Kichisen Sabazushi (Mackerel Sushi) 吉泉の鯖寿し

Historically, Kyoto — the inland, landlocked capital — wasn’t much of a sushi town, but sabazushi was and is a very important part of the culinary culture. For centuries, Mackerel was harvested in fishing villages on the Sea of Japan coast and carried for several days on the ‘Mackerel Highway’ to Kyoto. The…
Archive for the ‘kaiseki’ Category
Kichisen Sabazushi
Aoi Matsuri Kyoto Kaiseki
Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) Kyoto Kaiseki at Kichisen 吉泉の五月の献立

It is May and the most historic festival in all of Japan, the Aoi Matsuri is upon us. Iron Chef Defeater, Yoshimi Tanigawa of Kyoto’s famed Kichisen restaurant artfully uses the symbols and themes of the Aio Matsuri and seasonal leaves and ingredients for Kichisen’s May kaiseki menu.
Kichisen Kaiseki: Japanese New Year Shogatsu Ryori
Kichisen Kaiseki: Japanese New Year O-Shogatsu Kaiseki Ryori 京都吉泉 お正月懐石料理

A lobster, mochi, kelp, daidai- orange and persimmon offering to god, crab served amid fresh snow covered bamboo grass, red snapper sashimi served in a basket of green bamboo, pine bough and plum blossom; it’s Oshogatsu Ryori at Kichisen.
Several hundred boxes of Osechi have been delivered, this…
Osechi: Shopping for Osechi Vegetables at Kyoto Wholesale Food Market
Japanese New Year’s Osechi Ryori: Shopping for Vegetables at Kyoto Wholesale Food Market with Kichisen Owner Yoshimi Tanigawa

At Kichisen, they start shopping for ingredients for osechi in July. Most all shopping is done at the Kyoto Central Wholesale Market. After ordering seafood, Kichisen master Tanigawa heads over to the vegetable section to purchase the finest Kyo-yasai, or…
Osechi: What is Osechi Ryori?
Kichisen Osechi: What is Osechi Ryori? 京都吉泉 おせち料理

Japanese New Year’s, or O-shogatsu is a celebration with ancient roots and perhaps the most prominent aspect of it is food and drink. Osechi ryori, or New Year’s cuisine is preserved food and is intended to last for several days. Osechi is richly fortified with cultural metaphor and visual symbolism.…
