As I entered, a wonderful fragrance enveloped me. Is it the aroma of essential oils? I felt instantly relaxed. As I was guided further in, I discovered a lovely space with a view of the garden. The bright restaurant is filled with light, and the sofas and cushions have a calming indigo color. I wonder if they are dyed with indigo? The meal was a course dining experience, featuring appetizers and salads made with vegetables grown in the garden, all prepared with great care. One appetizer was a creative dish where the leftover pulp from freshly squeezed juice was turned into a snack resembling rice crackers, served with hummus. It was a lovely touch to make something delicious without wasting ingredients. The soup had a gentle sweetness, the pork was tender, and the dessert was healthy. I felt like I had become healthier just by finishing my meal, haha. The olive oil for dipping the focaccia was an unusual one made with orange, and it was incredibly delicious. I would love to go back and enjoy that leisurely experience again!

This spring, Six Senses Kyoto opened right across from the Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto. We were greeted in a very quiet lobby that had a lovely fragrance. The restaurant is located in the basement, but it has a spacious atrium that creates a sense of openness. This time, we were seated by the window, and it seems like the outdoor terrace would be delightful in good weather. The afternoon tea here is surprisingly gluten-free! It’s amazing to be able to enjoy scones and sweets without gluten! This menu is really great for those over 40, as it brings less guilt and no bloating♡. My favorite items were the **sweets**: Nagano Purple Daifuku, **sweets**: Sake-Kasu Fig Sandwich, and **savory**: Kabosu Vinegared Dish. The fresh Nagano Purple Daifuku was wonderfully chewy! The cookie filled with fig and butter cream was incredibly juicy. The vinegared dish had a rich kabosu aroma, making me want to come back for lunch or dinner next time. There were fewer types of tea available, but it was possible to share between two people so we could enjoy a variety. The herbal tea was also very delicious. The portion sizes were just right, and the friendly staff made for a wonderful experience! It’s still somewhat of a hidden gem, allowing for a relaxed visit. I definitely plan to return next time!

I enjoyed a course meal made with ingredients from Kyoto. Each dish highlighted high-quality ingredients with a gentle flavor, allowing me to experience the essence of the seasons. Personally, the shrimp soup and crunchy sweet sea bream were exceptional. The restaurant, with its warm wooden decor, is also an attractive space where I can enjoy a lively time with my beloved family and friends. I look forward to visiting again in a different season! ^^

I visited a restaurant for a meal with friends and had a course meal. The carefully selected ingredients were wonderful, especially the bread, which was delicious. However, as someone who enjoys drinking, I found the quality of the alcoholic drinks to be lacking. I realized how important it is to have delicious food paired with good drinks, as a great pairing truly enhances the experience.

I attended a friend’s birthday party at this wonderful restaurant. The atmosphere was really nice, and the staff was diverse and provided attentive and friendly service. They use organic ingredients for their dishes, and the wine is natural wine, which was perfect for my friends, as they all prefer natural options! We enjoyed dessert in the courtyard, which had a lovely vibe, reminiscent of an old ryokan’s garden, possibly preserving the original trees. Despite it being a Saturday lunch, the restaurant was quiet with few customers, allowing us to relax and take our time. Additionally, they mentioned that they are kid-friendly and warmly welcome children!

It's time for a seasonal change, and I stayed here to refresh my body and mind. Before dinner, I enjoyed some relaxing time in the pool, and the meal afterwards was simply amazing. The creative dishes made with seasonal and local ingredients were all delicious, satisfying not just my palate and stomach but also my heart. Everything was great, but the standout dish was the grilled Tanba jidori chicken. I'm not usually a big fan of chicken, but given how wonderful the previous dishes had been, I felt confident that this would be good too, so I ordered the jidori. To my surprise, it was incredibly moist and flavorful, with a depth of seasoning that wasn't overpowering. I learned that the menu changes every two weeks, but I wish this dish could be ordered all the time on the lunch à la carte menu. My companion ordered the Wagyu, which was also quite good. Both dinner and breakfast had a calm clientele, allowing us to enjoy our meals in a relaxed atmosphere. After dinner, we visited the hotel bar, which offered many unique Japanese-inspired drinks, and we had a delightful time there as well. The interior was gorgeous, and my companion seemed to be enjoying himself, drinking at a nice pace. The young bartender was friendly, and I believe it would be worth visiting just for the bar. Since autumn is approaching in Kyoto, I recommend enjoying the dining and bar experience; it's within walking distance from Kiyomizu-dera.

I enjoyed afternoon tea at SEKKI in Six Senses Kyoto, Japan's first natural luxury hotel. This was a special celebration for my birthday, arranged by my friends. The afternoon tea was gluten-free and sugar-free, served in a calm setting, which was kind to the body. The menu changes every two weeks, so it’s different now, so please keep that in mind. On that day, the white miso scones and shiso scones were delicious. The tea was a free-flow option, including special teas unique to Six Senses, and everything was truly delightful. The atmosphere made time feel like it flowed slowly, giving a comforting vibe, and I definitely want to visit again. Sitting at a table with a view of the garden was also exceptional. The essence of wellness, which is the theme of the hotel, was evident in every aspect, making it a wonderful place.

The restaurant at Six Senses Kyoto on Shichijo Street offers a delightful dining experience using seasonal local ingredients. The property has its own garden where fresh herbs and vegetables are used in the dishes. Additionally, vegetables sourced from local partner farms are also featured. I had the 4 COURSES LUNCH for 7,900 yen, which included: - Seasonal vegetable dip with vegetable chips - Corn puree with consommé royale - Grilled yellowtail with eggplant and homemade ponzu - Kyoto pork with garden vegetables and herb sauce - Corn ice cream with cacao tuile and caramelized nuts - Coffee or tea Each dish showcased the natural flavors of the ingredients, prepared perfectly. The staff was very friendly, and I was able to enjoy my meal while relaxing and viewing the courtyard. The interiors of the hotel and the presentation of the dishes reflect a beautiful Japanese aesthetic, which I really appreciated. I would love to visit again. Thank you for reading! If you liked this, please give it a “like,” “follow,” or “save.” It encourages me to keep posting! I'm also on Instagram @kyoto_gourmetdog.

As a pioneer of natural luxury resort hotels, "Six Senses" has made its debut in Japan. Nestled in the stunning location of Higashiyama, Kyoto, "Six Senses Kyoto" subtly incorporates elements of Japanese culture. The wellness afternoon tea, "Calendar Afternoon Tea," features a menu that changes with the delicate transitions of the 24 solar terms. The menu for the current solar term, "Shōsho," includes sweets that are naturally fermented yet pleasantly sweet. Collaborating with "MA / ◯kan," which designs time and space using various cultural elements centered around tea ceremonies and Japanese tea, the selection of teas is diverse. After a walk in the heat, I started with chilled Kagoshima’s Chiran deep-steamed Sencha Yabukita, which was refreshing. I also enjoyed hot Earl Grey from Kochi. The herbal tea, made from lemongrass cultivated in the hotel’s garden, had an irresistibly rich natural aroma.

I had afternoon tea at sekki, located in Six Senses Kyoto. The menu changes every two weeks, which is amazing! This time, we enjoyed the summer solstice menu. It was a healthy afternoon tea with gluten-free and sugar-free options. **Sweets:** - Shiso Panna Cotta (GF/SF/VG) - Sansho Kuzu Mochi (GF/DF/SF/V) - Ginger Mousse (SF/VG) - Sake Lees Raisin Sandwich (GF/SF/V) - Fresh Ninjyo Confectionery (GF/DF/V, made by Kyoto confectioner "Kameya Yoshinaga") **Savories:** - Nara Pickle Beef Roll (GF/DF/SF) - Pickled Myoga Handroll Sushi (GF/DF/SF/V) - Mackerel Sushi (GF/DF/SF) - Stuffed Managari Chili with Shrimp (GF/DF/SF) - White Miso Scone (GF/SF/VG) - Shiso Scone (GF/SF/VG) - Summer Orange Jam (DF/GF/SF/V) - Sweet Sake Cream (DF/GF/V) DF: Dairy-free, GF: Gluten-free, SF: Refined Sugar-free, VG: Vegetarian, V: Vegan. This was my first afternoon tea experience where I felt no guilt! However, the scones had a strange texture, probably due to being gluten-free, making them feel sticky in my mouth. Preferences may vary; I wasn’t very fond of them. The other sweets, especially the fresh ninjyo, were delicious. I appreciated that the free-flowing tea and Japanese tea were served in single cups instead of a large pot. It’s common for afternoon tea to serve from big pots, which often leads to having to drink the same tea three times… So it was nice to enjoy various types of tea here. Thank you for the lovely experience!

I visited Sekki, located on the second basement level of the natural luxury hotel "Six Senses Kyoto," for lunch. The restaurant's name comes from the traditional Japanese calendar, the twenty-four solar terms. At Sekki, you can enjoy dishes that highlight organic vegetables from a farm in Fushimi, Kyoto. Starting from late June, they will also offer afternoon tea. I ordered a la carte for a light meal and spent time on the spacious terrace seats. Although it’s going to get hot soon, I really recommend the terrace. The colors are lovely, and it blends beautifully with the greenery around it—it was truly wonderful! After lunch, I went to the adjacent Sekki Café. Most of the customers were foreigners, and the staff served in English, which gave a nice sense of being on an overseas trip. Since it’s a newly opened hotel, the fresh atmosphere was also very enjoyable!

On April 23, we stayed with our family at Six Senses Kyoto. For dinner, we chose the set course (15,800 yen) at the all-day dining restaurant, SEKKI. The restaurant had more than half of its customers as international visitors, and most of the staff were foreigners as well. It felt strangely like being in another country, even though we were in Kyoto. The course included a soup, a fish dish, a meat dish, udon that resembled pasta, and a fusion dessert - a total of five dishes. The seasoning was light, emphasizing the quality of the ingredients like meat and fish, making it easy to eat and quite filling. However, the udon was somewhat puzzling. Overall, this experience is likely to please the increasing number of international guests.

In April 2024, "Six Senses Kyoto" opened an all-day dining restaurant located on the second basement floor. We made a reservation for the lunch course, but we learned that à la carte options are also available. The restaurant is named "Sekki," inspired by the 24 solar terms, and the course menu changes according to these terms. The interior and terrace offer a spacious environment that feels surprisingly bright for a basement level, creating a natural and inviting atmosphere. The dishes emphasize organic ingredients and attention to quality, making everything we tasted exceptionally delicious.

It was a very lovely space, and the service was attentive and thoughtful.

I had breakfast at the all-day dining at Six Senses Kyoto. Since I arrived fairly late, it was quite crowded, and it took some time for my ordered dishes to come out. While waiting, I enjoyed the half-buffet with salads, ham, cheese, and other side dishes. The prosciutto and cheese were particularly delicious. For the main course, I chose a Japanese set meal and an egg dish. The egg's yolk was a deep yellow, which was very appetizing. The flavor was excellent. The grilled fish in the Japanese set was also tasty, but the accompanying vegetables—broccoli and tomatoes—gave it a somewhat "foreign" feel. The price is on the higher side, but it was satisfying.