Eating while enjoying the beautiful garden is a luxurious experience. The meal feels more like a kaiseki course than a bento, with each dish reflecting the essence of Kyoto and the season. It's a shame that there were no explanations or menu provided by the staff, but overall it was a wonderful dining experience at a lovely restaurant.

This shop is located on the way from Tofukuji Station to Tofukuji Temple, and it seems that a sub-temple of Tofukuji has been turned into a restaurant. I visited right after the opening at 11 am on a weekday. There were no customers yet. I was shown three seating options and was able to choose my favorite seat. I requested a tatami seat with a view of the main hall's garden. There was no menu, and it seems that they only offer one type of autumn leaves bento at this time. After about 10 minutes of waiting while enjoying the garden view, the bento was served. The side dishes were beautifully arranged in a wooden box, which is very Kyoto-like. Each dish was carefully prepared with a simple seasoning that emphasizes the flavor of dashi broth. You can truly feel the essence of Kyoto in every bite. It was a pleasant surprise that not only the rice and soup but also the simmered dish in the bento was warm. Enjoying a kaiseki bento while overlooking the garden is a great way for visitors from Tokyo to fully experience Kyoto. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Usually not open to the public, dining while enjoying the seasonal garden view. I had made a reservation but arrived early around 11 am. The view from the entrance was lovely, and the staff in kimono guided us to a table under the stone steps, saying we could also dine without a reservation. They only served Kyoto-style autumn bento boxes, so we paid at the entrance and got a table with a great view since it was still early. The colorful Kyoto-style bento box included rice topped with homemade chirimen sansho (dried young sardines seasoned with ground sansho pepper) and miso soup. It was delicious. There were plenty of seats available, and we were invited to also enjoy the garden view. The autumn leaves were starting to change color near the entrance, but the garden itself seemed like it would be enjoyable a bit later. It was a moment that made me feel like I had truly arrived in Kyoto.

These days when you feel a chill in the morning and evening, I went to the area around Kyoto's Tofuku-ji Temple to see the colorful autumn leaves. One of the oldest sub-temples, Kurihagi-an, was founded by the fourth generation temple resident, Zen Master Hakun Gyeong-ak. Originally located in the northern part of Kyoto, it was moved to this side of the mountain due to the chaos of the Onin War. During the autumn leaf season, you can enjoy the special autumn leaf bento (3500 yen) from this long-established Kyoto cuisine restaurant, which has been in business for 85 years, while overlooking the garden. A kimono-clad waitress greeted me with a smile at the mountain gate, and I walked up the stone steps, passing through the front garden to the entrance. You can enjoy your meal in one of the three rooms in the main hall and study hall. I chose to sit in the guest room next to the abbot's quarters so that I could enjoy the view of the garden. First, I paid my respects to the main deity, the Eleven-faced Kannon Bodhisattva, in the adjacent abbot's quarters. Looking back at the garden, the maple trees had not yet changed color and were still green. It seems that the autumn leaves are late this year. As I gazed at the beautiful garden bathed in warm sunlight, I felt as if time had stopped and my heart was at peace. Just then, the autumn leaf bento, consisting of various colorful dishes, was brought to me. Each dish in the wooden box was vibrant and flavorful. The meal included a variety of dishes such as simmered taro, silk pods, chrysanthemum pumpkin, yuba rolls, and probably steamed sea bream with rice cakes, topped with maple leaf-shaped wheat gluten. Each dish was tender, with a rich dashi flavor, and delicious. The meal also included dishes like chestnut wheat gluten, lotus root, enoki mushrooms, and yuba salad, as well as autumn salmon and spring herring marinated in vinegar. The last course included shrimp stew, sea bream roe agar, soy-marinated salmon roe, vinegar-marinated white fish roll, maple leaf-shaped fish cake, and a half-bei wheat gluten roll. Each dish was elegant and delicate, with a rich dashi flavor and meticulous preparation. The meal was truly a feast for the senses. The meal ended with a bowl of soup with yuzu fragrance and rice topped with shredded mountain pepper. I enjoyed a steamed bun made of wheat gluten with sweet bean paste and tea. The sweet bean paste was not too sweet and had a refined taste. The bento box was like a treasure chest filled with seasonal delicacies, meticulously prepared and enjoyed to the fullest. It was truly a feast, and I expressed my gratitude. As I left Kurihagi-an, I was reminded of the words of Zen Master Hyakujo, "No work, no food." I vowed to do good deeds in return for today's wonderful feast, and I left Kurihagi-an with a sense of gratitude.

Kaiseki lunch in Kyoto - Elegant and various dishes in small portions. The Shirasu (whitebait) rice was delicious.

"Enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Tohuku-ji temple."

I will translate the above restaurant review content into English in a way that is easy to understand: The lunch included in the Kyoto regular sightseeing bus one-day course was a Kyoto-style kaiseki meal, so I will introduce it. We visited various temples and took a lunch break. The restaurant inside the temple was called "Kyoryori Takasawa." They had prepared a Kyoto-style meal for each of us while waiting for our sightseeing bus to arrive. It seemed like a high-class establishment. By the way, the regular sightseeing bus with a meal included costs 9,200 yen. Try to imagine the price of a Kyoto-style kaiseki meal. It featured plenty of Kyoto vegetables, including roasted duck and tuna sashimi. Each dish had a delicate flavor that brought out the umami of the ingredients. I was unsure where to start eating because each dish had been carefully prepared. The extra effort put into each ingredient by the chefs was evident, and it was enjoyable to savor their craftsmanship. It was a pleasure to be able to have seconds of the rice with small dried fish. The miso soup was served just before the meal to ensure it stayed warm. The efficiency in their service was impressive. I felt a bit nervous, but the elegant and delicious Kyoto cuisine at "Kyoryori Takasawa" was truly enjoyable. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

The restaurant, famous for its autumn leaves, is located at the back of the Red Cross on a hill. We enjoyed a meal on the second floor, which was like a bento box. The dishes were beautifully presented and tasted delicate and refined, which was perfect for the hot day. The rice topped with dried baby sardines was delicious. The clear dessert sprinkled with kinako was like agar jelly, and when we asked the waitress, she said it was warabi mochi. There are different types of warabi mochi, it seems.

On a weekday off, I decided to take a solo trip to Kyoto. After enjoying the autumn leaves and Kannon statue at Daigo-ji Temple, I thought, why not go see the autumn leaves on the Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofuku-ji Temple, so I stopped by. There weren't many people around, as expected on a weekday, but I was told that taking photos from the bridge was not allowed. Oh well, I'll just have to remember it in my mind. The contrast between the still green leaves and the ripe red leaves was lovely. Today's main event is a rickshaw ride, but before that, I was thinking about where to have lunch. As I was walking, I saw a photo of a kaiseki bento in front of a temple. Normally just an ordinary temple, but during this season, you can enjoy a kaiseki bento while looking out at the garden. How wonderful! I decided that I wanted to eat in the main hall! The view from the main hall didn't offer much of the red leaves, but it was a lovely garden enveloped in silence. The room next to the entrance, where you can see the bright red leaves, was filled with the cheerful laughter of older ladies. I highly recommend the main hall. Each bento was carefully prepared. The tempura wrapped in yuba was delicious. The warm soup was a nice touch, and the dried fish on top of the rice was tasty. I do wish the tea was served by a waitress instead of self-service, especially since it's a restaurant and not a temple.

Kyoto - Delicious Lunch Without Reservation ☆ Around Toji Temple "Kyoryori Takasawa" [Restaurant, Café, Izakaya ...] Autumn in Kyoto ... in the midst of autumn leaves (^^ゞ Suddenly decided to go on a 1 night 2 day trip Sweet Tooth Queen here. Pupupu♡ What (^^;) 1 night 2 days (;・`д・´) very shortｗ And it turned into a first mother-daughter trip with my mother at home ... Before getting married, eating and traveling were hobbies at my parents' house, and family trips were a monthly tradition, but a trip for two was exciting ... I definitely wanted to visit Toji Temple first! Of course, there were a lot of people ... No worries about getting lost from the station to the site (^_-) But what is troublesome is that famous dining places listed in guidebooks are either fully booked or already crowded with customers on the day. A long line that makes you want to ask, "Is this also a viewing spot?" Time is more valuable than anything for those of us on a short stay (^_-) We can't afford to wait leisurely ... So, on the way from the station to Toji Temple, I checked the shops on the left and right (*^^)v Good location! OK on the day!! The price is acceptable? A three-piece set of Kyoto cuisine Takasawa for a meal rather than a meal to give my mother a break. Autumn leaf bento 3,150 yen only (#^.^#) Very straightforward ...ｗ As you enter the gate, it feels more like a temple than a restaurant. A lovely garden where you can understand the feeling of no photography allowed on the stairs. It seems that people will be crowded here ... I wasn't expecting much from the food (^_-) but it was surprisingly delicious. A Kyoto-like strong umami taste but light flavor ♡ A gentle taste that values the ingredients made my mother ecstatic ... Daughter ... relieved ♡ There were seats to sit directly and seats with tables set in a Japanese-style room. For my mother who has difficulty walking, it was very nice (*^^)v Of course, we had our meal at a table. It's not a private room, but ... there was a lovely garden outside the window, so it was a satisfying lunchtime, right? If you are concerned, there may be some people who are not comfortable because of the frequent coming and going of the waitresses, but we found it easy to ask for things like more tea (*´艸｀) and it was actually good. We could also buy chirimen sansho as a souvenir. It may have been because it was a weekday, but being able to enjoy this much without a reservation during this peak season is definitely worth it!

After checking out of the hotel, I took a bus to visit Tofuku-ji Temple. It was also very crowded here. After seeing Tofuku-ji Temple, even though it hadn't been much time since breakfast, I decided to visit this restaurant nearby. It's located on the way from the Tofuku-ji intersection to the temple. After climbing a few stairs, you enter through a pretty impressive gate. The restaurant was full, but after waiting on the veranda for about 10 minutes, they seated me. The interior feels more like a temple, with a nice atmosphere. The meal was the 3150 yen autumn-themed bento box. I wished they had beer though! The bento box, as you can see in the photo, was colorful and looked very autumnal, with a delicate taste. You could really taste the dashi. It also came with soup and rice with dried shredded chili pepper. 3150 yen may be a bit pricey for tourists, but for a Kyoto-style bento box, it was worth it. After this, off to Nanzen-ji Temple!

The autumn leaves in Kyoto are a bit later than people in the Kanto region might think, but they are truly breathtaking. Especially the view of the autumn leaves from the stage of Toji Temple is irresistible! You must see it at least once. Nearby, there is a restaurant called "Kyoryori Takasawa," which is not far from the famous scenic spots. When you enter, it feels like entering a different world. Despite the peak tourist season, if you have a reservation, there is no problem. You will be seated in a large tatami room and served a beautiful bento box with Kyoto cuisine. The dishes are visually stunning and the flavors are deep. It's like a fantastic bento box for the autumn leaves season. Truly wonderful.

I'm a bit late, but I wanted to share a review of the autumn leaves season. Last year, I went to Matsurian with my mom friends and ended up talking a lot, probably bothering other customers. So, this year we decided that it would be better to go to a private room for the autumn leaves viewing. Through a friend's connection, we made a reservation at a place called Kuri Kyoku-an, where we left it up to them (not sure about the price). I checked the reviews on Tabelog, but all I found were reviews for the main store Kuri Kyoku-an. The autumn leaves bento at the main store costs 3150 yen, which seemed a bit pricey, but we decided to go anyway. When we arrived, we mistakenly entered through the wrong entrance. We took off our shoes and went upstairs to a private room. It had a luxurious feel, and we were served drinks and towels by the staff. Then, the meal arrived. Each dish was beautifully crafted and delicious. The sashimi had a sharp taste, and the white fish with turnip sauce was one of my favorites. Although the tempura that came later didn't meet our expectations, we still enjoyed the meal. We had a leisurely time and a fun meal. When it was time to pay, I ordered one sake, and the total came to a little over 7000 yen. It was a bit pricey, but considering the quality of the food, it was worth it. We even saw a photo of Kimura from SMAP visiting the restaurant, which made my SMAP fan mom friends happy. As a souvenir, we received some abura-torinuno from Takasawa. I wrote about this experience on my friend's nail salon website, so I'll paste the link here: http://petit-jour.jugem.jp/?month=201111

We went to Tohukuji Temple with my wife to see the autumn leaves. Despite it being a weekday, there were a lot of visitors, making it very crowded at the entrance of the temple. We decided to have lunch at the temple's sub-temple called "Rikkyoku-an". They offer a special Kyoto cuisine called "Takasawa" only during the autumn leaves season. The main menu item is the Matsukado bento box, priced at 3150 yen. Although it may seem a bit expensive for lunch, it was a unique experience to enjoy a meal in a peaceful setting while admiring the autumn leaves in the garden. The bento box included various delicacies such as soup, rice sprinkled with shredded dried fish and Japanese pepper, simmered vegetables, sesame tofu, yuba dengaku, marinated trout, and marinated squid. Each dish was carefully seasoned and delicious. The service provided by the staff, who were more like attendants, was also pleasant. We even got a refill of rice. It was a truly enjoyable meal.

From Kiyomizu-dera, I walked along the side of the Imperial Palace grounds towards Tofuku-ji Temple. It was lunchtime, so I decided to stop at this place (or rather, temple). While admiring the garden, I enjoyed a slightly pricey lunch, but I think it's worth it as a memorable experience of my trip to Kyoto. **Food & Taste** The only option is a 3,150 yen kaiseki bento box. It includes items like maple leaf-shaped fish cakes, grilled salmon with salt, rolled omelette, sesame tofu, eel roll, and more, totaling 21 dishes. It also comes with soup, rice topped with shredded dried fish and Japanese pepper, and pickles. The dishes are subtly seasoned with dashi, typical of Kyoto cuisine, and each one is refined and delicious. I usually don't take photos, but being on a trip, and with other customers being tourists as well, I took some pictures for reference. **Service** The building's design resembles a temple, so the staff won't bother you unless you call them. However, the service is attentive. It wouldn't be ideal to have waitstaff wandering around in a temple hall while enjoying a kaiseki bento. It's just the way it is. **Atmosphere** Having a meal while gazing at the garden of a Kyoto temple is a unique experience. I visited on a Saturday, and it wasn't crowded, allowing me to enjoy my meal in a peaceful and calm environment.

During the peak autumn foliage season, I visited Kurikyoku-an, located just north of Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto (Address: 15-796 Honmachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Phone: 075-541-2982), to try Takasawa's bento box in early November. Since it was a weekday and the autumn leaves had not yet fully changed color, I didn't need a reservation. I was told that I could choose to dine in either of the two rooms, each offering a view of a different side garden (although there was a satellite dish visible on the roof to the south). The menu only offers one type of bento box, the Shokado bento, priced at 3150 yen. The meal is served on a tray with legs. The atmosphere is casual, without any decorations or fancy furnishings. While there is no raw fish (sashimi), the bento box includes 21 side dishes, rice, and clear soup. The simmered fresh wheat gluten was chewy and had a nice sesame miso flavor. Each side dish was delicious, including the soft and fragrant rolled wheat gluten mochi with yuzu-flavored white bean paste that wasn't too sweet. I enjoyed the mochi so much that I asked if they were available for purchase, and was told they were only available at Kurikyoku-an, so I bought some as a souvenir. It's best to inquire about the availability of dining at Kurikyoku-an and their seasonal offerings. They only serve lunch. At Takasawa's main store, you can enjoy a more elaborate meal with sashimi for prices starting at 3800 yen.

In November 2007, I visited the sub-temple "Rikkyoku-an" at Tohuku-ji Temple. The meal consisted of only one type of Matsukado bento. The garden was stunning, and the cuisine at the Kyoto cuisine restaurant "Takasawa" was meticulously crafted and delicately prepared, making each dish visually appealing and delicious. The prices seemed reasonable given the quality of the dishes. The meal included items such as autumn leaf kamaboko, bamboo leaf-wrapped fu mochi, soy sauce-marinated ikura, tai child agar jelly, hirame kinshi maki, simmered shrimp, awa-fu dengaku, grilled salmon with salt, watercress, enoki, chrysanthemum salad, vinegar lotus root, spring onion nanbanzuke, rolled omelette, sesame tofu, yamato maki, candied chestnuts, tai daomyo-ji, chrysanthemum kabocha, taro, anago yuba maki, kinusaya, autumn leaf fu, clear soup, rice (chirimen), and pickles. The building was somewhat lacking, but the service from the staff was excellent and I was able to enjoy my meal in a calm atmosphere. If given the chance, I would love to visit again.