Kinana - Kinako Ice Cream

Kinana - Autumn Chestnut Parfait

Kinana ‘Dekitate’ Ice Cream and Kodawari
Kinana makes six flavors of ice cream; kinako (roast soybean flour), azuki (sweet red bean), kurogoma (black sesame), kuromitsu (black sugar syrup), maccha (powdered green tea) and yomogi (mugwort), all real traditional Japanese flavors! To get the real Kinana ice cream experience, I really recommend the just made ‘dekitate’ ice cream as it is heavenly, impossibly soft and creamy. Once ice cream is frozen it loses this fantastic texture. I think that the kinako flavor is the only fresh, ‘dekitate’ ice cream that is served. If you just ask the friendly staff what the ‘dekitate’ flavor is, they should have no trouble understanding. (Many customers eat the dekitate ice cream while standing at the counter on the first floor. Try this if the sit down area on the second floor is full.)

Kodawari is an essential concept in Japanese culture, especially in culinary culture and all kinds of product development. Kodarari means picky or particular. Owner, ice cream chef Omoto-san is very picky about what goes into his ice cream. He uses no additives, fillers or artificial ingredients. His kinako powder is a original blend of roasted ‘kuromame’ black beans from the Tamba region of Hyogo and Kyoto and ‘daizu’ soybeans from Hamanaka-cho in Hokkaido. He traveled to both regions to inspect producers before selecting the best.

Any business in Japan that isn’t into kodawari really isn’t worth patronizing. If you like Kyoto culinary culture, it is probably due to kodawari.

Kinana - Autumn Chestnut Parfait

Kinana Parfait
Kinana has three parfaits that are available throughout the year. There is Kinana Hapon (warabi mochi), Berry Berry Kinana (yogurt and frozen berries) and Kinana Italian (tiramisu). Then there is a seasonal parfait that changes every few months. All use several flavors of Kinana ice cream and Western-style baked confections like cookies and biscotti, all baked in-house at Yakitsukasa Kinana, Kinana’s second location. The fresh-made ice cream is not used in the parfaits because it is too soft for layering other ingredients upon. I tried both the Berry Berry Kinana and Kinana Italian and thought that they were fine but not exceptional. Two foodie and chef friends agreed with me on this. I can see how these parfaits would appeal to Japanese women that visit Kinana fairly often or want to try something non-Japanese.

The autumn seasonal parfait was quite another story. Now, Japanese are really into parfaits and I have had a lot of great Japanese-style parfaits in Kyoto but this one was the most memorable and original. It was over-the-top amazing!

Chestnut Autumn Parfait
The seasonal Kinana Chestnut Parfait features two kinds of ice cream, mochi, anko (azuki paste), soba boro (buckwheat cookie), two chocolate cookies (actually more like little cakes), a chocolate and kuromame biscotti with lots of chestnut mousse all topped with a candied chestnut.

The chestnut mousse topping was amazing, thick and rich, just overloaded with chestnut flavor. The nuance of the biscotti really got me, like all the other baked items it is made at Yakitsukasa Kinana. It is dry and crunchy like traditional biscotti, it has some chunks of rich chocolate but the kuromame black beans, though baked and encased in crunchy biscotti they are still soft and chewy! There is some kodawari at work here. This contrast in texture and attention to detail really impresses me. The chocolate cookies are really moist and dense, about a mouthful each. The soba boro are cracker-thin and very crunchy. I have never had sobo boko like that.

Kinana only makes 20 of the autumn parfaits everyday and usually runs out of the key ingredient, chestnut mousse by 2 pm, earlier on weekends. This parfait will only be available in October and November. I am looking forward to the winter seasonal parfait, and the autumns to come!

Gion Kinana Owner Ice Cream Chef Katsuji Omoto

About Kyo Kinana (京きなな)
For many years owner chef Katsuji Omoto had a French restaurant near Kitano Shrine, which is a somewhat outlying area of Kyoto. In 2002 he decided to move into the center of town and to close his restaurant and open something like a cafe with baked sweets. He rented a space in Gion but after he signed the lease and moved in he was told by the owner that he couldn’t use heat or flame in the space. He was quite shocked and felt deceived. Nevertheless, he took the high road and persevered. He cooly thought about what he could make without cooking and decided that it would have to be ice cream. At his French restaurant he had made his own baked desserts and ice cream, so this wasn’t entirely new territory for him.

His initial location was not ideal and it was tough going, however his ice cream was soon noticed by the media and he was featured on a television program and from there Kinana started to get very busy and develop as a new Kyoto brand.

In 2004 Omoto-san moved to his current location which has become a Gion fixture and is a very popular destination in the neighborhood for visitors to Kyoto. It is even popular with the neighborhood maiko and geiko (geisha), you can see their traditional fans displayed on the wall.

Based on Omoto-san’s original intention to do baked sweets in Gion, in 2006 he opened Yakitsukasa Kinana. (I haven’t been here yet but the baked goods served at Kinana are made here. And, they are great!) Yakitsukasa Kinana is located near Kiyomizu Temple in the scenic Higashiyama district.

Kinana is a very popular and seating is only available on the second floor. If you can’t get seated upstairs or you just want ice cream, you can have that at the standing at the ice cream counter on the first floor. Don’t go away without some dekitate kinako ice cream even if you cannot get seated!

Foodie Souvenirs
For take out Kinana offers milk jams, cookies, biscotti, candies and a few other yummies. I haven’t tried any of them but they look very interesting. I think the milk jams would make very novel ‘omiyage’ souvenirs for visitors to Kyoto.

Kinana Souvenir - Kinako Milk Jam

Kinana Souvenir - Kinana Cookie and Kinako Candy

Kinana Interior - Gion Maiko Fans

Kinana Staff Making Parfait

Gion Kobu Neighborhood (祇園甲部)
Kinana is located in one of Kyoto’s most scenic and historic neighborhoods: Gion Kobu.

Kinana Storefront

Kinana Neighborhood in Gion

SHARE! Kyoto Support Topic: Food and Drink in Kyoto
SHARE! Kyoto Support Post: Handmade Ice Cream in Kyoto

Socialize
Tweet! Tweet! Find out what’s going on in Kyoto right now, follow me on Twitter.
Facebook Find me on Facebook.

brand name: Kyo Kinana (京きなな)
Gion main store: Gion Kinana (祇園きなな)
Kiyomizu store: Yakitsukasa Kinana (焼司 喜七)

Gion Kinana in English (Main Store)
English Menu: no
English Website: none (Japanese language site: www.kyo-kinana.com)
Service: friendly
Hours: 11am – 7pm (6:30 pm last order)
Address: Kyoto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Gion-machi Minami-gawa 570-119 (京都市東山区祇園町南側570-119)
Telephone: 075-525-8300

Map

View OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map in a larger map

Since I started KyotoFoodie I have received numerous inquiries from people asking where to go for teppanyaki in Kyoto. I rarely eat teppanyaki but do like it. I go to the Himorogi teppanyaki restaurant at Brighton Hotel sometimes for business dinners (when I am not selecting the restaurant). It is good but I can never justify the cost of the meal. I guess I cannot forgive bad cost performance. Hotel restaurants in Japan have uniformly bad cost performance and often the food is mediocre.

Wagyu Sashimi

Grilled Duck Breast and Foie Gras

Lobster and Vegetables

Teppanyaki and Kappo
Teppanyaki is usually beef, seafood and vegetables cooked on a hot steel grill in front of the customer. Teppanyaki is perhaps the second most well-known Japanese cuisine in the West. While it was developed in Japan, it was more popular with non-Japanese, until more recently. Kappo is very popular in Kyoto and features a counter seating arrangement in which the chef cooks and arranges the dishes on one side, and the customer enjoys them immediately on the other. Kappo is very intimate and offers the customer a chance to converse with the chef. A good chef quickly discerns the tastes and inclinations of the customer and prepares dishes accordingly. The combination teppanyaki with kappo is the sort of dining you expect to experience in Gion. Nice!

Owner Chef Tsukada Grating Wasabi for Wagyu Sashimi

Teppan Kappo Sou Owner Chef Tsukada (鉄板割烹 爽)
Chef Tsukada started working at a shinise teppanyaki restaurant in his native Kobe when he was 19 years old. He then came to Kyoto and worked at a teppanyaki restaurant at the Granvia Hotel for 10 years and opened his restaurant in Gion in April of 2007.

I asked Chef Tsukada why he decided to do a teppanyaki Japanese wagyu beef restaurant. Being from Kobe, known for some of the finest wagyu in Japan, of course played some part in his decision. However, he said that he really wanted to offer diners the best wagyu available without the prohibitive price of the famous brands like Kobe beef. To do this, he uses non-brand name wagyu. There are 14 grades of beef in Japan and the top grade is A5, the best Matsuzaka beef and Kobe beef are A5. Using A5 non-brand gives the same brand name taste, but costs about 30% less.

In addition to quality at a reasonable price, is individualized customer service in an intimate setting. Chef Tsukada said that he likes the simplicity of the kappo counter format and the direct contact with the customer. If the chef is alone in the kitchen, even if meals for 100 people are prepared, they all will taste identical. Chef Tsukada observes, listens to and gets to know each customer and adjusts the flavors and ingredients for them and recommends seasonal dishes.

He ends his course meals with some contemporary Japanese homecooking, curry rice. At Sou, curry is made with wagyu and an original roux and spice medley that he developed. I am not a big fan of Japanese curry, but many wagyu beef restaurants have their own signature curry dish, which I often like very much – hey, it’s gourmet! – and Chef Tsukada’s could not be topped.

Shark Skin Wasabi Grater

In Action – Photos from the Teppan Grill

Chef Tsukada at the Teppan

Chef Tsukada at the Teppan

Teppan: Mugwort Namafu, Atsuage Tofu and Wagyu

Teppan: Abalone

Teppan: Abalone

Teppan: Final Course, Curry Rice

Teppan: Final Course, Curry Rice

Meibutsu: Wagyu Katsu (Deep-fried Cutlet) Sandwhich

Sou Interior

Highly Recommended
• Teppan Kappo is located in extremely picturesque Gion Shinbashi, one of Kyoto’s geiko (geisha) entertainment districts.
• These districts are known for their very high prices and snobbery but Sou is open, friendly and quite reasonably priced.
• The quality of the wagyu beef is the highest grade available.
• Sou offers an excellent selection of wine, both Chef Tsukada and the manager are sommeliers.
• An English menu (with correct English) is available. The owner chef and manager worked at an international hotel for 10 years so can communicate a little in English.
• Get the meibutsu wagyu katsu sandwich for take out.
• Teppan Kappo Sou is even open until 2 am!

A dinner reservation is recommended. Ask your hotel concierge to make a reservation for you or use the email address below (simple English, please, the manager requests!)

SHARE! Kyoto Support Topic: Food and Drink in Kyoto

SHARE! Kyoto Support Topic: Sukiyaki and Yuba Reccommendations

Tweet! Tweet! Find out what’s going on in Kyoto right now, follow me on Twitter.

Teppan Kappo Sou in English
English Menu: yes
English Website: none
Japanese Website: www.teppankappou-sou.com

Service: Very good
Price:
dinner course: 8,400～ (10,500 or 16,000 yen course recommended)
ala carte also available
Reservations: Please make dinner and lunch reservations via email at least 3 days in advance.
Hours:
dinner: 5:30pm – 2:00am (1:30am last order)
Closed Sunday
Reservations: Please make lunch and dinner reservations via email address below at least 3 days in advance.
Email Reservations: teppankappou-sou (at) kki (dot) biglobe (dot) ne (dot) jp
Location and Access: Gion Shinbashi. Teppan Kappo Sou is located on the east side of Nawate-dori street, about 2 blocks north of Shijo Street.
Address: Kyoto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Nawate-dori Shinbashi-agaru, Nishino-cho 216-2 Onishi Bldg II 1F (京都市東山区縄手取り新橋上る西之町216-2 大西ビルII 1階)
Telephone: 075-551-4515

Map

View OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map in a larger map

Japanese Western-style cakes and confections, called yogashi, in Japanese, I am not a fan of. They are nearly alaways fluffy, puffy, airy things, short on taste and soul. Western-style cakes and confections available in cafes or for take out in the department store food courts are nearly always a disappointment for me. Some authentic Italian and French restaurants do dessert well, but they are few and expensive. And, when you come all the way to Kyoto I am guessing that you want to try some things you can’t get back home.

When you go to Jouvencelle, you have to try the Gion Maccha Chocolate Fondue!

Gion Fondue

Jouvencelle Gion Cake Cafe
Wagashi, or Japanese confection, I am a big fan of. However, sometimes you’ve got to have some sweets from your homeland. Henri Charpentier is usually great! But, they don’t have a cafe in Kyoto.

Jouvencelle (京洋菓子司ジュヴァンセル) opened it’s doors on the day of the Gion Festival more than 20 years ago and has developed a lineup of cakes and confections that are generally Western in shape and cooking technique, however the tastes and flavoring ingredients are very Japanese, very Kyoto.

Jouvencelle’s Gion Fondue is not a hot fondue. Various kinds of cake, mochi, fresh fruit and so on are dipped into maccha chocolate – like a fondue. After you finish with the dipping the staff brings some hot milk and the leftover maccha chocolate in the dipping cup  is turned into a maccha chocolate au lait. Very nice!

Jouvencelle’s other cakes and confections are available for order and take out.

The second floor cafe has a pretty good view of Higashiyama (East Mountains) and the scenic environs below. The interior is bland as it is new, there is a small veranda that you can sit on which is nice when the weather is pleasant.

Jouvencelle has five other stores in Kyoto including one each in the food courts of Takashimaya and Isetan department stores, but none are sit down.

Dango in Maccha Chocolate 'Fondue' Dip

Strawberry in Maccha Chocolate 'Fondue' Dip

Pound Cake in Maccha Chocolate 'Fondue' Dip

Sakura Mochi in Maccha Chocolate 'Fondue' Dip

Maccha Chocolate au Lait - Just add hot milk!

Maccha Chocolate au Lait

Sakura Chocolate Fondue!

Spring Special Edition Sakura Chocolate Gion Fondue

Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to try this special edition Sakura Chocolate Gion Fondue as it was already out of season when I was there. There was still a poster in the elevator that I snapped this photo of. It looks like it includes candied bamboo shoot! Jouvencelle’s sakura chocolate is amazing and I mentioned in this KyotoFoodie Survey video way back when. I am definitely planning to try this one next spring!

'View' from the Jouvencelle Veranda - Japans Ubiquitous Powerlines, Even in Historic Gion!

Entrance to Jouvencelle

Protect Your Home from Calamity, Visit the Zen Temple Across the Street
After enjoying some Kyoto-style Western sweets be sure to visit the quaint and delightful little Zen temple called Tokei-ji across the street. It is not a famous temple but worth peeking in on. It is dedicated to a Japanese incarnation of Kannon (Avalokitasvara bodhisattva) who is worshipped to protect the home from calamities. Tokei-ji Temple offers  household fire prevention amulets. The are printed and stamped on paper and are attached to the wall of the kitchen. Fire has been the scourge of Japanese cities for centuries so these paper amulets are quite common in Japan. Tokei-ji’s amulet has the most artful calligraphy I have seen. These are cheap and travel well, you might like to get one on your trip to take home with you.

Tokei-ji Temple

Household Fire Prevention Amulet

SHARE! Kyoto Support Topic: Food and Drink in Kyoto

Tweet! Tweet! Find out what’s going on in Kyoto right now, follow me on Twitter.

Jouvencelle in English:
English menu: yes
English website: none (Japanese site)
Service/Staff: so-so
Price: 800 – 1200 yen
Location and Access: Jouvencelle is located just south of the south gate of Yasaka Shrine, near the Shijo and Higashioji streets intersection. It is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Gion Shijo Station on the Keihan Railway or Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Railway. Many bus lines pass through the Shijo and Higashioji intersection neighborhood.
Address: Kyoto-shi Higashiyama-ku, Yasakatoriimae Minami-iru, Kiyoi-cho 482 Kyoban Bldg 2F
(京都市東山区八坂鳥居前南入清井町482 京ばんビル2F)
Telephone: 075-551-1511
Near Sightseeing Spot:In addition to Tokei-ji temple across the street, Jouvencelle is located in the Gion/Higashiyama neighborhood so there are many, many historic temples and shrines including Yasaka-jinja shrine, Kodai-ji temple and Kiyomizu-dera temple.

Map:

View OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map in a larger map

Izuju: The Best Kyoto Style Sushi in Kyoto 祇園いづ重 京都寿司
I went to Izuju this morning and met the owner, Kitamura-san and heard all about their authentic Kyoto style sushi. It was quite an experience! Izuju has been in business for almost 100 years and is located on the corner of Shijo Street and Higashi O-ji, right across from the bright orange gate of Yasaka Shrine.

Izuju only makes Kyoto style sushi. The ‘edomae’ Tokyo style nigiri sushi, the kind we are most used to seeing abroad, is not available.

Famed Gion Izuju Owner Chef Kitamura-san

Some of Izuju’s greatest Kyoto sushi hits:

• sabazushi (pickled mackerel on sushi rice)
• sasamaki (sea bream, kinome and sushi rice wrapped in a sasa bamboo leaf)
• hakozushi (literally box sushi, in summer grill hamo pike eel and in winter sawara Spanish mackerel pressed onto to sushi rice in a wooden form)
• mushizushi (literally steamed sushi, this is a winter favorite, usually a lot of dashi in the rice then steamed)
• inarizushi (sushi rice with simmered vegetables in deep fried tofu skins*)

Of course there are other sushi dishes but these are the main dishes.

Inarizushi (inari sushi) is a Kyoto culinary fixture that has never moved me, Izuju’s astounded me though. Miwa says that Izuju’s inarizushi is the best in the world.

Izuju Kitchen Tour

After chatting over tea about sushi and Izuju with Kitamura-san, he invited me in back to see the kitchen. The restaurant is quite small, so I hadn’t realized that there was a kitchen in back. Several dark rooms with soot stained machiya rafters lead to a earthen hearth. I couldn’t believe my eyes, right here in the heart of Gion they are still cooking with wood! Using a handfull of used chopsticks, Kitamura-san fired it up and started simmering the days deepfried tofu inari pockets for inarizushi.

In the adjacent room staff were removing bones from aji horse mackerel for a seasonal sushi.

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour

Firing up the hearth. On the left is where they cook rice and on the right is where they simmer inari pockets.

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour

Now this hearth may look old, but it isn’t. They had it rebuilt 5 years ago and it needs repairs fairly often. There is only one person left in Kyoto making and maintaining these hearths, Kitamura-san said.

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour

Simmering inari pockets.

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour

Paper talismans from Atago Shrine to protect the home and business from fire is a very common sight even in modern Kyoto. As Izuju still uses a wood fire for cooking, they have a while lot of them stuck to the wall behind the hearth!

In the main kitchen they were cleaning fish and making inarizushi.

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour: De-boning Aji

They are using metal tweezers to pull the bones out of these horse mackerel fillets.

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour: Inari Sushi and Rice Stuffing Mixture

Gion Izuju Kitchen Tour: Inari Sushi

Making Sushi: Sabazushi

Back out in front, at the entrence is where they make the sabazushi. Often times sabazushi is formed in a wooden box form, but Izuju makes theirs into a roll. The process is rather simple:

• Layout vinegared mackerel fillet
• Form rice to shape
• Place rice atop mackerel fillet
• Roll inside cloth for form
• Roll inside kombu

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

How to Make Kyoto Sushi – Sabazushi

Shinise Restaurant Interior

The interior of Izuju is quite an experience. Everything has a meaning and a reason for being there. Most of the decorations are from the restaurants past and were significant to its development.

Gion Izuju Restaurant Interior

Gion Izuju Restaurant Interior: Storefront Sign

This boat and rice paddle used to be Izuju’s shingle! Quite a sign. Izuju developed a trademarked name for their sushi presentation which was served in large wooden ‘boats’ like the shape of the sign.

Gion Izuju Restaurant Interior

Up to modern times, Izuju and similar operations did catering and takeout. These plates are what were used to serve their sushi at nice ‘restaurants’ in Gion. The paper one the wall is musical score from traditional Japanese Noh theater. The name for their trademarked sushi presentation comes from a Noh play, this is the score for that play.

Gion Izuju Restaurant Interior

Interior Details

The narrow vertical peices are Kitayama Sugi (Japanese cedar from the north mountians of Kyoto), the heavily abraded and eroded planks are from the inside of a well! I have never seen this before.

Interior Details

The plank here is from a wooden boat on Lake Biwa. Peices of wooden boats from Lake Biwa are a very common sight in Kyoto. Kitamura-san said that these peices were collected during the war. Even during a time of such hardship the previous owner still didn’t pass up a chance to score some interesting wood!

Kyoto Sushi Facts

I talked to the owner for an hour or so this morning and here are a few things that I learned. (I learned a lot!)

- Traditionally sushi restaurants were closed in the summer months, from right after the Gion Festival (July 17) to September.

- Before World War II most restaurants didn’t prepare food on site. The owner would get a reservation and budget from the customer and then order each dish from speciality shops. For example, Izuju was one of the top choices for sushi in Kyoto.

- Edo mae (Tokyo style) nigiri sushi came to Kyoto thanks to the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake with sushi shops that relocated to Kyoto.

- Izuju was previously located at the intersection of Sanjo and Kawabata streets. During World War II they came to work one day and found an order posted on their storefront say to leave within one week because the block was going to be demolished by the military government. (A number of neighborhoods in Kyoto were leveled during the war to make makeshift runways, firebreaks and etc. These actions were militarily useless and only increased the suffering of the Japanese people.)

Izuju packed up a wagon and moved to their current location. They never even unpacked as they thought that they would have to move again. Fortunately the war ended soon after, and of course they now have probably the very best location in all of Kyoto. They left the wagon in their storehouse for several decades, as it was when they left their Sanjo location.

- Izuju has used the same rice, fish and kombu dealers for their entire history. No competitive bidding for business here!

- Izuju has not changed their recipes or sushi line-up since they started. (They did have to add one item to the menu based on a law made my General MacArthur during the occupation.)

- They still cook over a wood fired hearth. There is no sushi restaurant in Kyoto that still does and there are only several tofu shops that still do. They use used chopsticks as kindling and the fire department gets called by mistake several times a year by people thinking there is a fire in the heart of Gion!

Highly Recommended

Izuju is a restaurant whose sushi I have had many times take out at friends’ houses, as omiyage, etc, although I have never eaten in the restaurant, even though I walk or bike past it once or twice a week. I was deeply impressed by this casual, friendly, down to earth yet extremely sophisticated and ‘bases loaded homerun’ tasty restaurant.

Izuju is old Kyoto, in the heart of Gion, right across the street from historic Yasaka Shrine. It could be so easy for them to be full of themselves, stuck-up and haughty. Yet Kitamura-san, the owner was so humble and so kind and so sincere in his love of sushi and his restaurant. While I was taking photos in the other room, customers started coming in and I sensed that they were truly grateful to be able to buy his sushi and that he was truly honored to serve them. I can only believe that the soul of this restaurant accounts for the taste. The taste, while sophisticated, historic and deeply Kyoto, I would describe as elevated homecookin.

I was impressed with this restaurant beyond my ability to articulate. It is just so down to earth yet so elevated. I cannot think of a similar restaurant in Kyoto. (I am sure that there are some.)

For a sushi restaurant and a Kyoto shinise, Izuju is not expensive. If you are on a budget, you can enjoy a modest sampling of sushi, the likes of which you cannot find anywhere else in the world, including Japan, for like $10 or so. If you like sushi and are on a budget but can afford to spend like $50 per person on one nice meal on your visit to Kyoto, I would say that Izuju is THE place to go.

Map

View OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map in a larger map

I was invited to review it by Hatanaka and it was horrible. I wrote a detailed critical review but Miwa used to work there so I haven’t posted it yet.

Unprofessional Production
The maiko are cute but the production is very unprofessional. Just less than half of the audience will have their back to the show. They all go home with very stiff necks.

The English translation is poor.

Cheap and Stingy Dinner
The Hatanaka Maiko Dinner Show is REALLY expensive. In typical Kyoto style, they are stingy with the amount and quality of the food that they serve. It is a complete rip off. We know how much maiko cost and about how much the food costs; Hatanaka is robbing their guests!

Better Alternative
The maiko performances at any of the kaburenjo theaters is far, far better and a fraction of the price. Go to the theater and go out for a nice dinner after.

Sorry
When we reviewed Hatanaka’s Hamo Cuisine last summer, it was to introduce the cuisine, rather than recommend Hatanaka. I actually regret that we didn’t review a better kitchen. (Hatanaka’s food isn’t terrible, there is just better in town.)

In Gion, on the way to Kiyomizu Temple is a tiny shinise shop that specializes in dorayaki, called mikasa in Kyoto dialect. Dorayaki is sweet bean paste sandwiched between two waffle-like pancakes. Doraemon fans will want to take note of this because Doraemon loves dorayaki, it is his favorite food!

Paku Says: Best Mikasa in Japan, Do Not Miss!
Shimogawara Azuki (also spelled Aduki) is famous for their mikasa, also known as dorayaki in other regions of Japan. Their sweets are really famous with locals. I used to stop by very often to buy one of their mikasa for a snack when I used to live near there. You can buy Shimogawara Azuki’s mikasa at department stores in Kyoto too, but the mikasa from the original store is different and really fresh! Fresh, puffy and even warm if you get there at the right time!

Shimogawara Azuki’s Mikasa

The waffle is soft and fluffy and the anko (azuki bean paste) is not too sweet, so you can still taste of the original flavor of the azuki beans. (Azuki in Japan is often overly sweet, sometimes extremely sweet.)

The mikasa are just 160 yen each and I think that this store offers the best mikasa in all of Japan. If you are in the neighborhood, I recommend that you try this shop for a traditional Kyoto snack. You can get a few to take out and eat them on the way up to Kiyomizu Temple.

Inside the store is a tiny seating area and you can try sit down and eat their other sweets; like maccha ice cream with mochi and azuki beans, anmitsu and zenzai. In the summer they have kakigori which is very good and refreshing. (For more about kakigori in Gion, please see this article.)

xox, Paku

Shimogawara Azuki’s Famous Dorayaki (Mikasa)

Shimogawara Azuki’s Famous Dorayaki – detail
This one has a white azuki bean filling.

Show Window: Shimogawara Azuki’s Famous Complete Dorayaki Lineup

Showcase: Zenzai and Anmitsu

Showcase: Extra Large Mikasa

This is a fine example of Japan’s plastic display case food. This magnum sized mikasa has both white and red azuki bean paste filling.

Teppan Metal Grill for Cooking the ‘Pancakes’

Kitchen Staff Filling Mikasa with Azuki Bean Paste

Shimogawara Azuki Storefront

Shimogawara Azuki Show Window

English and Access

English menu: none
English website: none
Service/Staff: so-so (go for the dorayaki, not the conversation)
Hours: 9am-6pm, closed Wednesdays
Location and Access: Shimogawara Azuki is best accessed on foot. It is located just down the street from the south gate of Yasaka Shrine on Shimogawara Street. From Shijo-Higashiyama intersection and Yasaka Shrine it is about a three minute walk.
Address
: Kyoto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Gion, Kamibenten-cho 428 (京都市東山区祇園下河原通八坂鳥居前下ル上弁天町428)
Telephone: 075-561-3977

Near sightseeing Spot: Shimogawara Azuki is located in the heart of scenic Gion/Higashiyama near the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizu Temple and other historic places such as Yasaka Pagoda and Kodaiji Temple.

Asuka is a restaurant that I have been going to since even before I lived in Kyoto. It has never disappointed me. Asuka serves ‘teishoku‘ set menu meals and offers ‘ippin‘ a la carte dishes. The atmosphere is friendly, the prices are reasonable, the home cooking style food is delicious and it is located near the museums and Heian Shrine in Okazaki Park. Asuka is very popular with locals and foreign visitors.

Downhome and Tasty in Stuffy Old Kyoto
Asuka, run by several yakety-yak older ladies, is down home and low key in a way that very few restaurants are in Kyoto. Asuka reminds me more of an Osaka restaurant than one in Kyoto.

As the restaurant is just a 30 second walk from the Higashiyama Subway Station on the Tozai Line, which is the jump-off point for the museums in Okazaki Park and Heian Shrine, Asuka always seems to have several foreign customers. Asuka is about the most foreigner friendly place I know in the city. A wholesome and tasty teishoku meal can be had for under 1,000 yen, which makes Asuka a good deal.

I stopped in the other day on an early winter day for a late afternoon lunch. I ordered a set meal that included simmered fish head chunks, however most dishes at Asuka a lot more conventional and ‘foreigner friendly’.

Buri-ara Nitsuke Teishoku

Buri-ara Nitsuke: Yellowtail Head Chunks Simmered in Shoyu

Buri-ara Nitsuke: Yellowtail Head Chunks Simmered in Shoyu – detail

Teishoku
Teishoku, literally ‘set meal’ in Japanese, is very common and economical, especially for lunch. Teishoku usually includes fish, a rice or noodle dish with 3 or 4 other small side dishes and miso soup. Asuka offers several Kyoto-style noodle dishes and always several seasonal teishoku meals, usually featuring fish.

I had the seasonal buri-ara nitsuke teishoku, that is chunks of yellowtail head simmered in sweetened soy sauce and ginger. The other dishes included rice, miso soup, tofu, simmered vegetables and pickles. Plucking out the bits of meat from a fish head is not for everyone and Asuka offers plenty of other dishes that are far easier to eat.

Ippin
Ippin, literally ‘one dish’ is popular fare at drinking establishments such as izakaya. Asuka offers a huge menu of seasonal, ippin dishes that go well with beer or sake or add some bulk to a teishoku. (If you are a sake aficionado, Asuka’s sake selection is nothing to write home about. You might want to stick with beer.)

If you are going to Asuka for a leisurely dinner, you can order a number of ippin dishes and split them among your party. This a very popular way to eat out with friends in Japan.

Asuka Interior

Asuka offers a small counter with chairs and four tables on tatami mat. If the restaurant is smoky you can ask to be seated upstairs.

Asuka Storefront

English and Access

English menu: yes (understandable English)
English website: none
Service/Staff: Very friendly
Hours: 11am-11pm, closed Mondays
Location and Access: Asuka is just a few steps from the North exit of Higashiyama Station on the Subway Tozai Line.
Address
: Kyoto, Higashiyama-ku, Sanjo-dori, Jingumichi Nishi-iru Nishimachi 144 (京都市東山区三条通神宮道西入西町144)
Telephone: 075-751-9809

Map

View Larger Map

Near sightseeing Spot: Asuka is about a 5 minute walk from the museums in Okazaki Park and Heian Shrine. The start of the Philosopher’s Path at Nanzenji Temple at the foot of the Higashiyama Mountains is about 25 minutes away.

For lunch Miwa took me to Yorozuya, a tiny noodle shop in Gion that is known for it’s Kyoto scallion udon. If you come to Yorozuya for lunch, you might find yourself sitting next to a maiko also enjoying a bowl of udon heaped with scallions.

Hidden Lunch Spot in Gion and Kyoto Vegetables
Just a few minutes walk from Hanamikoji and Gion Corner, Yorozuya is one of those little Kyoto shops frequented by locals that is famous for a single dish. One of Kyoto’s famous vegetables, kujo scallion is combined with a generous helping of grated ginger in hot dashi with udon noodles (soba is also available).

Gion is the entertainment district of Kyoto and maiko (apprentice geisha) and Kabuki actors often visit the unpretentious Yorozuya for lunch.

Negi Udon Lunch

Kujo Negi and Heaps of Ginger

Kujo Scallion Udon
While enjoying lunch on a recent brisk autumn day, Miwa asked the owner about the dashi and kujo negi. The dashi is quite rich in flavor and is made with a lot of shaved fish. The scallions are first blanched and this removes the bitterness. They are then simmered with the dashi for several minutes, this makes them sweet and adds complexity to the dashi. The soup is heavy with the taste of fresh scallion but is not bitter or ‘oniony’. One bowl of kujo negi udon contains 7 to 8 scallions!

Miwa ordered ankake negi udon. Ankake is a kind of noodle broth that has katakuriko (starch) added to it which makes it very thick. Ankake is about the consistency of heavy cream. The starch adds no taste, but the dashi does retain heat much longer. If you burn your tongue easily you will probably want to avoid ankake! Ankake is wonderful in the cold seasons as it really does warm the body up. It is a great way to add richness to dashi without more calories.

For my taste, the udon noodles were too soft and not at all al dente. A lot of Kyoto people like noodles to be well cooked though, it is considered more sophisticated by them. Probably the majority of Japanese prefer noodles al dente.

If you want to order noodles in Japan al dente, the Japanese word is katame (固め).

Shichimi and Sansho Spice

Shichimi, or seven spice is a must for any Japanese noodle dish. Sansho is in the unopened container. There are several shops in the Gion neighborhood famous for shichimi and sansho. We have an article on the way for that, but for now you can check out this topic on spices at Kyoto Support forum.

Shichimi on Negi Udon – detail

Negi Udon

Ankake Negi Udon

Ankake broth is considerably thicker than regular dashi.

Kujo Negi

Award winning Kyoto scallions!

About Kujo Negi
Literally, ‘ninth street onion’, is a traditional Kyoto vegetable, or Kyo-yasai that came to Kyoto from current day Namba, Osaka about 1,300 years ago. Today, Kujo (ninth street) is just south of Kyoto Station. Over the centuries kujo negi developed their own ‘Kyoto’ flavor and since the Edo era this area produced most of the scallions for Kyoto and thus they became known as kujo negi. Kujo negi is available all year now but traditionally they were in season in November.

There are now two types of kujo negi, thick and thin. Yorozuya uses the thin variety.

Yorozuya Storefront

Neighborhood

The neighborhood is typical of Gion; a jumbled mix of exclusive, traditional and seedy. You can peek into a moss covered temple garden or buy some booze from a vending machine and take it with you to the Hotel King (a love hotel).

Neighborhood Temple

The area infront of the gate to this little temple is quite dumpy, but take a look inside.

Neighborhood Temple Garden

The carefully scuplted pines, the moss and stones are so Japanese. I love the diagonal, half useless stone path.

Neighborhood Love Hotel

If scallions in hot dashi put you and your mate in the mood, you are in luck! You can stop in at Hotel King just down the way for a ‘rest’.

Neighborhood Guard Dog

This sleepy and uninterested dog was sitting on top of a barrel at the entrance to the storeroom of a liquor store. In the background is a vending machine (brown), the white character on it means sake.

English and Access

English menu: none
English website: none (Japanese language website)
Service/Staff: very friendly and helpful
Hours: 12noon-10pm, open everyday (except around Golden Week, Obon, New Year’s, Obon, )
Location and Access: Five minutes on foot from Gion Shijo Station (Keihan Railway). From Shijo Street walk south on Hanamikoji to the second street and turn right (west) and walk about 1 minute. Yorozuya is on the left (south) side of the street, opposite the small temple gate shown above.
Address
: Kyoto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Shijo Hanamikoji-sagaru, Futasujime Nishi-iru, Komatsu-cho 555-1 (京都市東山区四条花見小路下る二筋目西入る小松町555-1)
Telephone: 075-551-3409

Near sightseeing Spot: Yorozuya is located near the first Zen temple in Japan, Kenninji. It has some very old and architecturally significant buildings and the gardens are well worth your time. If you are in Kyoto and don’t have time to get out of the center of the city but still want to see some Zen gardens, try Kennin Temple.

Map

View Larger Map

I collected some fallen ginkgo leaves on the grounds of a shrine and a church in northern Kyoto for this article, while shooting these photos I was particularly struck at how similar the namagashi really resembled the actual leaves, both in form and in color.

Ginkgo Leaves Inspire Confection
The ginkgo, or icho in Japanese, is a tree that has a leaf said to be shaped like a duck foot. Kyoto is best known for it’s maples in the autumn but around the city there are a number of remarkable and towering ginkgo trees that turn yellow and rain down thick, heavy leaves that never seem to dry out and thus are not easily scattered by the wind. They amass like snow beneath the tree.

The ginkgo leaf is the inspiration for a namagashi from a 300 year old shop in Gion called Kagizen Yoshifusa.

Ginkgo Leaf Shaped Wagashi

Ginkgo leaf shaped namagashi and real ginkgo leaves.

Sightseers Taking in the Autumn Colors in Kyoto 紅葉
Hanami 花見, or cherry blossom viewing of the spring in Japan is well known abroad, in the autumn koyo 紅葉 is just as popular. Kyoto has numerous places for koyo.

Kyoto Autumn Colors – Sightseers

Kyoto Autumn Colors – Sightseers

Kyoto Autumn Colors – Ginkgo Leaves

Kyoto Autumn Colors – Ginkgo Leaves

Kyoto Autumn Colors – Fallen Leaves on Shrine Roof

Kyoto Autumn Colors – Ginkgo Tree and Shrine

This ginkgo tree is one of Kyoto’s biggest.

Kagizen Yoshifusa Wagashi Shinise in Gion 鍵善良房
While we were walking back from some errands near Kiyomizu Temple, Miwa took me around to several of her favorite shops in the neighborhood. As she lived in the neighborhood for two years when she worked at Gion Hatanaka, she has many. Last we dropped into Kagizen Yoshifusa, a shinise known for it’s kuzu based wagashi that started around 1720. Kagizen Yoshifusa is especially known for it’s confections made with kuzu root.

When we walked in, this ginkgo leaf shaped namagashi immediately caught my eye. The simplicity and restraint in expression is representative of Kyo-gashi 京菓子 (Kyoto wagashi).

Kagizen Yoshifusa Noren

Kagi means key in Japanese. That is a key on the shop curtain, or noren. Now that’s an old fashioned key!

Ginkgo Leaf Shaped Namagashi from Kagizen Yoshifusa – Wrapping

Ginkgo Leaf Shaped Namagashi and Ginkgo Leaves

Ginkgo Leaf Shaped Namagashi – detail

Ginkgo Leaf Shaped Namagashi and Ginkgo Leaves – detail

Taste
As is typical of namagashi, the confection looks remarkably like something in the natural world that with artful folding, pressing, wrapping or sculpting is formed from mochi and filled with a sweetened bean paste, either white or red.

The actual taste though refined and delicately sweet does become less unremarkable with time.

Perhaps I digress but; Please, someone try making namagashi that tastes like something different! Enough with centuries with nearly zero variation. How about some kaizen?!

Kuzu Root – Photo in Kagizen

The Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture is famous for it’s kuzu root which is used to make some kinds of traditional Japanese confections. This photo is in the entry to Kagizen. By the way, kuzu was not used in this namagashi.

Reference and Links
Kagizen Yoshifusa website (Japanese language)
Kuzu Wikipedia article

Bells, flowers and leaves. While expressed in subtle terms, the simple beauty, the inventiveness in theme, the attention to season and the variety of the color palette of namagashi never ceases to amaze.

Gion Oharameya Shinise 大原女家
The other day while passing through Gion, I dropped into one of my favorite wagashi shinise stores, Oharameya 大原女家 thinking that they ought to have some clever and attractive autumn namagashi, and I was definitely not disappointed.

Ohayameya, founded in 1897, is actually better known for some of it’s other wagashi rather than namagashi. I especially adore their yuzu flavored kamaburo かま風呂 wagashi. I find that their namagashi is particularly beautiful and always very colorful. Traditionalists may object to the perhaps excessive use of color used in some of their namagashi but Ohayameya’s namagashi always strike me as modern and free of that tea ceremony ‘attitude’ that is occasionally encountered.

I bought a delightful three-piece set of autumn themed Kyoto namagashi. The motifs are; Gion bell, tsubaki 椿 (camellia) flower and autumn maples leaves.

Autumn Theme Namagashi Set

Namagashi: Gion Bell

Namagashi: Tsubaki (Camellia)

I think that this tsubaki piece is a real masterpiece.

Namagashi: Autumn Maple Leaves

Autumn Theme Namagashi Set – detail

Ohayameya Previously on KyotoFoodie
By the way, one of our most popular articles here on KyotoFoodie, Father’s Day Wagashi also came from Ohayameya.

Oharameya website (no English, but nice photos)

This is a chopstick workshop and store that offers traditional, eco and modern Japanese chopsticks for sale and a quick lesson on how to make your own. Located in one of Kyoto’s most scenic and quaint districts, just drop in on your way up to Kiyomizu or Kodaiji temples!

Paku discovered Ohashi-no-Ohshita near Kodaiji Temple in Higashiyama ward the other day.

The location is the most scenic area in central Kyoto and the store not only sells a wide variety of high quality chopsticks, visitors can learn how to make their own in the adjoining workshop.

If you are going to be in Kyoto, you will probably want to see Kiyomizu Temple (清水寺), Kiyomizu Temple is one of the 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto. Kodaiji Temple (高台寺) and the Ichinenzaka (一念坂), Ninenzaka (二寧坂) and Sannenzaka (三寧坂) neighborhood are just below Kiyomizu and these three streets wind their way up the slope to the hillside temple.

Experience: Kyoto ‘DIY’ Chopsticks at Ohashi-no-Ohshita

Ohashi-no-Ohshita offers a variety of pre-lacquered chopsticks to choose from and there are several techniques to polish them. It doesn’t take too long and anyone can create their own, one of a kind chopsticks to take home.

In the Workshop – Polishing Your Own DIY Chopsticks

The owner, Mr Oshita gives a demonstration; polishing reveals layers of lacquer, mother of pearl and other varieties of seashell.

In the Workshop – Color and Texture Variations

In the Workshop – Before and After

The small bits are made from eggshells and seashells, the large, rectangular pieces are mother of pearl. If you look carefully, near the top of the chopstick on the left, the inlaid rectangular piece of mother of pearl can be seen.

Kyoto Omiyage: Handcrafted Traditional Japanese Lacquer Chopsticks

The owner of Ohashi-no-Ohshita, Masayuki Oshita is from Fukui prefecture to the north of Kyoto. Fukui is famous for many things including lacquer. Wakasa nuri comes from modern-day city of Obama, the area was historically known as Wakasa, named after Wakasa Bay on the Sea of Japan.

The lacquer craftsmen in Wakasa of the early Edo period (1603-1868) were influenced by Chinese lacquer techniques and were inspired by the patterns created by sunlight through waves on the shallow seafloor of the bay. This has become known as wakasa nuri, nuri, means to paint, brush or coat.

The selection of wakasa nuri chopsticks are quite expensive, from about $45-$130. They have up to 50 layers of lacquer! Each layer takes one day to dry, then comes polishing. These aren’t DIY. They are very labor intensive and are some of Japan’s finest.

Multiple Layer ‘Wakasa Nuri’ Lacquer ‘Wavy Seafloor’ Pattern

‘Wakasa Nuri’ Lacquer with Seashell

These include mother of pearl.

‘Wakasa Nuri’ Lacquer with Seashell

‘Wakasa Nuri’ Lacquer

This motif was a favorite in old Kyoto.

‘Wakasa Nuri’ (若狭塗) Sign

若 waka, 狭 sa, nuri 塗; Wakasa is just a place name and has no particular meaning.

Modern and Colorful Lacquer Chopsticks

This series is very delightful and unique. The vibrant colors are not at all traditional. The quality is high yet the prices are reasonable.

Colorful Modern Lacquer

On the ends are painted blooms and sprout themed motifs in delicate white lacquer.

Wrapped in ‘Washi’ Paper and Lacquered

Washi is traditional Japanese paper. It is extremely durable yet beautiful. The lacquered so it will stand up to water and washing. The paper makes for a nice grip too.

Modern Natural Wood Japanese Chopsticks

The bamboo used to make these chopsticks comes from the Arashiyama and Sagano area in the Western Hills of Kyoto. This area produces many varieties of bamboo for crafts as well as fine bamboo shoots for eating.

Natural Kyoto Bamboo Chopsticks

Natural Kyoto Bamboo Chopsticks – detail

Natural Bamboo Chopsticks – Painted Green

Use Specific Wooden Chopsticks

These are for sashimi. About $15.

Use Specific Wooden Chopsticks

The top pair is for soba, and the bottom two are for ramen. Ramen is more slippery than soba, so these are branded with a hot iron for extra traction.

Japanese Baseball Team Branded Chopsticks

Baseball is the most popular professional sport in Japan and the names and logos of teams are a common sight on products in Japan. This was the first time I had seen baseball team branded chopsticks.

Japanese Baseball Team Chopsticks

Japanese Baseball Team Chopsticks

Hanshin Tigers

Eco, Reusable ‘My Hashi’ Chopstick Sets

‘Hashi’ means ‘chopstick’ in Japanese. ‘My Hashi’ are gaining in popularity and these are very attractive and reasonably priced at about $20. They can be broken down to easily fit in a purse or briefcase and have their own pouch.

My Hashi

My Hashi

Conventional Chopsticks – Dishwasher Safe

Ohashi-no-Ohshita Workshop and Store has a large offering of reasonably priced Japanese style conventional chopsticks. These make great omiyge (お土産), or souvenirs. They are even dishwasher safe.

Conventional Chopsticks

Conventional Chopsticks

The Store and Neighborhood

The Proprietor

Mr Oshita started out as a lacquer craftsmen in Wakasa then came to Kyoto to develop his business and offer people a chance to experience some of the process that makes traditional Japanese lacquer chopsticks.

Store

The store is small, but not cramped and has an incredible selection of chopsticks.

Workshop

The autographed white panels on the wall are signed by actors, musicians, athletes, television personalities and so on.

Ichinenzaka Neighborhood

This is a wonderful neighborhood with many, many traditional shops and restaurants to be discovered. You can easily spend an entire day between here and Kiyomizu Temple.

Ohashi-no-Ohshita Store Front

Ohashi-no-Ohshita Store Front

Workshop and Store Sign

おおした Ohshita, 箸 chopstick, 工房 workshop

Ishin-no-Michi Entrance

The larger street, facing toward Kodaji Temple is called Ishin-no-Michi (維新の道), Ishin Street. Ohashi-no-Ohshita can also be entered through this side of the building.

Ishin-no-Michi Storefront

Ishin-no-Michi Steet Facing Sign

English Service

English brochure: none
English website: none (Japanese language website)

Service/Staff: friendly
Hours: 10am-6pm, open everyday
Location and Access: Ohshita Chopstick Workshop is 20 minutes on foot from Kawaramachi Station (Hankyu Line), 15 minutes on foot from Shijo Station (Keihan line). It is on stone paved road called Ichinen-zaka,in between Gion area to Kiyomizu Temple.

Address
Kyoto-shi Higashiyama-ku Kodaiji Minamimon-dori Shimogawara Higashi-iru Masuya-cho 362-5 (京都市東山区高台寺南門通下河原東入桝屋町362-5)
Telephone: 075-551-1184

Map

View Larger Map

Kyoto Ryokan: Kyoto Summer Hamo Cuisine at Gion Hatanaka – part 2 (鱧料理)

Hamo ryori is served! Hamo is served five different ways; sashimi, broth, sushi, tempura and grilled. While eating is essential to the ryokan experience, a ryokan is not a restaurant.

Everything in a ryokan is natural; the walls are earthen stucco, the floor is woven grass tatami mats, doors and screens are plain wood and paper, even the ceiling is wood. Artwork and flower arrangements are all seasonal and usually evoke the coming season.

The views outside are either into a well manicured garden that is a summary of the natural world, or in the case in a rural area, with a view focused on mountains, rivers, lakes, the sea and so on.

In this natural setting, the kaiseki meal is enjoyed. The meal itself is a work of art and has numerous references to nature, the seasons and even poetry.

Hatanaka Guest Room – Kaiseki Served with View of Garden

Before feasting our eyes on Hatanaka’s hamo kaiseki lunch, here is a bit about Japanese inns.

Ryokan (旅館)
Staying at a traditional Japanese inn, or ryokan is, like much else in Japan, highly ritualized.

Upon arrival, guests are shown to their room and served tea and wagashi or senbei crackers usually with a small garden in view.

After relaxing a bit comes changing clothes. Guests change into more comfortable attire such as yukata, a light, cotton kimono, sometimes called a ‘summer kimono’. These are provided by the ryokan and usually have the ryokan‘s insignia or some local natural motif dyed on it.

Ofuro (お風呂)
Next comes a quick bath, or ofuro (お風呂). Ryokan are synonymous with not just eating, but also bathing and Japanese are bath aficionados.

Kaiseki Meal, Course After Course
Dinner is served in the room and is a procession of exquisite kaiseki courses that can easily last 2 hours!

After much eating and probably plenty of drink too, it is time for a long and relaxing soak in the bathtub.

An upscale ryokan will often have a private bath attached to each room. A large communal, segregated bath is usually the case with a more budget ryokan. Many ryokan offer both.

Hinokiburo (檜風呂)
Bathtubs are often made of hinoki (檜) wood, the Japanese cedar gives off a wonderful fragrance in the hot, steamy air of the bathroom. (note: Gion Hatanaka’s baths are made of koyamaki (高野槙) wood, which is said to be better than hinoki.)

When families stay together at a ryokan, it is not uncommon for the whole family to bath together.

Soap and shampoo is NEVER used in the bathtub. All washing is done before entering the bath, therefore the water can be used by several people. In Japanese homes water is sometimes used for several days and can be reheated every night with the push of a button. Also, bathing at night, rather than in the morning means cleaner bedding.

Onsen (温泉)
Many ryokan are located in mountain villages in onsen, or hot spring districts. Mineral rich boiling hot water naturally bubbles up from the ground in many of these areas. Japanese absolutely love onsen but Kyoto has no onsen. The water of Kyoto is still very good for bathing, never-the-less.

In an onsen village visitors often go out and walk around the village in their ryokan issued yukata after dinner and bathing in wooden clogs called geta (下駄). The unmistakable click-clack of wooden geta on the lanes can often be heard while finishing dinner. However, Kyoto is a large city and this is not usually done when staying at a Kyoto ryokan.

Hatanaka’s Ofuro and ‘Beauty’ Water
Hatanaka has both private baths attached to each room and a large communal bath. The water comes from deep underground and is the same water as Yasaka Shrine’s, called bijin-no-yu, literally ‘beautiful woman water’.

There is even a ‘bijin’ shrine inside Yasaka Shrine. This shrine is a popular destination for the maiko of Gion.

Hamo Kaiseki Lunch

Hatanaka’s Hamo Ryori Kaiseki

Tempura, sashimi and sushi ready to be served.

Hatanaka’s Hamo Ryori Kaiseki Served

The tables in the room is a traditional Japanese lacquer table. The black streaks are not painted on, they are a layer exposed from beneath the red that has been revealed by laborious polishing.

Hamo Otsukuri (Sashimi)

Of course, otsukuri (sashimi) is raw fish and hamo must be blanched, yet it is still called otsukuri and thought of as, served and eaten like sashimi. Notice that it is served on a bed of crushed ice with shiso leaf physically separating it from the ice. The other leaves and sea vegetables can be added to the shoyu prior to dipping the hamo.

Hamo Otsukuri and Dipping Sauces

On the left is a sauce made of umeboshi, pickled plum and on the right is shoyu.

Hamo Suimono (Soup)

The red spot on top of the hamo is also umeboshi paste.

Hamo Kyoto Vegetable Tempura

The long, golden brown piece of tempura is the eel spine, deep frying it makes it crunchy. It is called hone senbei, literally ‘bone cracker’. The hamo tempura is very white and under the hone senbei and red pepper.

Hamozushi (Hamo Sushi)

There are a lot of visual puns in traditional Japanese culture, here the sushi is served on a maple leaf shaped plate with a green maple leaf as decoration. Often, the coming season is hinted at, and of course, ‘maple’ means autumn in Japan.

Hatanaka Guest Room – Interior

Hatanaka Guest Room – View of Garden

Hatanaka Guest Room – Kaiseki Served with View of Garden

Very sorry: We did a video interview with chief chef Yoshihiko Yano while I sampled the dishes but the sound level turned out to be too low to use. Hopefully we can interview him again in the future.

English:
English website: yes
English speaking staff: yes
Location and Access: Located immediately south of Yasaka Shrine, about 3 minute walk from the intersection of Shijo Street and Higashi-oji Street in Gion.
Address: Kyoto-shi Higashiyama-ku Yasaka Jinja Minamimon Mae (京都市東山区祇園八坂神社南門前)
Telephone: 075-541-5315
Gion Hatanaka website
Map

View Larger Map

Disclosure: Paku was once employed by Gion Hatanaka Ryokan.