Dining and WASHOKU,Japanese Cuisine at Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo and Restaurant

What is KAISEK & Washoku?

“Washoku” is “traditional Japanese cuisine” which refers to individual Japanese food or a set of Japanese dishes. Washoku was registered as a UNESCO Intangible cultural heritage in 2013. As cuisine field in it, Washoku was registered the 5th in the World. Washoku is a World-Class. There are individual Japanese food such as Sushi, Sashimi, and Tempura,etc,and a set of Japanese dishes. Washoku is characterized by the use of various seasonal fresh foods, and is famous as very healthy food due to a low-calorie, nutritious and well-balanced diet.

The word "KAISEKI" originally had little to do with cooking or tea. The "KAI" means "bosom" and "SEKI" means"stone," and the term comes from the habit of monks in training to carry a heated stone in their robes,the warmth of which was intended to stave off hunger. Over the years, the word came to mean light meals to ward off the pangs of an empty stomach. The cuisine`s connection with tea began with Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591),the most renowed master of the tea ceremony. The hight caffeine content of the powdered green tea was almost too intense to drink on an empty stomach,so tea ceremony practitioners began serving snacks to better enable guests to enjoy their tea. Rikyu`s course was very simple at first--a bowl of miso soup and three side dishes--but the cooking became more elabolate as other side dishes were added. Although the style of KAISEKI created in restaurants like YACHIYO based on Rikyu`s philosophy, as chefs we must focus on our curomers`enjoyment of the food,so the structure of our courses differs greatly from the tea master`s. Today we distinguish between courses specifically for the tea ceremony --CHA-KAISEKI--and restaurant courses,known simply as KAISEKI. There in another style,KYO-KAISEKI,based on kyoto`s traditional local cuisine, including SHOJIN-RYORI vegetarian temple food,Best Vegetarian Restaurants. In a city as small as Kyoto,of course,we have seen much overlapping of KAISEKI and these local dishes,so I would have to say my meals are part of the KYO-KAISEKI tradition.

[HOSPITALITY ] The hospitality you can receive in a Ryokan is part of Japanese spirit. Making sure that a guest is treated well is part of the Japanese lifestyle. In a Ryokan in Kyoto, a representative wearing traditional Japanese attire will be in charge of one room during a guest's stay. They will be in charge of carrying the guest's baggage, guiding the guests to their room, delivering meals, setting up the bed and any other room service that may be required. However, this is just one small part of "Hospitality" in Japan. As you may have noticed, the watering and purifying of the entrance, seasonal greetings, staff in traditional attire smiling and greeting in a Kyoto dialect. The “hospitality” of Kyoto's ryokan, are that of very subtle presence. Much like a part of Japanese people themselves. The warmness of the staff may be quiet and indirect, but always there. That is the true hospitality of Ryokan in Kyoto.



Chef of YACHIYO : TOSHIYUKI HONDO

We renvated our garden WASHOKU restaurant to expand the seats by the garden side. Feel free to visit our Japanese culinary art and culture and new garden WASHOKU restaurant/Auberge and enjoy being in cool Japan!!

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If dinner is wished to have, please request a front by 17:00 of the day.*Seasonal a KIASEKI course : Reservaton necessary 3days prior.(Cancellations must be made by 3 days before the dinner day.)