Toriyasu: Kyoto-style Chicken Donburi Shop

January 9, 2008 13 Comments

Toriyasu: Kyoto-style Chicken Donburi Shop (とり安丼・鳥料理)

Tori Yasu - Chicken Donburi, Kyoto Chicken Cuisine

Toriyasu serves several donburi (ricebowl) dishes that are unbeatable. This tiny and charming restaurant with about 50 years of history is an offshoot of the 120 year old poulterer just next door. Toriyasu serves three classic donburi dishes and the most famous of which is karaagedon.…

Osechi-ryori: Traditional Japanese New Year Meal

January 2, 2008 12 Comments

Osechi-ryori: traditional Japanese New Year meal

Osechi (お節料理) is a traditional meal for the Japanese New Year (oshogatsu, お正月) that dates back to the Heian Period, more than 1000 years ago. There are various versions of osechi; from traditional to modern and even exotic (Italian, French, Chinese, etc), but all based on the meal being hozonshoku,…

Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year

January 2, 2008 No Comments

(Japanese New Year’s Celebration) Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year (初詣)

Hatsumode is usually thought of as January 1st, although it can be a few days later. People visit a shrine or sometimes temple and pray for comfort and health in the new year. It is very common to see women in kimono and quite…