Kyoto Restaurant Recommendation: Shiawase Gohan (Happy Meal 幸せ ごはん)

Kyoto Restaurant Recommendation: Shiawase Gohan (Happy Meal)

This is a guest post from one of my clients: Takaokaya. Takaokaya has been making beautifully handcrafted bedding and cushions in Kyoto since 1919.  Third generation proprietor, Koichi Takaoka is going to tell us about one of his favorite Kyoto restaurants: Shiawase Gohan. Takaoka-san says: Shiawase Gohan (幸せごはん) means happy meal, or happy food. Shiawase Gohan opened about three…
Read More »

Setsubun Foodie Customs: Kyoto Hisagozushi ‘Onimaki’ Ehomaki

Meet the ‘Demon Roll’ sushi for the day before spring — Kyoto-style. This makizushi is a very original, fascinating and extremely beautiful variation of the eho-maki (lucky direction roll) makizushi that is eaten by custom in Japan on Setsubun, February 3rd, the day before spring begins. Setsubun has some wonderful customs and they all seem to be food related. Two…
Read More »

Mid-Winter Wagashi: Kyoto Toraya Red Plum Blossom with Frost Theme Namagashi Confection

A wagashi confection that was created in 1699 by Toraya is a beautiful and unmistakable expression of a mid-winter plum blossom. It is called Shimokobai 霜紅梅, or red plum blossom with frost. This confection, created centuries ago, expresses something that I can only clearly recall seeing once: fruit blossoms in snow. While it is mid-winter here in Kyoto, we are…
Read More »

Kyoto Sawai Shoyu Honten Soy Sauce Candy

Japanese make hard candy with some novel indigenous ingredients and flavors that often sound culinarily dubious but actually taste quite good. This is one, shoyu ame, or soy sauce candy. It is made by a shinise shoyu producer that still makes handcrafted soy sauce the heart of the ancient city, just a few minutes walk from the Gosho Imperial Palace.…
Read More »

Dinner at Yoshikawa Ryokan: Tempura Kakiage O-chazuke

The other day I was fortunate enough to be invited for a wonderful tempura kaiseki dinner by some new friends from San Francisco at one of Kyoto’s most famous ryokan inns: Yoshikawa Ryokan. While Yoshikawa Ryokan is a fine place to stay, it is perhaps more famous for its tempura cuisine. Many Kyotoites go there just for tempura dinner. Now,…
Read More »