Kibune Fujiya

The shop stands in Takagamine, a hilly area in northern Kyoto. Out of affection for the land where he was born and raised, the chef makes a point of using the region’s produce. Vegetables come from a nearby field cultivated by an old friend. The juiciness of freshly harvested foods and the aroma of the good earth leap from every dish. The meal ends with white rice with one of a variety of toppings, such as raw egg and soy sauce, cooked egg, or hashed beef. Enjoyable and satisfying right to the very end.

This fare shows equal reverence for the aesthetics and traditions of Japanese cuisine and for classical works of art. The teahouse-style interior that greets guests is appointed with hanging scrolls, vases and other accoutrements accumulated over many years. To harmonise with the serving-ware, cuisine is presented simply, accentuating the beauty of blank spaces. Knowledge of home-brewed sake and fermentation pay tribute to traditional foods. ‘Doppo’, meaning ‘unique’, was a favourite phrase of epicure Rosanjin Kitaoji, a devotee of beauty in all its manifestations.

There’s no point in cooking, says Kenya, if it doesn’t make the food tasty. Bringing fun and happiness to guests is important above all. Rice and sake both come from Aomori, where the chef comes from. His character reveals itself in his face when he lifts the lid on a pot of freshly steamed rice. Western music, classical music and Showa-era ballads are chosen to suit the cuisine, expressing the joy of good cooking as if weaving a tale. Flavours are fun here.

Shinya Matsumoto expresses delicacy and rustic beauty through his cooking. A perfect example is his grilled offerings, cooked upright as if around a sunken hearth. Matsumoto polishes his artisanal skills with a keen eye fixed on the culinary techniques of antiquity. Foods are grilled upright over charcoal in a pot, concentrating their flavour as they roast. The meat and fish’s natural fats fall onto the charcoal, wreathing each item in smoke that adds to their aroma. The chef’s perspective and techniques draw out delicious flavours.

‘Mube’ refers to the fruit of the Japanese staunton vine. The owner-chef adopted the name because it is considered a talisman of longevity and a famous product of his native Shiga. His use of that prefecture’s fermented foods reflects his personality, and he also prepares narezushi, a traditional fermented food of fish, salt and rice, as well as fish sauce and miso. Among his passions lies the interaction between dashi and the umami of fermentation, though he uses the latter’s characteristic flavour with restraint, in deference to modern tastes. A link climbing to the future for the food cultu

Next to Shimogamo Shrine, surrounded by the Tadasu-no-Mori forest, lies Kyokaiseki Kichisen. The chef, a devotee of Japanese cuisine and the performing arts, built a ryotei on this spot. Respectful of Kyoto traditions, menu items are accompanied by charming details. Lids of soup dishes are emblazoned with dew, expressing freshness. Tuna sashimi is arrayed like a sea of clouds, creating a fairytale-like scene. Serving dishes of Kyoyaki ceramics, garnished with fresh-cut flowers, beguile the eyes. A unique interpretation of Kyoto kaiseki, accompanied by the spirit of graceful service.

The wooden tablet at the entrance expresses the house credo: ‘Garnish rice cooked in the okudo stove with char-grilled snacks and wild grasses and flowers’. To learn more, you’ll have to visit the restaurant yourself. In an age of information exchange, Nakahigashi offers an opportunity to clear one’s mind and experience cuisine of herbs and grasses. In short, be grateful to others and for the bounty of nature, remembering that the truly important things cannot be seen with the eyes. An experience of noticing things awaits.