I uploaded the Fukuoka trip first, but for the second day dinner of the Kyoto trip in May, I revisited Tenjaku. Last time, I drank too much and got drunk, so I don't remember the end. This time, let's be careful not to let that happen again. First, I moistened my throat with chilled ginger soup, and the first drink was the usual sweet potato shochu soda. The appetizer at Tenjaku was beautiful and delicious. Today we had new bracken from Akita, grilled long-life wheat gluten and cucumber, red Hachiman konjac in vinegar miso dressing, fried fish, river shrimp, simmered inch beans, mini okra plum meat, and Isaza fish. For sake, please give me Kinshi Masamune Junmai Karakuchi from Kinki Masamune in Fushimi, Kyoto. The soup was flounder, and the sashimi was Isaki from Goto, Nagasaki. The chilled sake was Isomanshiki Tokubetsu Honjozo from Isomanshiki Sake Brewery in Yazu, Shizuoka. We were served tempura vegetables, including young corn with roots from Shiga, zucchini from Shiga, asparagus from Hokkaido, and red sweet potatoes from Kagoshima. The chilled sake was Sakushin Junmai Daiginjo from Suzuka, Mie. The tempura included shrimp legs, car shrimp, zucchini, young corn with roots, all of which were delicious. The chilled sake was Kinshi Masamune Junmai Daiginjo Yumachi from Kinki Masamune in Fushimi, Kyoto. The asparagus was cut into three parts, and the frying time was adjusted according to the parts. The young ayu was served with Rakugakimasa Junmai from Yabuki-cho, Fukushima. The tempura included ink-colored mochi wrapped in seaweed and red sweet potatoes. The chilled sake was Kikuhime Yamahai Junmai from Hakusan, Ishikawa. The vinegar dish with fried tofu and green onion and cress was served with Etsukaijin Handmade Junmai from Maruo Hon-ten in Kotohira, Kagawa. The simmered dish included boiled conger eel and Kamo eggplant with sansho pepper. For the meal, we had clay pot rice, dried sardines with sansho pepper, miso soup, and pickles. We also had tempura bowl as an option. The dessert was citrus jelly and kashiwa mochi. Matcha. Thank you for the feast. I got drunk again this time.

A traditional Japanese restaurant in Nishijin, owned by Mr. Nishioka who hails from Wakuden and Otagi. I visited the restaurant based on the invitation from a friend who mentioned that they are scheduled to be featured in the Michelin guide. The omakase course I had that day (tax included 17,325 yen) included the following: - Hassun (sea bream, octopus with wasabi greens, sandfish, salmon and cheese, etc.) - Wanmono (bamboo shoots, wakame seaweed, clams, wood sorrel) - Sashimi (horse mackerel) - Agemono (deep-fried items: prawn x1, snap peas, burdock root, white fish, green asparagus, rice cake, sweet potato, tofu) - Sunomono (seared scallop, cherry tomato, taro sprouts) - Sakamushi (steamed dishes: prawn, tilefish, lily bulb, cloud ear fungus) - Rice, red miso soup, pickles, dried young sardines - Additional sakura shrimp tempura rice bowl The highlight of the course was the tempura, with a significant portion of the meal consisting of various tempura items. The clear soup with clam broth was flavorful and well-seasoned. While Nishijin is known for its rich flavors due to being a city of craftsmen, I found this restaurant's flavors to be slightly milder compared to Otagi, where the owner trained. The tempura was a bit oily and lacked the desired crispiness. It seemed like they used cottonseed oil primarily, and the oil quality deteriorated after the initial dishes. The prawns were cooked perfectly, but the white fish was overdone. If they don't change the oil, they should consider reducing the number of tempura items or avoiding items that increase surface area like sakura shrimp tempura. The vinegared dish after the tempura helped cleanse the palate. The use of egg yolk vinegar was a nice touch typical of Japanese cuisine. The atmosphere and service were excellent, with the owner being a friendly young man who worked hard on both the food and service. Overall, while there were good aspects, I felt that they were trying to do too much, and it left me with the impression that they may need to refine their offerings. Even though it is the job of Michelin to discover new restaurants, lowering the standards for stars like this may not bode well for the future.

I wish I had researched beforehand that it was not a female owner but a mother. Also, I feel that the staff should dress more elegantly. Although they were clean and provided warm service, I believe it would enhance the overall experience if they considered dressing according to the price range of the establishment.

Tenshaku is a newly renovated restaurant in Kyoto that offers traditional kaiseki cuisine with a unique addition of tempura. The menu includes a variety of dishes such as sashimi, tempura, soup, rice, and dessert, all meticulously prepared and served in a traditional style. The tempura is especially noteworthy, with each piece fried to a crispy perfection without any greasiness. The owner, a young man who has inherited his grandfather's passion for cooking, personally prepares each dish with care and attention to detail. The sake pairing was excellent, enhancing the overall dining experience. The genuine and earnest personality of the owner shines through in the delicious food. I look forward to returning to Tenshaku in the future.

Originally, it is said that the owner's grandfather used to run this place in Nishijin... It's a building here! I imagine that in the past, the wealthy merchants of Nishijin must have frequented this place. I was impressed by the hard work of the very young owner and enjoyed a course of tempura. Not only the tempura, but also the other dishes were excellent. There are many famous tempura restaurants now, but I hope that new winds will blow in Kyoto. I look forward to your continued dedication and success. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

On the third night in Kyoto, we visited Tenwaka. The reason we found out about this place was through my daughter. She saw an article in the magazine CREA Traveller at the beauty salon and thought, "I'm sure both Mom and Dad will love this place." Although the phone number is not public, we made our first reservation through Pocket Concierge. There was a section to fill in your favorite and least favorite ingredients, which we also used. Currently, they only operate in the evening, starting at 6:00 p.m. When you pass through the shop curtain, you enter a luxurious entrance made of abundant wood. The entrance leads to a spacious counter seat, where tonight we were accompanied by a mother and daughter. We were greeted by the young owner and his mother, who took care of us throughout the evening. The first dish served was the appetizer. It was presented in a wooden dish shaped like an eight-leaf with various dishes that complemented the alcohol, all beautifully arranged with iris decorations. The owner told us that the wooden dish was left by his grandfather, which we found very unique and lovely. The owner, who is only 31 years old, trained under his grandfather after graduating from university and then trained at places like Kodaiji Wakuden. He mentioned that he used to live in Shonan during his university days, and his mother had visited the area several times to look for his son's residence. They seemed to feel a connection with us, coming from a small town in Shonan. We enjoyed seasonal ingredients presented beautifully in May-themed arrangements. The following is the dishes we had this time (16,500 yen including tax): - Appetizer: Sea bream roe, yuba, one-inch beans, river shrimp, and abalone - Soup: Mebaru fish and bamboo shoot - Sashimi: Tai from Akashi, sea urchin - Tempura: Shrimp head, shrimp, bamboo shoot, aburaage, asparagus, sweetfish, ink mochi, sweet potato, tofu - Vinegared dish: Firefly squid, fruit tomato, kogomi - Hot pot: Watercress, mountain vegetables, Kameoka beef - Meal: Rice in a clay pot, pickles, dried young sardines, miso soup - Additional: Tempura rice bowl for husband - Dessert: Citrus jelly, yomogi mochi All the dishes were prepared with great care and were delicious. The tempura was crispy and not greasy at all. The tofu tempura was a specialty passed down from the grandfather, and the sweetfish tempura was a delight. They even prepared the dishes according to our preferences, such as not including green onions in the tofu tempura and omitting sansho pepper in the dried young sardines for my husband. The owner seemed very dedicated and serious about his work. We hope that as he becomes more accustomed, he will become more relaxed and enjoy chatting with customers. We paid around 40,000 yen for the meal for two, including beer, sake (2 cups), oolong tea, Chinese tea, and the tempura rice bowl. We look forward to visiting Tenwaka again in the future. We had a delicious meal. Thank you very much!

In December last year, Tenjaku, a restaurant with a counter seating for 8 people, opened in Kyoto's Nishijin area. The restaurant is actually housed in a grand 4-story building facing the street, with a total of 80 seats! The first floor features the counter seating, while the upper floors have many private rooms. In the past, during the prosperous days of Kyoto's Nishijin area, the restaurant used to serve numerous customers, with the 80 seats turning over multiple times a day. The grandfather who once ran the restaurant passed away, and after being closed for a few years, the grandson decided to reopen the restaurant with only the first floor in operation. The 31-year-old owner, who trained at Wakuden, had also worked at Kenno before becoming independent, thanks to an introduction from the head chef at Kenno. The first floor has been completely renovated, with a beautiful bamboo lattice ceiling and a magnificent 7-meter long hinoki counter. The course menu costs 15,000 yen (excluding tax) and features a combination of traditional Japanese cuisine and authentic tempura. The tempura is fried with precise technique, and the restaurant provides fresh paper for absorbing excess oil. The owner, who deeply respects his grandfather, is very serious and embodies the pride of Japanese cuisine. However, in my opinion, he could lighten up a bit and show more warmth to make customers feel more at ease. Don't worry, this guy is not intimidating at all. Relax, relax. As a new hope in Kyoto, he has the potential to lead the next generation of Japanese cuisine.

I decided to go to Kyoto and made a last-minute reservation. It was my first visit. The meal included appetizers, sashimi, tempura, soup, and various side dishes. The restaurant recently reopened and the interior was very beautiful. The chef seemed young and promising. The food was delicious, and the portion sizes and speed of service were good. I would like to visit this restaurant again. When I go back to Kyoto, I definitely want to come here again. Thank you for the meal.

When I was just starting out, I indulged myself a few times at this restaurant. In my youthful folly, I once asked for ice-cold tea soba served in an ice bowl during the winter (later I heard that you and Yujiro-san were the only ones to ever order this in the winter, and I broke out in a cold sweat). When I asked for "as much as I can eat for 10,000 yen!", they served me an incredible course meal... It's a high-class traditional restaurant with private rooms where you can see the Daimonji-yaki bonfires, but there's also a relaxed counter where you can casually drop by. It's a genuine Kyoto establishment that hasn't been affected by tourism, and you can feel the depth of Kyoto's flavors and hospitality. I'm planning to make a secret visit to express my gratitude next time I return to Kyoto. *In spring 2016, I visited with my work colleagues. The depth of the flavors that I didn't notice at the time was once again fresh and impressive. Thank you very much.