I ordered a set of 5 appetizers and soba noodles. It was around 4000 yen. The food and soba noodles were definitely delicious! However, the alcohol was expensive. A single small bottle was over 1000 yen, so I hesitated to order a second one. Even considering global prices, such expensive beer is rare. Well, I guess that's just how it is in Kyoto.

I bought a bento box from Waku-Gen inside the Shinkansen ticket gate. The price is reasonable, so it's no surprise that it's delicious. It may seem a bit pricey when eating at the restaurant, but inside the Shinkansen, it transforms into a high-class dining experience. Sometimes, indulging in such luxury can be quite enjoyable. I found that a 500ml Super Dry beer was not enough to finish all the various side dishes packed tightly in the bento box, so I realized I should have prepared two 350ml cans instead.

Located on the first floor at the northeast corner of Kitaoji Street and the old Daitokuji Street, Wakuden Omotase is a shop known for its special gifts. Reservations can be made up to two days in advance, and dishes such as sea bream chirashi and two-tiered bento boxes are available. On this particular day, I suddenly needed a gift and remembered this place, so I purchased the signature lotus root confection called "West Lake" without much time. West Lake, representing Wakuden, is a fresh confection made with lotus flour, Japanese fine sugar, and sugar syrup, all wrapped in two fresh bamboo leaves. The bamboo leaves not only have a pleasant aroma but also act as a preservative. Peeling off the genuine bamboo leaf, you'll enjoy a smooth texture and the rich flavor of Japanese fine sugar. I have yet to meet anyone in Kyoto who dislikes it, making it a reliable choice for a thoughtful gift.

I stopped by as I was in the neighborhood. The renowned soba restaurant, Go-san, had many customers waiting. They have various lovely sweets, with the "Kajou" priced at 1944 yen. This time, I tried the "Kajou" sweet. It had a visual similar to a Japanese-style flan. It was incredibly delicious when I ate it at home.

A classic dish in Kyoto, the "Tai Chirashi Bento" priced at 2,700 yen (tax included). Lately, I always pick it up at the JR Isetan basement. I enjoy it at the hotel or on the way back on the Shinkansen. The store closes at 8 p.m., but they hand out the bento until an hour and a half before the expiration time, which is 7:30 p.m. The contents of the side dishes vary with the season, and even though they are small portions, you can savor a gentle and reliable taste. Truly a high-end bento, it lives up to its price. The tai on the rice is plentiful, and it's delicious without any strong flavors, with a chewy rice texture that I like. It seems to have minced fish mixed in, with ginger and yuzu providing a subtle flavor.

In spring, you can enjoy delicious sea bream in a luxurious bento box. "Shinoyawakuden" is a bento box that offers the taste of the Kyoto ryotei "Wakuden". I happened to come across the sea bream chirashi from Shinoyawakuden online and thought I'd like to try it, so I bought it. I went there about 2 times without a reservation but it was sold out, so I made a reservation in advance to buy it. The sea bream chirashi bento is a luxurious two-tiered box. The colors are very beautiful! I love these traditional Japanese bento boxes. They packed it in a sturdy paper bag. It comes with a hand towel and chopsticks with the Wakuden logo. The first tier contains side dishes such as simmered pumpkin, burdock roll, shrimp, rolled omelette, fish nanban-zuke, grilled salmon, eggplant, bamboo shoots, rapeseed blossoms, fresh wheat gluten, edible wild plants, and duck. It's filled with spring-like ingredients like rapeseed blossoms and bamboo shoots! Everything is delicious. The delicacy of the food is wonderful. The second tier is sea bream chirashi. The pink, translucent sea bream is beautiful. The scattered wood buds are a nice accent. It was incredibly delicious. The tea to accompany the sea bream chirashi is "Kuwa no Ocha - Soumei", a non-caffeinated tea with a mellow flavor. Be sure to enjoy it with Wakuden's cuisine. Thank you for the meal! The price was a bit high, but it was a lovely bento box. I'd love to eat it again.

I had soba for lunch. It was crowded and it took a while for the food to come out, but I bought lotus root sweets on the way back. It has a texture like kudzu, but the subtly elegant sweetness was delicious. It left a much stronger impression than the soba.

"Sasakuri Wataboushi"

Ogassan and Aun-san ===========

The atmosphere is good, the service is good, and the taste is good. It seems like they have moved from Tango Omiya Town to Kyoto City about 30 years ago. Now, they are considered top-notch in the Kyoto City area. In June, fireflies flutter about. The charm of this season is at its best. However, when it comes to eating food with insect names attached to them, there is a strong resistance. While there is a culture of eating insects in mountainous areas around Cambodia, it is not the case in Kyoto. Fireflies are meant to be watched and admired to feel the charm of June, but when it comes to food, it's a different story. I think it's better to enjoy delicacies like matcha dried sweets, Yoshino, and kudzu. The refined and elegant dream-like names such as Meiko, Hikari, Kagayaki, Hitoyo, and Yumeichiya are thought to be appropriate. Especially in the tea ceremony, I believe that everything needs to come together in appearance, taste, and name to truly be complete. If the name of the restaurant changes a bit, it could become an even better dish. It would be a waste not to refine it further with a more delicate sensibility. When imagining putting it in your mouth, the image doesn't quite come together. The senses do not move with logic. I remembered a song from the past, "Fireflies, the water over there is sweet, the water here is bitter." This is the way of philosophy. Near the café of the famous actor Kuritaka Asahi, there was once a day when the Genji fireflies met the Heike fireflies. How did the fireflies of Mount Fuji look back then? In the philosophy of the fireflies in Shimogamo, Kibune, and Kyoto nights, there is elegance and the atmosphere of the Heian period everywhere. To truly understand the lovely Kyoto, perhaps searching for fireflies is a good idea. Looking back at The Tale of Genji, gazing a thousand years ahead, history repeats like a spiral staircase. Do not be swayed by immediate desires; trust is paramount. There are many things in Japanese such as cultivating a wonderful sensibility, completing it, controlling it, calling out, organizing, snoring, and tranquility. I want to cultivate a wonderful sensibility.

When I went to Kyoto, I had the usual "Tai Chirashi Bento" for 2,700 yen. I made a phone reservation and picked it up at JR Isetan's underground area. Lately, I call Isetan directly. The seasonal Japanese-style variety of side dishes allows you to enjoy a gentle and reliable taste that brings out the ingredients, and the harmony between the fresh, thinly sliced sea bream and the perfectly sticky vinegar rice is wonderful. I have been enjoying it for many years and many times, never getting tired of it but always savoring it with delight. It may be expensive, but it is very satisfying. The chopsticks included are too good to throw away after just one use, showing that top-notch bento boxes are truly different.

Visited on a weekday evening. Located near Daikoku-ji Temple and close to a bus stop, making it an easily accessible restaurant. [Ambience] The atmosphere is clean and calm. You can enjoy lunch, dinner, and they also sell traditional Japanese sweets. [Sweets] I bought Nishiko (270 yen) and Sasakuri (378 yen). Sasakuri is a limited-time offering only available in autumn until the end of October. Nishiko is a sweet made from lotus root powder, with a smooth and sticky texture and a sweetness similar to brown sugar, making it a favorite traditional Japanese sweet. Sasakuri has a texture similar to yokan with a deep chestnut flavor, and it was delicious. I was able to enjoy delicious traditional Japanese sweets. I look forward to visiting again.

This is a restaurant in the traditional Japanese cuisine chain of Wakuden in Kyoto, which offers gift delivery for midyear and year-end gifts. I received a hot pot last December and wanted to post a review, but I forgot to write anything and only took photos. This year, I received a different hot pot as a year-end gift, so I am rushing to write this. It featured snow camellia spiny lobster as the main ingredient, along with angler liver, prawn taro, round daikon radish, Horikawa beef burdock, wheat gluten cakes, dried shiitake mushrooms, mugwort rice cakes, sweet potatoes, watercress, chrysanthemum greens, yuba, black yuba, Chinese yam, royal fern, St. John's wort turnip paste, yuzu, and celery in a white miso broth. This Kyoto-style white miso hot pot offers a decent taste and atmosphere typical of Kyoto. While enjoyable when served, it's not something I would go out of my way to buy and eat.

On my way to buy warabi mochi at Rakusha-an, I happened to come across Wakuden across from Daikaku-ji... Oh, this place I was curious about, so I decided to stop by. The first floor here is a takeout shop, and the second floor is a dining area. My target was Nishiko (270 yen each), a puffy confection made by kneading lotus root starch and sweetening it with wasanbon sugar, wrapped in a fragrant bamboo leaf. It's right up my alley in terms of taste. I already liked it before eating, but considering Rakusha-an and the price, I bought just one. When I got home and opened the bamboo leaf like a chimaki, the inside was dark in color, and incredibly elastic. It has elasticity, but it doesn't stick to your mouth, and has a faint sweetness and a good bamboo leaf aroma. It's super delicious. I should have bought more... I enjoyed it so much. By the way, they even included a cold pack even though I only bought one. It's a kind shop. Thank you for the meal.