"Gion Hamasaku" is a restaurant that specializes in "Itamae Kappo" style, where cooking is done in front of customers to provide high-quality dishes on the spot. This style has evolved from traditional Kyoto cuisine and offers a unique dining experience. The restaurant, founded in 1927, is currently managed by the third-generation owner, Mr. Hiroyuki Morikawa. He is a highly acclaimed chef in the Kyoto culinary world and has been recognized as a "modern master." The restaurant gained further attention when it was featured on a TV program called "Professional Work Style" in June 2022. The term "Itamae Kappo" comes from the words "cut" and "cook," emphasizing the skilled knife work and cooking techniques involved in Japanese cuisine. The first owner of "Gion Hamasaku" was known for his knife skills, and Mr. Morikawa continues this tradition with his exceptional knife work that enhances the flavors of the ingredients. While the restaurant originally focused on à la carte dishes, it now mainly offers course menus, especially since Mr. Morikawa's health issues. The courses are meticulously prepared, starting with a flavorful bonito broth that sets the tone for the meal. Each dish may appear simple at first glance, but the taste is truly exceptional, elevating familiar dishes to a whole new level of deliciousness. The precision and balance in the cutting techniques and seasoning are evident in every dish, showcasing the chef's mastery of fundamental cooking skills. Dining at "Gion Hamasaku" is not just about enjoying exquisite food but also about appreciating the craftsmanship and dedication that goes into each dish. Although the restaurant's prices are on the higher end, the experience of dining at "Gion Hamasaku" is well worth it for the quality of the food, the inspiration it provides, and the overall dining experience. It is a place where one's culinary knowledge and appreciation are truly put to the test, making it a valuable experience for food enthusiasts and those seeking to expand their understanding of Japanese cuisine.

I visited "Hamasaku Shin Honten", located in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City. The place is about a 7-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line "Karasuma Station". This is an original traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant founded in 1927. It is said that literary figures such as Kawabata Yasunari also frequented this place. As soon as I entered the restaurant, the cypress counter was magnificent and impressive. The dishes I had this time were as follows: - Kudzu-cut tofu with dashi broth - Sea urchin and cucumber with jellyfish and sesame dressing - Conger eel soup - Raw sea bream - Shrimp bread - Squid, sea urchin, and conger eel - Fig and sesame dressing - Lily root and scrambled eggs - Boiled silk pods and taro - Grilled eel with ginger and vinegar citrus sauce, cucumber vinegar dish - Boiled kudzu - Hidden specialty: chilled somen noodles with shredded omelet, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, and conger eel - Conger eel pressed sushi - White peach

The head chef seems to have a no photography policy. I visited after a 3-month break, looking forward to enjoying the Gion Festival. And as expected, the meal was absolutely delicious. 1. Just the aroma of the dashi makes your stomach growl. The scent of kombu and bonito fills the restaurant, getting you excited. 2. Plum, shiso, and sea urchin - a refreshing and elegant taste. 3. Ebi Pan Hamazaku's specialty dish. It seems they make it by pounding live shrimp. The crispy texture is wonderful. 4. Hamo soup with the best dashi. The shiny, fluffy hamo is fantastic, truly the best dish of the day! It's no exaggeration to say that Hamazaku is the king of hamo. 5. Tai sashimi from Akashi. It seems the sea bream is eating Pacific red shrimp. 6. Hamo drop with wasabi. It must be mixed with vinegar twice. It's said not to put it on top. 7. Cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, jellyfish, sesame - the sesame flavor added at the end is delicious. 8. Junsai - the crunchy junsai with a soft vinegar flavor is amazing. The dishware is said to be a fantastic gift from the Queen of Denmark. 9. Yanagawa - impressed by how the ingredients complement each other. Hamazaku's egg dishes are truly exquisite. 10. Shrimp fry - it seems they received delicious shrimp today. 11. Ayu salt-grilled ayu - they don't allow it to be rare. It must be cooked thoroughly. 12. Unagi - eel is also delicious. 13. Hamo pressed sushi - the final dish, the hamo has arrived! They used 11 hamo today. 14. Watermelon - the first watermelon of the season, with hamo. Absolutely delicious, completely satisfied.

The interior of the restaurant is decorated in the style of the Gion Festival, and it is already enveloped in the best aroma of dashi. When it comes to the Gion Festival, it's all about conger eel... I had the opportunity to witness the skilled boning of the conger eel right in front of me, and then I enjoyed it in a bowl with broth. The perfect balance of fat, firm texture, and juicy sweetness of the conger eel left me in awe of Chef Hamasaku's skills! The yuba and kuzu tofu with sea urchin topping had an exquisite balance of sweetness and saltiness. The abalone, thoroughly rid of any unpleasant odors, had a chewy texture. The freshly grilled dashimaki tamago was a perfect way to end the course. I truly enjoyed every dish. Thank you for the feast.

I visited a long-established restaurant in Kyoto with a history of over 100 years. With the help of an acquaintance in Kyoto, I rushed to the newly relocated restaurant. The entrance, approach, counter, and interior fixtures are all new and modern, decorating the space with a beautiful Japanese atmosphere. The owner, who is said to be the best eel chef in Japan, is also training there. The jade green of the emerald tofu, the purple of the glassware, the beautiful dishes and presentation left me in awe. However, the sight of the owner scolding his apprentice in front of customers was a bit off-putting. With an average customer spending of around 100,000 yen, they should keep us captivated until the end.

"Udon is the main dish" instagramhttps://instagram.com/alwaysudon/Udon is the main dish TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@alwaysudonI came here because Shun's Okada-kun said, "I've been working as an apprentice at this restaurant for a while." It seems to be the original founder of a traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant established in 1927, now run by the third generation. I am looking forward to what kind of dishes will be served. Since Okada-kun is helping out, I think it will be quite good. For details about the history of this restaurant, please refer to other reviews (laughs). For me, what's important is that Okada-kun is working here. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this restaurant, please say hi to him. The menu for the day included: - Appetizer: Yuba and Rikyu-fu with shrimp, firefly squid, and light beans - Soup: Clam soup - Sashimi: Sea bream from Akashi - Bamboo shoot and squid with wood sorrel dressing - Tempura: Saury stuffed with squid ink and deep-fried with rice crackers - Bamboo shoot simmered in soy sauce: Simmered using a large amount of laurel crown, then roasted to infuse the flavors - Tempura: Whole leaf flounder - Ark shell with vinegar miso - Main dish: Rice, grilled fish, rolled omelette with dashi - Dessert: Jelly with Japanese citrus fruit It's a job well done! The chef doesn't just serve the ingredients as they are, he always adds his touch, changes the form, and gives the dishes a refined taste. Indeed, the original founder of traditional Japanese cuisine. The aura exuded by the seasoned craftsman-like head chef was impressive, giving the impression that he would surely create delicious dishes at a glance. The wood sorrel miso was amazing. The bamboo shoot cooked with a shochu called "Laurel Crown" was also incredibly delicious. The way he uses flavors to enhance the ingredients is amazing! I was delighted when the rolled omelette, a Kyoto specialty, was served as a side dish for the rice at the end. Rolled omelette and rice cooked in a kiln go well together! As for my impression after finishing the meal, I was a bit worried that being in a historic Kyoto restaurant might give off an atmosphere of excluding outsiders, but it wasn't that intense. It was more like, "I wonder if the head chef is just shy?" (laughs). On this day, probably about half of the customers were first-timers. The head chef never made eye contact with us, and seemed to be chatting with regular customers who were sitting nearby from start to finish. I think the best thing about traditional Japanese cuisine restaurants is the interaction between the counter and the customers while watching the chef prepare the dishes right in front of you. Conversations like, "It's about time for the season of ○○ to be delicious," or "Where are you from, sir?" are nice, but unfortunately, there was none of that. For some reason, they only had "Laurel Crown" sake, which was quite expensive and didn't go well with the dishes at all. It was a junmai daiginjo sake, but it was too sweet and had too much richness, ruining the dishes. Sake shouldn't interfere with the flavors of the dishes. I was surprised that there are still places that serve "Laurel Crown" at traditional Japanese restaurants. I heard that they serve conger eel in the summer, so I would like to come back if I can make a reservation. It's better for the head chef to stop "proudly" scolding his apprentice at the counter. It makes the food taste bad, and no one thinks, "The head chef is wonderful," when they see that.Official Bloghttps://alwaysudon.com/

The dishes were truly wonderful! This time it was bamboo shoots. I have never tasted bamboo shoots this tender before. The clams, which I love, were also exquisite. I will definitely continue to visit. The rumored tamagoyaki was also amazing. The deep-fried flounder was a memorable dish as well. 1. Bonito broth tasting 2. Yuba, sea urchin 3. Young sweetfish, sudachi citrus 4. Kii Peninsula clams, Kyoto bamboo shoots, wakame seaweed soup 5. Red snapper sashimi 6. Spear squid, bamboo shoots, wood sorrel miso salad 7. Kyoto bamboo shoots, butterbur, simmered dish 8. Deep-fried flounder 9. Ark shell, white fish, vinegared dish 10. Rice, red miso soup, Tuna from Himi, pickles, rolled omelette 11. Dekopon citrus dessert

I liked it and visited again. It is said to be the origin of turnip steaming. The turnip steaming was exquisite. I want to go back again with the change of seasons. 1. Karasumi, nanohana, kuwai 2. Namasu, kazunoko 3. Turnip steaming 4. Tai from Akashi 5. Uniko, namako 6. Ebiimo, duck, miso 7. Sawara 8. Yuba, guji 9. Tai meshi, miso soup, pickles, chilli men 10. Strawberry, apple

I visited a Japanese restaurant called "Hamasaku Shin Honten" in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. The restaurant was established in 1928, and the current owner is the third generation. According to their website, the first owner was the first to introduce the concept of a traditional Japanese chef's cuisine. The restaurant used to have two Michelin stars, but the owner requested to be removed from the Michelin Guide, and they are currently not listed. When I visited, they were also holding a cooking class, and the atmosphere was lively and welcoming, with older ladies chatting and enjoying themselves. The official website of the restaurant has a nostalgic feel to it, resembling old Japanese literature. It gives you a glimpse of what traditional Japanese restaurants used to be like. These old-style restaurants were not just places to eat, but also places for entertainment. They had a different dynamic between the customers and the restaurant staff. It's important to understand this before visiting such a restaurant. These traditional Japanese restaurants are slowly disappearing, so it's worth experiencing them while you still can. I visited during the season of sweetfish and matsutake mushrooms, as you can see in the photos.

I came to the restaurant looking forward to it, and I was impressed by the amazing deliciousness that exceeded my expectations. Of course, it depends on the season, but the pike conger eel (hamo) was exquisite. I had the most delicious pike conger eel in my life. The chef's stories were also enjoyable. The tableware and tools were also wonderful and enjoyable. This is a must-visit restaurant.