Hotel Rokune

‘Nikon’, meaning ‘live to the full in this moment’, was the principle advocated by Zen master Dogen Zenji (1200–1253). Every day in his kitchen the chef displays the sincere devotion to Japanese cuisine he has had ever since he began at the bottom of the ladder. He focuses above all on the right timing for handling his ingredients: when to prep, when to slice, and so on. Serving at just the right temperature is vital as well. This craftsman’s spirit of applying every ounce of effort in the present moment is reflected in the name of the restaurant.

The restaurant’s name combines the owner-chef’s surname with ‘wa’ (harmony), expressing both his reverence for Japanese cuisine and his wish for guests to relax over the meal. His culinary techniques and spirit of hospitality were honed in a ryotei. Flowers are personally arranged and seasonal tableware selected to welcome guests. The cuisine is kaiseki, visually refined. Sashimi is presented in a bowl of ice, while the hassun is variously arranged with cherry blossoms in spring or seasonal leaves in autumn, evoking the changing seasons.

Pursuing ‘Japanese food for all five senses’, the chef makes fish and rice the pillars of his menu. To ensure guests can fully experience the cooking process, kitchen staff and diners face each other over a counter. Smoky aroma wafts from fish on the charcoal grill; steam billows from the rice pot. The rice dish ending the meal is Nara’s Hinohikari, freshly cooked and presented in bowls made by the chef himself. A chance to give thanks for the blessings of Yamato and to enjoy them with all five senses.

Falling in love with the cultural landscapes of Nara, the chef opened his restaurant in Naramachi, where he weaves the history and customs of the Yamato region into his menu like a story. The source of his originality lies in the imaginative and creative skills he cultivated overseas. When combined with the skills he honed along the way, the result is a cuisine of refreshing novelty. Ingredients from Buddhist vegetarian dishes and Western cuisine are incorporated, telling the tale of his gastronomic journey. Passion for his craft drives the chef to take Japanese cuisine to new levels.

‘Akordu’ is Basque for ‘memories’. Chef Hiroshi Kawashima invokes memories from his ingredients, encapsulating messages in his cooking. Each course in the prix fixe meal comes with a card; menu names are akin to story titles. Kawashima interprets the history and cultural topography of Nara through a modern Spanish sensibility cultivated in Basque country. Cuisine bursting with creativity, beautifully prepared and arranged.

The history and culture of Nara, told through the local cuisine. The chef makes a special effort to showcase the ingredients of Gojo, the city of his birth. Vegetables gathered each morning bring freshness and vibrancy to the menu; Hinohikari rice is used to make iimushi or steamed mochi rice with seasonal toppings, and takikomi-gohan, or mixed rice. The dishes, hot and fragrant, are served over a counter of Yoshino cedar. The chef enthusiastically shares the stories behind his creations, to ensure diners get a feeling for the landscape where their food comes from, and the people who grew or r

‘Kuko’ is the goji berry, reputed to be a natural drug granting longevity and perpetual youth. A devotee of traditional Chinese medicinal cuisine, the chef follows the principles ‘You are what you eat’ and ‘Healthy food can help prevent and support recovery from illness’. Thus guided, he takes up Nara ingredients to prepare dishes that minister tenderly to the body’s needs. Prix fixe meals revolve around both Nara and Chinese vegetables, all grown in the restaurant’s own garden. Dishes arranged on Jingdezhen porcelain are a gorgeous sight. Music of the guqin, the ancient Chinese seven-stringed