Kenninji Temple was founded in 1202 and is said to be where Zen (which originated from China) was first taught in Japan. Inside the temple grounds, there are several shrines and sub-temples, and is the perfect shortcut for guests staying at the hotel to walk to the main shopping street (Shijo-dori (四条通).

Entry to Kenninji Temple grounds is free, and it actually feels like a private extension of the hote due to its proximity from the hotel main entrance. The ambiance of the neighbourhood’s peacefulness is great for anyone keen to escape the adjoining crowded Hanamikoji street, known for its well-restored traditional wooden merchant houses and tea houses where Geishas perform.

Attention to detail

The hotel rooms are cleverly designed to create a meditative setting and the first thing one will see upon entering the room is the teapot set. The rooms are spacious, and the wet and dry areas of the bathroom are separate,

Around the hotel, tea is a central theme – and there are two guest rooms named “Tea Room” that can be booked for a stay –  whereby guests will enjoy a private matcha experience by Ippodo, Kyoto’s most known Japanese tea specialty store.

AFTERNOON TEA IN KYOTO

The Celestine has a gallery-like guest lounge – an afternoon tea room which transforms into a bar at night from 7pm onwards. In the day, hotel guests can enjoy complimentary refreshments like coffee and tea, along with some Japanese snacks, while enjoying a quiet break in between sightseeing. I noticed the curated collection of Kyoto books and magazines, and enjoyed browsing them one of the afternoons when we came back early.

I stayed at the hotel with my mom in July (during the Gion Matsuri Festival, also known as the midsummer festival. Again, the tiny touch to include information in the lobby about the festival for guests was something i appreciated.

I also loved how easy it was to walk over to the main shrine of the festival – Yasaka Shrine

Dining at Yasaka Endo

We enjoyed our breakfast at the hotel which probably serves the best Tempura for breakfast in Kyoto, mainly because they use a traditional copper hooded fryer. The breakfast area is connected to the world reknowned Yasaka Endo restaurant that seats only 16 guests in the main dining area and we found out the traditional sukiya-style wooden building was once an ochaya (teahouse) for geisha parties,

Of course we had to try lunch and we were seated at the counter and had a choice of one of two set menus. which either a 6-course or 8-course menu. With a history of over 100 years,- it was founded in Gion in 1885, and as I watched the chefs delicately preparing each dish, I came to appreciate the success and longevity of the restraunt.

Each dish was so beautiful, it was almost like I was eating an artwork!

Spatial Healing

Mom and I found our hideaway space in the public bath of The Celestine hotel. Open from 15:00 to 10:00 the next day, we were able to find some time where we had the place all to ourselves. The peacefulness from spending time in the public bath was such a pleasure that we found ourselves waking up early one morning, so we could enjoy more of the private time.

I like that the hotel’s design cleverly ensures that there are pockets of spaces that ensure that not one place feels crowded.

I’m definitely looking forward to my next trip back to Kyoto, and for anyone looking to spend time with their parent, the intimacy of the hotel helps foster closer bonds.

For easy accesibiliy, the hotel arranges shuttle tranfers to and from Kyoto station. I definitely recommend a stay at The Celestine Kyoto Gion because they have thought of everything a hotel guest would need, and devliered above and beyond.

Read more about the best hotels in Japan in Travelife Magazine

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The Park Hyatt Kyoto is a wonderful blend of modern and traditional. It’s located in one of the loveliest neighborhoods of Kyoto, near the Kiyomizudera and the Yasaka Shrine. It is also at the doorstep of the old entertainment district of Gion, home to the geisha and maiko. There are not a few famous restaurants and tea houses in this area too. Because of this, it’s a joy to walk around even late at night.

The hotel also has amazing provenance because of its relationship with the legendary Kyoyamato Restaurant of Kyoto. This is a traditional kaiseki restaurant that has been serving fine Japanese food since 1877. The current owners belong to the sixth generation of the original family.

This association with Kyoyamato has also provided many benefits to the Park Hyatt Kyoto. For one thing, the hotel has access to some of the best artisans of Kyoto, many of whom already have some relationship with the Kyoyamato.

THE BEST ARTISANS OF KYOTO

The Park Hyatt Kyoto uses these traditional Kyoto crafts throughout the hotel. For example, the Kyoto Bistro is the hotel’s casual cafe with an entrance right along the Ninenzaka Street. It’s known for comfort food which can be enjoyed in the restaurant or ordered as take-out.

This cafe uses tea cups and bowls called Asahiyaki. Asahiyaki dates back 400 years. It’s currently produced at a pottery kiln in a city called Uji, which is near Kyoto.

WHERE TO FIND YOHEN TENMOKU TEA BOWLS IN KYOTO

The hotel also uses Tenmoku tea bowls. These are beautiful pottery with incandescent colors that change hues depending on the light reflected on it. The highest quality Tenmoku tea bowls are the Yohen Tenmoku, and Takeshi Furukawa is one of the rising potters in this field.

These much admired bowls have an 800-year history, and these have been created amidst much secrecy. Only the potters themselves know the exact formula for creating the beautiful glaze of the Yohen Tenmoku. However, it is common knowledge that Yohen Tenmoku bowls are made with natural soil rich in iron and then glazed with oxidized metals.

KANAYA COPPER CRAFTS IN KYOTO

Meanwhile, many of the copper items used by the Park Hyatt Kyoto have been created by Kanaya Gorosaburo XVI. Kanaya-san is heir to a long and revered tradition of copper making. His family has been involved in this craft for over 400 years.

Kyoto is a conservative city that does not easily welcome newcomers. So most new hotels — especially foreign ones — may find it hard to become involved in its old traditions. However, because of its association with the Kyoyamato, the hotel enjoys the equivalent of a hotline to some of the best artisans of Kyoto.

Read more about the best hotels in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

Photos credit : Park Hyatt Kyoto

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It was early on a hot summer afternoon when we got off the taxi by the gates of Gosho, the old Imperial Palace in Kyoto, to attend a real tea ceremony at The Tea Crane. I do not include the word “real” here lightly.

THE ART OF TEA

Tea ceremonies are conducted almost everywhere in Japan, and the art of tea is a favorite hobby of the cultured and intelligentsia in Japan. In addition, wives and daughters of successful men and prominent families are expected to be able to attend and to participate in a tea ceremony. The most proficient and passionate practitioners diligently study under a master. Eventually, after years of practice, they are able to conduct their own tea ceremony.

So there are many interpretations of the tea ceremony, and there are several schools and styles as well. The largest schools count many famous people among their disciples. Their events are highly anticipated. Not a few ladies long to be invited. And those who are actually spend days thinking about which kimono to wear depending on the season and occasion.

ABOUT THE TEA CRANE

In contrast, the tea ceremony we attended at The Tea Crane in Kyoto that day was one that was almost without ceremony. And this is why I call it the real tea ceremony. It was conducted by tea master Tyas Sosen, whose real name is Tyas Huybrechts. He is not Japanese by birth or lineage. However it is obvious that his heart and soul are, and these are what really matter. He studied tea under the Enshuryu school of tea.

THE JAPANESE SAMURAI & TEA

Tea Master Tyas practices the samurai version of the tea ceremony. This is really how it began, after all, as a pastime of the samurai rather than of the writers and leisure classes. Many people outside the world of tea may not understand the differences between a samurai class tea ceremony and others. The utensils and decor are the same, always chosen by the tea master to reflect his feelings and mood for that day.

One of the main differences is in the language. Archaic Japanese is used in the tea ceremony — mostly phrases of almost exaggerated politeness. However, the samurai tea ceremony uses equally archaic samurai language to convey such simple things as “I’m drinking tea ahead of you, if that’s okay.” This kind of language is learned by practitioners of the samurai school of tea. Almost no one else in the world save perhaps for descendants of samurai still living in the ancient family seat use these words.

THE REAL TEA CEREMONY

The samurai tea ceremony by Tea Master Tyas is also conducted in the same warrior spirit. It is not a fancy or elaborate ceremony but one full of serious intent and heart. Also, it is literally the real experience. A very thick (and expensive) green tea is brewed and served formally.

Tyas said: “The tea ceremony is a microcosm of Japanese culture as a whole. It encompasses the different arts and crafts and synthesizes them into one.”

He continued: “As it takes years to master and understand the tea ceremony, I can’t teach the whole of it in one day. But what I can do is give you an insight into the beauty and value this ritual has to offer.”

SIMPLICITY IN LIFE

Then there was the simple scroll and flower arrangement in the alcove of the tea room. This simple style is favored by most Japanese tea masters unless there is a reason for breaking this unspoken rule.

Tyas explained: “We don’t use foreign flowers in the arrangements in the tea ceremony room. You’ll never see roses here. So the flowers in the vase today are Kyoto flowers. As much as possible, I wish to only use Kyoto flowers.”

NEW BEGINNINGS AT

THE TEA CRANE IN KYOTO

On the other hand, Tea Master Tyas picked the scroll for its meaning. We were the first guests in the tea ceremony room and The Tea Crane was opening the following day. Aside from demonstrations and tastings, he sells his personal selection of Japanese tea. He also carries organic green tea, which is very popular among foreigners.

So he chose the scroll also for its timeliness. It was about new beginnings, and how every day or every experience happens in the time that it is supposed to. No earlier or no later. Tyas explained further: “This can also pertain to the path to enlightenment. Enlightenment cannot be rushed or contrived. It will happen in its own time.”

The warrior style ceremony, which purists consider the authentic experience, was wonderful. It was also an excellent way to spent a hot summer afternoon in Kyoto, living a Travelife. Tyas explains everything so beautifully too, as only someone truly in love with the art of tea can.

Read more about traveling around Kyoto in Travelife Magazine.

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Kyoto is a city for the serious gourmet. It has many excellent establishments including some of the finest kaiseki restaurants in Japan. However, few offer the unbeatable combination of great steaks, a stylish atmosphere and one of the best views in Kyoto.

UNIQUE RESTAURANT IN KYOTO

In this sense, the Yasaka restaurant of the Park Hyatt Kyoto is in a category all its own. It offers a contemporary version of teppanyaki to diners sitting around two massive wooden counters, both with 180-degree views of the Yasaka Shrine.

The atmosphere alone is most impressive, as the hotel that houses it. The Park Hyatt Kyoto is a modern structure inspired by traditional Japanese design. It’s all 21st century and at the same time 18th century. Moreover, it stands out for being a design innovator. However it also blends seamlessly into the background of one of Kyoto’s most famous and most picturesque neighborhoods.

AMAZING VIEWS OF YASAKA SHRINE

The Yasaka restaurant has a similar concept. It is disarmingly simple in design. In fact, you will not be aware that it exists unless you have already booked your seats for dinner. Otherwise, you will never see it during your stay. It’s tucked away in one floor of the hotel that you would never go to unless you are dining here or drinking at the bar.

Once you set foot in the restaurant, though, it is quite impossible to forget it. The view of Yasaka Shrine and the city of Kyoto in the background alone is the kind you will remember forever. And moreso because you will have had a perfectly grilled steak to go with it. The chefs here certainly know how to cook meat exactly as each diner wishes.

READ ABOUT A NEW HACIENDA HOTEL IN SPAIN

THE BEST TEPPANYAKI IN KYOTO

Part of the fun of a teppanyaki dinner is being able to sit around a counter and watch the chef cook your meal. The movement, colors and aroma all combine for some great entertainment. Then, of course, the food at a teppanyaki restaurant is served the same minute it is done. So this ensures the best possible conditions for dinner.

Eating at the Yasaka restaurant of the Park Hyatt is food and art and also theater all at once. In fact, it is a most dramatic theater. And arguably the best seat in Kyoto every evening,

Read more about the Park Hyatt Kyoto in Travelife Magazine.

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“This must be the best bar in Kyoto,” I said aloud, as I walked into the Kohaku Bar on the 4th floor of the Park Hyatt Kyoto. The bar is in a most enviable setting, you see. In front of it, guests can enjoy a dramatic 180-degree view of the famous Kodaiji Temple.

Meanwhile, behind it are the Edo-era gardens of the famous Kyoyamato. Kyoyamato is a traditional Japanese kaiseki restaurant. It’s over 150 years old and the current proprietress is the 7th generation from the same family.

BEST VIEWS OF KODAIJI TEMPLE

So in terms of views, there is almost nothing else I can think of to beat this bar in Kyoto, with its floor-to-ceiling windows of Kodaiji and Kyoyamato. Then there’s the cutting edge design of this intimate space. Obviously no expense has been spared to create the kind of atmosphere that is luxurious and yet minimalist.

There is a massive rectangular bar with limited seating around three sides to maximize views. This also guarantees privacy and safety in a public place, especially amidst COVID-19.

WHERE TO FIND KINOBI GIN

Drinks-wise, Kohaku is paradise for guests who enjoy their alcohol. For one thing, it has the complete range of Kinobi gin, a special gin crafted by the Kyoto Distillery.

This is highly limited gin offering created by David Croll, a former English banker turned Kyoto ginmaker. He aspires to produce the best dry gin using local botanicals and traditions inspired in Kyoto. He has included the Japanese pepper sansho and the Japanese lemon yuzu in his gin blends.

Akiko Nakamura, the chief bartender of Kohaku serves Kinobi Gin in special copper cups created especially for Park Hyatt Kyoto by Gorosaburo Kanaya, the 16th generation of a family of traditional Kyoto bronzers. His family has been creating bronze products in Kyoto for 400 years.

RARE VINTAGES OF HIBIKI & YAMAZAKI

Kohaku also has the best rare vintages of Japanese whiskey labels like Hibiki and Yamazaki. So if you’re in Kyoto and you wish to try a 30-year old Hibiki or a 25-year old Yamazaki, head over to the Park Hyatt Kyoto.

READ ABOUT THE BEST NEW HOTEL IN SPAIN

PLUM LIQUEUR AT KOHAKU BAR

Of course, Kohaku has regular bar offerings too. However even these are served with a twist. For example, I ordered ume-shu, which is plum liqueur on ice. Nakamura-san brought out a bottle of green plum from Kyoto that was truly special.

The snacks are perfectly paired with the drinks as well. Nakamura-san served us plates of house-made beef jerky, wonderfully spiced and absolutely delicious.

Kohaku Bar will certainly be in our list of the world’s best bars. Read more about the Park Hyatt Kyoto in Travelife Magazine.

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Foodies staying at the new Park Hyatt Kyoto are in for a special treat. If they order a Japanese breakfast during their stay, the famous 150-year old Kyoyamato Kyoto kaiseki restaurant will be cooking.

ABOUT KYOYAMATO RESTAURANT IN KYOTO

Kyoyamato is one of the most famous kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto. It’s also one of the most beautiful in a pretty crowded city. The old capital of Japan has narrow streets lined with long and narrow wooden houses. In these houses, the people of Kyoto lived, worked, played and served food.

Amidst these less than spacious conditions, there are some special restaurants known for their food, service and beautiful surroundings. The Kyoyamato is one of these. It’s lovely wooden structures are set in a traditional Japanese garden that dates back to the Edo era. One of the reasons to book a meal at Kyoyamato is to enjoy its gardens.

POSSIBLY THE BEST ROOM SERVICE BREAKFAST IN KYOTO

Until the Park Hyatt Kyoto opened, this kaiseki restaurant was only serving lunch and dinner. However, now, it makes breakfast too, just for guests of the Park Hyatt Kyoto. Those who order the Japanese breakfast set at Kyoto Bistro or via room service get the special Kyoyamato Japanese breakfast set.

Kyoto Bistro is the the all day dining restaurant of the hotel. It’s also the breakfast restaurant. However, those who wish to have breakfast in private, enjoying the views from the room, can dial room service.

This is exactly what we did every day. We ordered the Kyoyamato Japanese breakfast via room service at 9 AM. This was brought over daily by two lovely ladies bearing one table each, each full of bento boxes.

WHAT IS A KYOYAMATO BREAKFAST?

What’s in a Kyoyamato breakfast, you might be wondering?

In many ways, it looks like a typical luxury ryokan breakfast. However, when you eat it, you realize that the ingredients are very good and the taste of each tiny dish is excellent.

KYOYAMATO BREAKFAST AT PARK HYATT KYOTO

Genmai tea

Grilled eggplant with dashi jelly & sesame sauce

Japanese Miyama egg omelet with grated radish

Kurokawa squash with baby potatoes

Wheat gluten cake

Simmered radish

Sautéed wagyu beff tendon and burdock

Kyoto tofu with bonito flakes

Sautéed baby sardine and Fushimi pepper

Roasted fish cake and cod roe

Simmered kelp with bonito flakes

Japanese pickles

Miso marinated silver cod

Lotus roots with simmered sweet potato

Koshihikari rice from Tango

Miso soup with Shijimi clams and Mitsuba lead

It has the usual assortment of cold appetizers to start. These are mostly tofu and vegetable dishes since Kyoto is famous for its vegetables. Then it also has the simmered egg roll found in sushi restaurants and ryokan breakfasts.

READ ABOUT THE PARK HYATT NISEKO IN HOKKAIDO

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EGG

This egg dish looks so simple to make but it actually isn’t. Only the best Japanese restaurants are able to make a proper one. Meanwhile, the main course is usually grilled fish accompanied by rice, pickles and miso soup. In this case, the miso soup had tiny clams.

READ ABOUT THE BEST NEW HOTEL IN SPAIN

As a finale, Kyoyamato includes a plate of fresh seasonal fruits in a very restrained way. There are no huge platters of assorted fruits, as you will find in Western countries.

This is Japan, after all, where everything whispers rather than shouts. So the dessert at breakfast is two modest slices of seasonal fruit. Today we had one grape and one slice of a peach. But these were the tastiest fruits I’d had in a long time.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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It is often said that the true beauty of picturesque Kyoto lies in the minute details that are often unnoticed by eyes that are untrained to appreciate modest aesthetics. Nowhere is this more evident than at Tawaraya, Japan’s most famous ryokan (traditional inn), right in the heart of the city and one that has been welcoming travelers for over three hundred years

STAYING IN A JAPANESE RYOKAN

As with everything at the Tawaraya, there is nothing so obvious or uncouth as a registration procedure upon arrival. There are 19 rooms here but somehow the 77-plus staff – yes, that’s a ratio of almost 4 staff members per room – knew who we were and which room we had booked. At the main entrance, before heading for our room, we took off our shoes and promptly forgot about them for the next 15 hours.

Kyoto itself is very richly steeped in the past, and it has one of the most closed and conservative societies in Japan. But a stay at the Tawaraya is like a temporary gate pass into this society, and entering the inn is literally akin to completely leaving today’s world behind.

From the brightness of the afternoon – most guests at Japanese inns do arrive before sunset to relax and have a bath before dinner – you suddenly find yourself in a dark maze of corridors and rooms, with a glimpse of greenery or of a pocket garden every now and then.

So we passed through tatami mat rooms and carpeted corridors adorned with antique cabinets and tables on our way to our room on the first floor. This room – it had a foyer, a small outer room with a study table and a main room that functioned as living room, dining room and bedroom – looked out onto a small walled garden with maple trees and grounds carpeted in moss.

WHERE TO GO IN KYOTO

Tawaraya is about a 15-minute taxi ride from Kyoto Station. We chose to stay here, amidst a myriad of options in one of Japan’s most-visited cities, partly because of its proximity to Kyoto’s historic Nishiki market and the enclaves of culture around it, where artists, art dealers and food enthusiasts congregate. It’s the perfect spot for discovering the soul of Kyoto on foot.

“This street is home to three famous ryokan,” our taxi driver told us, as we passed Nishiki market and entered a narrow one-way street lined with a combination of old shop houses and modern buildings converted into art galleries, chic stores and trendy cafes. And soon we stopped in front of a wooden compound of structures with a simple entrance that first curved right before making a sharp left into the entrance proper, raised one step above the ground.

From the outside, it looked more like the well-appointed home of a samurai family in the olden days than a famous inn in 2012. However, a simple and unobtrusive sign confirmed we had reached our destination. Then, like clockwork, as soon as we got out of our taxi, a team of two men and a lady in a kimono appeared to welcome us to our “home” in Kyoto

FAMOUS GUESTS OF TAWARAYA

This was not luxury as we knew it. The room was adequate but in no language could this ever be called large. It was barely furnished and practically unadorned, save for a simple vase of flowers and an old screen on a faded wall. In fact, with a quick glance, I could immediately discern corners and surfaces that were slightly fraying at the edges.

But it is precisely this feeling of old fashioned Japan – a patina that just cannot be created or faked – that has prompted connoisseurs of Japanese culture to place Tawaraya at the very top of their destination lists for centuries. Japanese aristocrats, relatives of the imperial family, and even the heroes of the 19th century Meiji Restoration all used the Tawaraya as their base when visiting Kyoto from Tokyo.

Japanese aristocrats, relatives of the imperial family, and even the heroes of the 19th century Meiji Restoration all used the Tawaraya as their base when visiting Kyoto from Tokyo.

Ordinary Japanese who understand the value of the highly prized Japanese sense of wabi sabi (roughly translated as an appreciation of faded simplicity), too, choose a stay at Tawaraya as one of the experiences of a lifetime.

Tawaraya is well known the world over as well, for its hospitality and cuisine. Its roster of guests reads like a lesson in history, and it includes the French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre, the British suspense novelist Alfred Hitchcock, composer Leonard Bernstein and actor Marlon Brando.

Meanwhile, Apple founder Steve Jobs reportedly loved the Tawaraya experience so much that he stayed here several times. On his last visit, just several months before his death, he took his son to the Tawaraya for a final family-bonding trip to Japan.

Apple founder Steve Jobs reportedly loved the Tawaraya experience so much that he stayed here several times. On his last visit, just several months before his death, he took his son to the Tawaraya for a final family-bonding trip to Japan.

REAL KYOTO FOOD

Many ryokan in Kyoto offer the Japan experience, but few can truly offer both a pedigreed experience and an exceptional Kyoto dinner in the way that Tawaraya can. This inn has been in the same family for over 300 years, and its mistress is the 11th generation innkeeper.

Meanwhile, in true Kyoto fashion, the multi-course kaiseki dinner consists of dish after dish of local vegetables and tofu, supplemented by seasonal fish from western Japan. It ends with a plate of the choicest of seasonal fruit. For this stay, for example, we were each served one large and juicy fig that had been lightly stewed in sugar and spices.

After dinner, it was time to turn the dining room into a bedroom, and this just could not happen with two attendants and two guests in the room at the same time. We were therefore encouraged to explore the public spaces of the ryokan while the attendants undertook the mundane task of preparing the beds.

AFTER DINNER ENTERTAINMENT

For this “escape” we had three modest options: a small rooftop terrace for moon-viewing, with comfortable chairs and pots of tea; a tiny library on the second floor with several corners to park one’s self momentarily; or an even tinier reading space on the ground floor that offered a sliver of a view of an indoor garden.

We visited all three in search of trivia and clues about the people who had spent their nights in this historical house, and were rewarded with an autobiography of the actress Lauren Bacall that she had dedicated and signed during her stay.

We returned to our room after about half an hour to find everything laid out for us. There were two Japanese-style beddings on the floor – Tawaraya is famous for its mattress, made from the floss of 10,000 silk cocoons, and its comforters, which are reportedly made from feathers plucked from the breasts of live geese – and enough hot tea and cold water to last the night. Again, everything was comfortable but nothing was superfluous.

A JAPANESE BREAKFAST

In the morning, our room attendant knocked on the door exactly at 730 AM, as agreed upon, to begin the preparations for breakfast. The breakfast at the Tawaraya is something of a conversation topic among lovers of the good life in Japan because the rice and the boiled tofu they serve to “nudge the stomach awake” are supposed to be among the best in Japan.

The rice served at Tawaraya is from this year’s harvest, straight from the fields of Kyoto itself, while the tofu is reportedly delivered early every morning by a dedicated supplier who has been doing so for centuries.

We were at the center of old Kyoto but, ironically, we’d hardly known it. At the end of our stay, we realized that our expectations of luxury and space had been drastically scaled down even if, unfortunately, the room rates did not exactly follow suit.

By then, we’d spent over fifteen hours in a rather confined space, during which time – in a cramped city of over 1.5 million people – we’d heard almost nothing but the chirping of the crickets, the graceful shuffling of feet, and, yes, one ambulance passing nearby.

This was the center of old Kyoto but, ironically, we’d hardly known it, even if we’d not been unaware of it even for a minute. At the end of our stay, we realized that our expectations of luxury and space had been drastically scaled down even if, unfortunately, the room rates did not exactly follow suit. But once we had adjusted to the hefty bill coupled with the minuteness of everything, we were completely enchanted by the Tawaraya experience.

The post Beauty in simplicity at Tawaraya appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

A Destination in its Own Right: Kyoto Train Station

This striking steel and glass structure is an Instagram-worthy attraction in its own right. It also boasts a 15th-floor observation deck, several performance spaces, a multitude of restaurants, and a department store. From the station you can hail an English-speaking taxi driver to help you explore further afield too.

Forest-bathing in Arashiyama Bamboo Grove by day

Autumn is a great time to visit Kyoto as the weather tends to be warm and dry. This is also the best season to try shinrin-yoku (forest-bathing); the Japanese art of spending time in nature to reduce stress and increase a sense of wellbeing. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is spectacular, as the bamboo stalks reach to the sky and surrounds in a boundless way.

Then Take a Stroll Around Gion at Night

Gion is Kyoto’s entertainment and famed geisha district, which is a mix of the historically beautiful and modern architecture. In Gion, modern entertainment establishments mix with traditional 17th-century teahouses.

The district has beautiful streets like Shimbashi illuminated at night; and if you are lucky you may spot a geiko or maiko in this area. While they’re known as geishas in Tokyo, in Kyoto the correct term is geiko, which means “women of art”. Geiko spend at least five years in training as an apprentice – also known as a maiko – to perfect their abilities, including to play musical instruments, dance, and host games for guests.

Visit a Temple

With 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, over 1600 Buddhist temples and over 400 Shinto shrines (Shinto is a unique ancient Japanese faith system), Kyoto is one of the world’s most culturally rich cities.

Kyoto Traveler’s Inn is well-suited for those who want to see the cultural sites of Kyoto since many of the city’s shrines and temples are located within walking distance from the hotel. These include the Shoren-in Temple, Ginkakuji, Heian Jingu Shrine and the Yasaka Shrine. The Yasaka Shrine is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto and accessible in just 15 minutes by foot.

Explore Kyoto’s Pantry: Nishiki Market

Enjoying the cuisine in Japan is an important part of any trip there, so a great Kyoto institution to explore is Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto. There you will find a vast array of foods on display and to try, and the engaging market stall holders will make new visitors to the market feel very welcome.

The post The top 5 places to see in Kyoto appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

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.

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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.