As much about the journey as the destination—how you find your kaiseki experience is part of the process and ultimately, part of the lasting pleasure.
Where To Start
Prior to a trip I daydream, as we all do, of the places we will discover and, of course, where we will dine. Daydreaming manifests itself in the form of obsessive research and journeys down digital rabbit holes deep into the innerwebs of travel blogs and foodie photojournalism. An investment of dozens of hours in a destination is common—this is where the anticipation begins.
It’s nice to have options in hand for all manner of snacks, be it knowing the best neighborhood for street food or fine dining. In the case of Kyoto, the ancient artistic culinary ritual of kaiseki is the apex of the fine dining scene. For the more conventional walk-up eateries the research is fairly straightforward, note an address and show-up. For kaiseki, reservations are often necessary many months in advance.
The Process
Various specialty sites sell reservations, these reservations can often come at 10% or more of the dinner, which if you are pinched for time, or are so inclined, is a fair price for the convenience. For this particular trip, I had the great advantage of having a friend from Japan who was keen on helping us out. Outfitted with her mom’s Japanese cell phone, replete with a +81 number and her native language skills, she was able to effortlessly get us on the books with Tominokoji Yamagishi.
Research, Reserve, Revel!
On our own, we would have just used a specialty booking agency and paid the fee. Alternatively, if you are staying at a hotel with concierge services (or a really helpful front desk), you can email them in advance to enlist their assistance in booking reservations. Some, though not all, kaiseki restaurants offer online reservations through their own websites. This was not the case for the restaurant we chose.
Tominokoji Yamagishi
Evolved from the tea ceremony, kaiseki is a multi disciplinary performance that choreographs: service, ceramics, the ikebana, and above all else, a spiritual reverence for the seasonality of regionally significant ingredients. These elements, all presented at the highest echelons of performance art were encased in the minimalist confines of the 9-person bar-top accented simply with dramatic lighting and a flower in a vase. A sense of calm pushed right up to the edge of anticipatory excitement, as we awaited our first dish. The progression is paramount, like a walk through the spring-time meadow, across to a stream, and then up to the mountain… we were taken on a journey across the Kyoto region.
Adventurous, ardent eaters are even sometimes challenged. The slippery waterlily, giant sea snails, and some-how stretchy mountain potato reminded us that we are not native to the perennial spring pilgrimage across the Japanese landscape. To expand your comfort zone in the most immaculate ways is a foundational tenant of the Luxury Nomad Lifestyle.
Our Dining Partners
One of our dining partners, one of the lucky nine of us for the 20:00 (8PM) seating, was there specifically to see the ceramic dishware on which the courses would be presented. He was an art student from Tokyo and had caught the Shinkansen that afternoon just for the opportunity to appreciate, up close, the collection of the chef’s well curated stoneware. He was the only solo diner. Four couples and the lone ceramicist were all excited for the meal and the art to come.
An Immersive Cultural Experience
It was such a treat to be so fully immersed in a cultural experience that brings such joy and visceral satisfaction. The food and the art spoke for themselves, which was a good thing as our Japanese language skills end at polite phrases and names of fish. We appreciated the fortuitousness of being sat next to the art student, as he was happy to practice his English with us and to translate some of the accompanying information given by the chef. We would have been fine without his help, but were very happy to have the interaction, cultural exchange, and his very well informed commentary on the art of the stoneware presented.
Timeless. Evocative. Tradition.
The artfulness of every intersection of guest and chef is evident in each moment. From the sight of chef fanning the dried hay to smoke the snails, to the handing over of the temaki strapped with a palm-full of perfectly placed uni, you are transported to that sacred dimension known as Kaiseki.
To try to describe each exquisitely executed bite, the sublime and subtle nuances, the essence of spring captured in a mouthful… would be a practice in incompleteness at best.
Seek Out Your Own Unique Experience
Find your own kaiseki experience. Perhaps you’ll need to phone a friend, consult a concierge, or maybe your path will be made more simple with the use of a specialty booking site. Regardless of how you come by your reservation, fight the urge to photograph every second of the evening. Rather, try to be fully present in the moment and in the season, as the chefs and the artform they are performing for you intended.
Location
Tominokoji Yamagishi – 560 Honeyanocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8064, Japan (link to Address in Google Maps)