Kitcho is a Michelin three-star restaurant in Kyoto that is considered one of the best restaurants in Japan. One fine summer day, we took the bullet train to Kyoto and then we got into a taxi at Kyoto Station for Arashiyama.  

Arashiyama is a suburb of Kyoto known for its exceptional prettiness in the autumn and early spring. We had traveled a very long distance from home for a good lunch. Our expectations were high.

The kaiseki (fine dining) restaurant Kitcho in Kyoto is a favorite restaurant of Japanese connoisseurs since it opened in 1948. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone picked Kitcho to cook dinner for world leaders at the G8 Summit. In the past years, it has become famous internationally because the Michelin Guide awarded it three stars.

ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN JAPAN 

In reality, Kitcho is grand in service but simple in décor and surroundings. This is in line with the traditional Japanese sense of aesthetics. And it’s been this way long before the world discovered it.

Kitcho is housed in a traditional wooden villa set amidst shrubbery. It’s accessible via a long pebbled path. You cannot see anything from the street. But once you have actually navigated this path, you will be surprised to discover that nothing luxurious waits at the end.

LUXURY AT A RESTAURANT IN JAPAN

Instead there is a row of Japanese umbrellas hanging casually but picturesquely on one side. Next to it is an unadorned entrance that looks like someone’s back door. There’s no hint of the beauty and the old-fashioned world of refinement and elegance inside.

But once you step inside Kitcho, you’ll find the kind of atmosphere that so many Japanese dream about. It reminds me of the Golden Age of Japan, just before World War I and World War II forced it to modernize and conform.

This rarified way of life is practically gone now in Japan. But it’s still alive in Kitcho in Kyoto.

KAISEKI: THE BEST JAPANESE FOOD

When we were there, the restaurant was full but we would never have known it. We only heard a solitary burst of laughter as we passed otherwise quiet and empty corridors. As is the tradition in Japan’s finest restaurants, guests dine by themselves in private rooms attended by a lady in a kimono.

THE MENU AT KITCHO

At Kitcho, our private room on the second floor overlooked the river and the hills. Once seated, we received no information on the menu or on the prices.

Read about the best tempura in Tokyo

It seemed enough for us to have secured a much-desired restaurant reservation; whether we simply imagined it or not, we were made to feel that if we dared eat here, then we need not discuss costs at all.

So we made no further inquiries. After the de rigueur sake was served in a flat lacquer dish, we simply focused on enjoying twelve impeccably presented courses.

The food at Kitcho is kaiseki style. This involves a series of small courses of food with not much seasoning. Some foreigners think kaiseki lacks taste, but this is exactly how Japanese gourmet like their food.

That day, each course was exquisitely plated with careful thought. Each consisted of a medley of ingredients that remained distinct. The flavours never once merged together. For me, this was a true test of culinary talent.

There are many fine kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto. However, Kitcho stands out for its creativity and innovation in the highly structured world of Japanese cuisine. The food is traditional, but here and there we found delightful twists that pointed to a chef who was also willing to think out of the box.

RONALD REAGAN AND ROSANJIN DINED AT KITCHO

Kitcho in Kyoto is faithfully patronized by powerful Japanese politicians and tycoons. It is also a great favorite of lovers of food and the good life.

As mentioned earlier, legendary Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone often used Kitcho to entertain important visitors. One of his most famous guests at a Kitcho banquet was the late President Ronald Reagan. Kitcho also took charge of the kitchens for the historic G8 Summit banquets held in Japan. The legendary artist Rosanjin Kitaoji also reportedly loved Kitcho.

FAMILY OF CHEFS IN JAPAN

Today, Kitcho in Arashiyama is run by Kunio Tokuoka, grandson of the founder of Kitcho himself. Tokuoka began training as a chef at the age of 20.

His wife, impeccable in a lovely kimono, personally greets every group of guests. Then she presides over the serving of the first course. After the first course, she hands the service over over to a dedicated attendant for the rest of the meal.

This was also the point where we sat back and allowed Kitcho to overwhelm us with an experience that was part installation art and entertainment. It was also a full-blown gustatory delight that constituted one of my best meals in a never-ending Travelife.

Read more articles about the best restaurants in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

The post Lunch at Kyoto’s top restaurant appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

This post is about a meal at Kitcho, a Michelin three-star restaurant in Kyoto that is considered one of the best restaurants in Japan. It was still a fine day when we reached Arashiyama, a suburb of Kyoto known for its exceptional prettiness in the autumn and early spring. We had traveled a very long distance from home for a good lunch. Our expectations were high.

The kaiseki (fine dining) restaurant Kitcho in Kyoto is a favorite restaurant of Japanese connoisseurs since it opened in 1948. Recently, it has become famous internationally because the Michelin Guide awarded it three stars.

SIMPLE JAPANESE FOOD THAT’S SIMPLY DIVINE

In reality, Kitcho is grand in service but simple in décor and surroundings. This is in line with the traditional Japanese sense of aesthetics. And it’s been this way long before the world discovered it.

Kitcho is housed in a traditional wooden villa set amidst shrubbery. It’s accessible via a long pebbled path. You cannot see anything from the street. But once you have actually navigated this path, you will be surprised to discover that nothing luxurious waits at the end.

NO FRILLS LUXURY IN JAPAN

Instead there is a row of Japanese umbrellas hanging casually but picturesquely on one side. There is an unadorned entrance next to it. There’s no hint of the beauty and the old-fashioned world of refinement and elegance inside. But once you step inside Kitcho, you’ll find the kind of atmosphere that so many Japanese dream about. It reminds me of the Golden Age of Japan, just before World War I and World War II forced it to modernize and conform.

This rarified way of life is practically gone now in Japan. But it’s still alive in Kitcho in Kyoto.

FOOD AS ART AND THEATER

When we were there, the restaurant was full but we would never have known it. We only heard a solitary burst of laughter as we passed otherwise quiet and empty corridors. As is the tradition in Japan’s finest restaurants, guests dine by themselves in private rooms attended by a lady in a kimono.

NO OPTIONS NECESSARY

At Kitcho, our private room on the second floor overlooked the river and the hills. Once seated, we received no information on the menu or on the prices. It seemed enough for us to have secured a much-desired restaurant reservation; whether we simply imagined it or not, we were made to feel that if we dared eat here, then we need not discuss costs at all. 

So we made no further inquiries. After the de rigueur sake was served in a flat lacquer dish, we simply focused on enjoying twelve impeccably presented courses. Each course was exquisitely plated with careful thought. Each consisted of a medley of ingredients that remained distinct. The flavours never once merged together. For me, this was a true test of culinary talent.

There are many fine kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto. However, Kitcho stands out for its creativity and innovation in the highly structured world of Japanese cuisine. The food is traditional, but here and there we found delightful twists that pointed to a chef who was also willing to think out of the box.

CULINARY HISTORY OF KITCHO

Kitcho in Kyoto is faithfully patronized by powerful Japanese politicians and tycoons. It is also a great favorite of lovers of food and the good life. For example, legendary Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone often used Kitcho to entertain important visitors. One of his most famous guests at a Kitcho banquet was the late President Ronald Reagan. Kitcho also took charge of the kitchens for the historic G8 Summit banquets held in Japan. The legendary artist Rosanjin Kitaoji also reportedly loved Kitcho.

FAMILY OF CHEFS IN JAPAN

Today, Kitcho in Arashiyama is run by Kunio Tokuoka, grandson of the founder of Kitcho himself. Tokuoka began training as a chef at the age of 20. His wife, impeccable in a lovely kimono, personally greets every group of guests. Then she presides over the serving of the first course. After the first course, she hands the service over over to a dedicated attendant for the rest of the meal.

This was also the point where we sat back and allowed Kitcho to overwhelm us with an experience that was part installation art and entertainment. It was also a full-blown gustatory delight that constituted one of my best meals in a never-ending Travelife.

Read more articles about the best restaurants in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

The post The bill for lunch at one of the most famous restaurants in Japan appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

Food is an essential part of travel. If you are traveling to Western Japan, the Kansai region of Japan offers delicious Japanese food. Travelife Magazine shortlists some of the best restaurants in Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe.

THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN KOBE

KOMAGO

This three-star Michelin restaurant is a hidden gem. Locals consider it one of the best restaurants in Kobe for Japanese food. It offers an intimate setting for serving exquisite Japanese dishes in traditional lacquer boxes.

LA MAISON DE GRACIANI

For travelers craving French food, this fine-dining Michelin-starred restaurant offers refined cooking and an extensive wine list.

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THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN KYOTO

KIKUNOI HONTEN

Kikunoi changes its flavorful menus of Japanese food. Even its flower arrangements and displayed artworks vary to suit the seasons.

KITCHO

Kitcho is rumoured to be the favorite restaurant of legendary former Japanese Prime Minister Yashuhiro Nakasone. He reportedly took many world leaders for a meal here. This reclusive establishment on the banks of the Arashiyama River serves the finest Japanese cuisine at correspondingly fine prices.

HYOTEI

Diners at this 400-year-old former Japanese tea house can enjoy delicate and elegantly presented dishes inspired by the sophisticated spirit of the tea ceremony.

KYO-RYORI NAKAMURA

This restaurant serves only the highest standard of Kyoto cuisine. It has long been considered one of the best restaurants in Kyoto. One of their specialties is the shiro-miso zoni, which is Japanese rice dumpling soup seasoned with white miso.

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THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN OSAKA

FUJIYA 1935

Owned by 4th generation chef Tetsuya Fujiwara, this is considered one of the best restaurants in Osaka. This Michelin three-star restaurant consistently serves contemporary Spanish dishes using fresh Japanese ingredients such as Spanish mackerel in chrysanthemum sauce.

KORYU

Small and intimate, Koryu seats 10 to 12 people. It serves varied delicious Japanese food based on seasonal ingredients.

KASHIWAYA

This Relais & Châteaux establishment is always on the gourmet list of the best restaurants in Osaka. Kashiwaya serves authentic Japanese cuisine in a traditional but modernized “sukiya” dining room, with fusumasliding doors, shoji paper screens, and tatamimats. One of the must-try specialties of Chef Hideaki Matsuo is the amadai. This is a grilled tile fish marinated in a flavorful salt shrimp “shiokara” dip.

Read more articles about the best restaurants in Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe in Travelife Magazine.

The post Where to eat in Kyoto and Osaka appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.