Best Food in Kyoto
Kyoto is the former capital of Japan and hundreds of years of history have left it a great wealth of culinary culture like Kaiseki Cuisine, Yudofu, Matcha, Soba, and Kyo Tsukemono Kitano. Only in Kyoto, can you taste such authentic food. In addition, Kyoto also owns classic Japanese food like ramen of several tastes, delicate Sushi, and Wagashi.
6 Top Food Unique to or Especially Known in Kyoto
1. Kaiseki Cuisine
Kaiseki, the top cuisine in Kyoto, usually consists of 7 dishes: Sashimi, grilled food, fried food, simmered food, soup, rice, and dessert. Due to its principle – to make customers feel the change of season through dishes, Kaiseki Cuisine is featured by its changeable menu. The chief would always use seasonal vegetables, fish, or seafood to cook a delicious meal for customers. You can taste different dishes in different months, like the fresh bamboo shoot in April, peas in May, honmoroko fish from Lake Biwa in July, and Tricholoma matsutake in autumn.2. Yudofu
Japan has several hundred years of history to eat Yudofu, and Kyoto’s Yudofu is especially known for its underground water of high-quality. The most regular way to cook Yudofu is by simmering it in kombu soup. While eating, dip Yudofu into soy sauce or mustard and then sip the kombu soup. Many Kyoto people would brush a layer of sauce. In addition, the grilled Yudofu is also delicious for the crispy Yudofu texture matched with a layer of sauce of sesame and Kudzu root. The greasiness of sesame would be balanced by the vegetable aroma of Kudzu root and Yudofu.
Yudofu Restaurant
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3. Matcha & Matcha Dessert
Matcha Dessert
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4. Kyo Tsukemono Kitano
Kyo Tsukemono Kitano is a kind of pickle. People usually choose local vegetables, including white radish, eggplant, and pumpkin, to marinate in salt, sugar, or sauce. The marinated vegetables maintain the aroma of vegetables and absorb the salty taste of the sauce, thus very delicious. As a dispensable appetizer in many Japanese cuisines, Kyo Tsukemono Kitano would be cut into thin pieces while eating.5. Soba
Compared with Udon and Ramen, Soba is preferred by more people in Kyoto. The noodle is made by buckwheat, thus healthy for your health. To add unique tastes, some restaurants sell soba with matcha, sesame, and sea sedge added. Generally, there are three different sobas: cold soba, hot soup soba, and cold sauce soba. They have different dishes. For example, hot soup is usually matched with long onions and chills; while cold sauce soba with Cucumber, shredded egg, and seafood.
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6. Shojin Ryori Cuisine - Vegetarian Cuisine for Monks
Apart from Kaiseki Cuisine, Kyoto is also famous for Shojin Ryori Cuisine, which is suitable for vegetarians. The Cuisine was for Buddha monks in the past and now acceptable among common people. It usually consists of todu, seasonal vegetables, and sea sedge, without any fish, meat, or onions. A qualified cuisine works to satisfy your tongue tip by 5 flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, fresh.Other Delicious Food in Kyoto
1. Sushi
Sushi, a world-famous food, should also be tried while you are in Kyoto. In Kyoto, Mackerel Sushi, also called Saba Sushi is very popular. The marinated Mackerel smells good after being soaked into vinegar. In addition, the added kombu in Sushi enriches its tastes.
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2. Ramen
Ramen is one kind of chewy noodle loved by most Japanese people. The classic taste in Kyoto is one ramen whose soup is cooked by boiling chicken bone, seafood, and fish.
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3. Hitsumabushi
Like Ramen, Hitsumabushi is another popular street food in Japan. In Kyoto, you can taste classic Kansai style Hitsumabushi: eels are grilled above fire without being steamed, which makes eels taste chewy, and crispy outside but soft inside.