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

The post The best artisans of Kyoto appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

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.

The post Great steaks with a view appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

“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.

The post The best bar in Kyoto appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

Kyoto is not a city usually associated with afternoon tea. For one thing, this is hardly a Japanese tradition. However, on a recent visit, we discovered a unique version in a most extraordinary hotel. This all came about by accident, too.

After a short walk around Ninenzaka, a famous old street near Gion, we returned to the Park Hyatt Kyoto to take refuge from the summer heat. We’d been too busy to have lunch and it was already mid-afternoon, which is neither here nor there time for a meal.

This was when the hotel concierge suggested: “Why don’t you try our afternoon tea?” I’d been hearing about this unique pairing of sweet and savory treats with assorted fine teas. So this was the perfect thing to do.

LOBBY OF THE PARK HYATT KYOTO

We sat in the corner of the lobby lounge, which is a wood paneled space filled with books and art. It’s a wonderful place to spend some time in, just relaxing over cups of tea. It’s cozy and intimate — perfect to escape the summer heat or to keep warm in the winter.

It turns out, the Park Hyatt Kyoto version of afternoon tea is a five-course event paired with tea. It can really stand in as a late lunch instead. So we were very pleased to have followed the suggestion of the concierge.

FOOD AS AFTERNOON TEA

Every course was a work of art, and the teas were delightful. We began with a plate containing two bite-sized morsels. One was a terrine of foie gras and passion fruit. Meanwhile, the other was a financier topped with fresh mango and ringed with grated coconut.

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE PARK HYATT KYOTO

One piece was savoury and the other was sweet. This turned out to be a very balanced combination of tastes, especially when drunk with a slightly acidic tea. The chef paired this with a rose hip blend from Kyoto, from the Herbalist Club Miyama.

VEGETABLES & SEAFOOD

Following a traditional multi-course meal, we then had the afternoon tea version of salad and seafood. The chef sent out a perfectly formed summer vegetable terrine and a corn waffle topped with scallop and sea urchin. We ate this with green tea wafers and cups of a green tea and ginger blend from Kotoshina in Kyoto.

EGGPLANT AS TONKATSU

The main course followed, and this was probably my favorite. A Kamo eggplant was fashioned into a deep fried cutlet and served with olive green tapenade. This was so similar to the Tonkatsu, which is everyone’s favorite Japanese comfort food.

PEACH PALATE CLEANSER

Prior to the last course, we had the equivalent of a palate cleanser. Slices of fresh peaches were arranged nicely in a basket and sprinkled with sake granite. It was a lovely pairing of sweet fruit and spicy alcohol.

READ ABOUT THE BEST NEW HOTEL IN SPAIN

CHERRY SOUFFLE FOR DESSERT

Finally, the chef sent out dessert. Or at least the equivalent of it in this afternoon tea multi-course pairing. He made a cherry and ricotta cheese soufflé which was warm, sweet and filling all at once. A slice of chocolate covered jelly accompanied the soufflé. Guessing what to do with this, we dipped the chocolate sticks into the soufflé’ and this turned out wonderfully.

The tartness of the cherry in the soufflé also complimented our last tea. We happily drank cups of tea in a beautiful red color, a blend of hibiscus and Shiso. Everything was fruity and tart and yet also sweet and comforting.

We were full after that. But what a delicious and relaxing way to spend Saturday afternoon in Kyoto.

Read more about the Park Hyatt Kyoto in Travelife Magazine.

The post Afternoon tea with pairing in Kyoto appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

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.

The post Breakfast from a 150-year old restaurant appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.