-style obanzai small dishes. The hotel is encouraging sustainable practices. The hotel is about a five-minute walk from Higashiyama Station. Near…
Kyoto Yakitori
Tsujiya yakitori near Kyoto Station. I enjoyed sitting at the counter watching the skewers and yaki onigiri being grilled over charcoal. The tsukune ground chicken with cartilage was served with an egg yolk. A few other interesting dishes including potesara, potato salad, tōfu with shaved kombu, and a simmered tomato with a cheese sauce. Staff…
Kyoto Pickles
In Kyōto station is Doi, a tsukemono Japanese pickles buffet restaurant. There is a selection of pickles and vegetable dishes. Kyoto is famous for pickles and there are a few pickle companies that have restaurants associated with them including Kintame and Nishiri. If you love tsukemono do plan on having one meal in Kyoto at…
Kyoto Nijiyura
Nijiyura is a delightful tenugui shop in Kyoto near the cool @bentoandco shop and Nishiki Market. Tenugui are colorful cotton cloths that have many purposes. Hang a tenugui on the wall for art, a scarf, hand towel, luncheon mat, napkin, for wrapping gifts, and so much more. I love wearing them as a scarf. In…
Kyoto Incense
Kyoto Shoyeido has been making incense since 1705. The shop has a wide variety of products including non-burning sachets, that are not lit with a fire but that can be carried in a bag or used as a bookmark. I put a small sachet in my business card holder which infuses the cards. Incense culture…
Kyoto Hotel
The Mitsui Garden Hotel Shijō is a lovely hotel with an onsen hot springs near Shijō Street in Kyōto. I booked at the last minute and got a good rate of 8,500 yen ($60). The only twist was that it was a room with three beds in it. 😂😭 Shijō Street is wonderful as it’s…
Kyoto Ogawa
The morning toast set at Ogawa kissaten in Kyoto. This branch is located just across the street from Kyoto Station on the north side. @ogawacoffee Shimogyō-ku, Higashi Kōji-chō 902 https://www.oc-ogawa.co.jp/shop/ #foodsakeTokyo #foodsakeKyoto #coffee #kissaten #toast #Kyoto #Kyotomorning #Kyotokissaten #京都グルメ #京都モーニング #トースト #コーヒー #京都駅 #京都駅グルメ #Japan #Japantraveltip
Kyoto Suba Soba
A simple and satisfying bowl of buckwheat noodles at Kyoto Suba Soba. The simple shop only serves hot bowls of soba with a variety of toppings ranging from meat with a soft-boiled egg, steamed mussels with watercress or these enoki mushroom tempura. The bare bones shop is popular. Lots of young Japanese quickly came and…
Bento&co
Frenchman Thomas Bertrand and his wife Erico are the founders and owners of Bento&Co. Their shop is in the heart of Kyoto, just north of the famous Nishiki Market specializes in all things for bento lunch boxes. There is a website if you don’t make it to Kyoto. But, if you are in Kyoto do…
Kyoto Tune Stay
I picked Kyōto Tune Stay hotel because I love books. Check out this wall of books! Most are in Japanese, but there are some English books in the library. The books cover a variety of topics. I kept carefully perusing the food books and could have stayed up all night. The rooms are a bare…
Kyoto Kacto
Kacto in Kyoto is a newer restaurant in Kyoto that is located on the Kamogawa River. Kacto is part of the Tysons and Company group which has fabulous restaurants in Tokyo like Cicada, Ivy Place, and T.Y. Harbor. Chef David Chiddo oversees all of these kitchens. I had a short break from work so only…
Food Sake Tokyo 