Kyoto Dashi Experience – Discover the Depth of Washoku

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The Soul of Kyoto in a Single Sip: The Living Tradition of Dashi

In the historic neighborhood of Kamigamo, Kyoto—where ancient shrines and flowing streams shape the rhythm of life—stands Kyoryori Sakurai, a third-generation restaurant dedicated to the craft of Kyoto-style kaiseki. Behind its serene facade lies a culinary legacy that stretches back over a century, centered around one of Japanese cuisine’s most essential, yet often overlooked, elements: dashi, the umami-rich broth that forms the spiritual foundation of washoku.Passed down from grandfather to father to son, the Sakurai family’s reverence for dashi is more than tradition—it is a daily practice of precision, restraint, and deep respect for natural ingredients. Their broth is not mass-produced but made from hand-shaved katsuobushi (dried bonito) from Kagoshima and premium Rishiri kombu, selected and balanced by the chef himself. It is this dedication that transforms a clear liquid into an expression of place, season, and philosophy.

Discover the Language of Umami

At the heart of this immersive experience is a guided tasting of multiple dashi varieties, each brewed with a different ratio of kombu and katsuobushi—or different parts of each ingredient. Through this exploration, participants begin to “read” flavor the way one might read a poem: subtle, layered, emotional. A rich, round broth. A delicate, sharp one. A smoky depth. A soft ocean note.​Before tasting, guests watch an educational video—available in English and Japanese—that explores the science and history of dashi. They learn about the traditional tools, extraction timing, and the molecular dance of glutamates and inosinates that give dashi its signature depth.The result is not just a culinary activity, but a journey into the invisible structure of Japanese taste—an invitation to listen to what the broth is saying.

Taste. Learn. Reflect.

The experience continues with a seasonal kaiseki meal, where each dish has been thoughtfully prepared to complement and highlight the broths sampled. Set in a heritage townhouse—once used as a refuge by an imperial consort during the Hamaguri Gate Rebellion of 1864—the meal is not merely food, but a dialogue between tradition and taste.Guests sit on tatami floors, surrounded by wooden beams and gentle light, savoring Kyoto’s natural abundance with new awareness. Throughout the meal, chefs and staff provide commentary on the ingredients, the seasonal logic of the menu, and the ways dashi interplays with each bite.Before leaving, guests select their favorite broth and receive a take-home pack—a flavor memory, lovingly preserved.

Dashi as a Cultural Compass

In Japan, dashi is not simply an ingredient. It is an ethical and aesthetic principle: to draw out the best of what is already present, never to overwhelm. It teaches us to honor subtlety, to value restraint, and to approach food—and life—with humility and care.Through this experience, dashi becomes more than something tasted. It becomes something understood.