Eat your way around Kyoto! Time-efficiency delicacies that you can only try here

Hatsumi Ito
A gourmet blogger who eats and drinks at more than 400 restaurants a year. She posts gourmet information on various SNS accounts, mainly X (@hatsu823).
Host of the online salon "Tokyo Gourmet Salon" limited to 140 people. "Gourmet is communication" is her life theme.

*Prices include tax.

Enjoy the atmosphere of Kyoto and the historic Uji matcha at Inari Saryo

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, a world-famous tourist spot, is located about a five-minute walk from JR Inari Station.

Built in 2018 within the grounds of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Inari Saryo is a Japanese tea cafe where you can enjoy matcha and sweets from Tsubakido Tea Shop. The quaint sukiya-style building is impressive.

It's nice to relax inside the restaurant, but on sunny days we also recommend the pleasant terrace seats. You can feel the atmosphere of Kyoto while looking out at the view of Mount Inari and the gardens that spread out before you.

If you come here, you should definitely try the "Presented Uji Matcha Senjyu and Fresh Confection (1,300 yen)." This set is irresistible for matcha lovers, as it contains the Uji matcha "Senjyu," which was presented to commemorate the 1,300th anniversary of the founding of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, and the original matcha confectionery "Cha no Mi."

Tsuji Kiyoji, winner of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award at the National Tea Competition, uses tea leaves that he has carefully grown over a long period of time to create his special "Senjyu" tea. It has a pleasant smooth texture on the tongue, a mellow aftertaste and an elegant fragrance that lingers in your nose.
"Cha no Mi" is a sweet made of slightly bitter Uji matcha green tea paste wrapped in agar, giving it a fun, bouncy texture.

The popular "Inari Parfait (1,400 yen)" features a bright and cute vermilion torii gate made from rice flour!
This parfait is made with plenty of matcha and rice, which is said to bring good harvests. It is a hearty parfait that expresses the scenery of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, with glutinous rice crackers printed with a fox, deep-fried rice ears, a torii gate made of rice flour, and thick matcha ice cream that resembles Mt. Inari.

The matcha ice cream was surprisingly rich and sweet, the likes of which I'd never tasted before. The balance between the sweetness of the ice cream and the bitterness of the matcha powder was just right, and it melted smoothly in my mouth.

Below the glass are beautiful layers of nostalgic popped rice, matcha soft serve, and homemade agar, so you can enjoy authentic Japanese flavors no matter where you bite.

Enjoy the taste of matcha that can only be tasted here, such as parfaits packed with the scenery of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and presented Uji matcha, as a memory of your trip to Kyoto.

Inari Saryo

"Food and Forest" - Enjoy chef-prepared obanzai in a traditional Japanese home

Obanzai is one of Kyoto's culinary cultures. Using a variety of ingredients including seasonal vegetables, this cuisine has been handed down in Kyoto homes and is enjoyed by a wide range of people.

"Shoku to Mori" opened near Nishi Honganji Temple in June 2022 and is a cafe where you can enjoy Kyoto vegetable obanzai. It is a renovated old house built in the Taisho era and continues to be loved in the city of Kyoto.

The interior of the shop, where you can take off your shoes and sit on the tatami mats, is a soothing space based on the concept of Taisho era romance and ornamental plants. It's a very comfortable space where time flows slowly, as if time has stopped.

For lunch, the popular dish is the "Kyoto Vegetables and Tofu Hamburger Plate (1,350 yen)," made by a chef with extensive experience in Italian and French cuisine.
The set includes about 10 kinds of side dishes made with colorful vegetables, crispy tempura made by fermenting yeast with carbonated water, and miso soup with 16-grain rice and wild nameko mushrooms, making for an excellent nutritional balance.

The main dish is a tofu hamburger steak, served with grated daikon radish for a refreshing taste. The outside is grilled to a golden brown, while the inside is plump and juicy with a gentle flavor.

This is the "Food and Forest Lunch Box (3,300 yen) *Limited to 10 servings" that will be available only on weekends from November. The first tier of this gorgeous three-tiered lunch box features nine colorful dishes made with seasonal vegetables. The second tier features the main course of grilled Spanish mackerel with a saikyo sauce, chicken terrine, and galantine, making it a very filling meal! The third tier contains Kyoto's specialty mugwort gluten with beetroot hidden inside.

Just looking at this obanzai dish gets you excited. It is packed with the chef's unique Italian and French techniques, such as carrot rapée, red cabbage sauerkraut, and burdock root made spicy with curry. It's a special bento box that you'll want to try if you've come all the way to Kyoto.

It's a relaxing place you'll want to visit again and again, whether you're looking for a break between exploring Kyoto and want to leisurely enjoy some Kyoto obanzai cuisine.

Food and Forests