Kokyu

One of the pleasantly lightest kaiseki courses in all of Kyoto is just steps away from the Kamo River. This kaiseki restaurant brings out each ingredients' vibrant flavors in their own unique way, challenging your assumptions about each. The chef-owner Maeda's deep passion for nature is reflected in his cooking. The seasonal hassun at Koyku is one of the best — a platter of complementary foods from the seas, mountains, fields, and streams. An early spring hassun can include sea bream and a mountain herb like butterbur buds, while the midsummer one might consist of eel and potatoes. The highlight ingredient that is used in Kokyu is the Shiga-grown rice cooked in a Shigaraki ware pot at just the right temperature to give it a perfect texture. Their signature menu item offered all year round is the shira-ae, a classic tofu paste, paired with premium seasonal fruits like peaches and grapes.