Kyoto Support » Tag: vegan

Kyoto Support » Tag: vegan - Recent Posts http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/tags/vegan Sad to say, but this lovely old town requires some support. en-US Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:21:10 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/search.php rikonick on "Vegetarian/Vegan and Visiting Japan at New Year's" http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/topic/vegetarian-vegan-and-visiting-japan-at-new-years#post-109 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:40:37 +0000 rikonick 109@http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/ I found it amazingly easy to eat vegan food in Kyoto. First, most vegetarian food is vegan. There's not the stigma attached to veganism that you find in the West - because the frame of reference is shojin ryori, which is vegan. I checked out all the shojin and fucha places I know of - Ikkyu, Kanga-an, Shigetsu, Izusen - and none of them used dashi. But it's not really a vegetarian's best bet - I only know of one of them that's open later than 7pm. Some of them are memorable, but not really a way to sustain yourself in Kyoto. I also got vegan meals in traditional kaiseki places, as well as many other joints that carnivores don't realise serve veggie food. Chefs in Kyoto understand the term "shojin" and the best ones are enthusiastic to show what they can do. Harise is a traditional, very traditional, kaiseki place, but I had the best shojin ryori of my life there. What's more, the dishes all resembled my carnivorous companion's food, but made from entirely different ingredients. At Misogigawa on Pontocho I didn't even have to ask - they asked me straight off whether I was vegetarian or had any allergies. The chef there makes it his trademark to cook differently for each person. And the chef at Il Viale once trained as a vegetarian chef, so he can whip up a vego course without blinking. Same goes for Sasajima at Il Ghiottone, who uses the word "shojin" a lot. Tamaki, behind the Manga Museum, was obliging and produced a superb course lunch. On top of all that, I found around 15 proper vegetarian restaurants. In Tokyo, asking for a vegan version of a dish is like asking the chef to serve it with oven chips. In Kyoto you're spoiled for choice. ChrisLehrer on "Vegetarian/Vegan and Visiting Japan at New Year's" http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/topic/vegetarian-vegan-and-visiting-japan-at-new-years#post-76 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:43:26 +0000 ChrisLehrer 76@http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/ My wife has students who are pure vegetarians, though not vegans, and the general agreement is that Japan is a nightmare: everything you order that appears to be vegetarian turns out to have dashi in it. BIG thing to watch out for, you vegetarians: DO NOT EAT any prepared egg dishes except at western-style (yoshoku) family restaurants and such. It is usual to cook eggs with a little dashi here. That lovely roll of pure egg omelet? The egg itself has dashi in it: it's not rolled around fish, but is fish through and through. My own feeling, of course, is that bonito are plentiful and fast-breeding, so you can set aside all moral scruples when eating them in dashi, and that if Zen monks can eat something, so can you. But I recognize that this is not an entirely fair (or unbiased) sentiment. Me, I eat anything that doesn't run away fast enough. Most Japanese I know well are horrified at what I'll eat. Ants? Very good for you, with a pleasantly citrus-acid crunch. Deep Kyoto on "Vegetarian/Vegan and Visiting Japan at New Year's" http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/topic/vegetarian-vegan-and-visiting-japan-at-new-years#post-58 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:23:36 +0000 Deep Kyoto 58@http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/ This is too late for Ophelia I'm afraid, but perhaps future readers will find this list of vegetarian restaurants on my website useful: <a href="http://www.deepkyoto.com/?p=362" rel="nofollow">http://www.deepkyoto.com/?p=362</a> peko on "Restaurants with lots of Veggies in Central Kyoto" http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/topic/restaurants-with-lots-of-veggies-in-central-kyoto#post-10 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:39:39 +0000 peko 10@http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/ Restaurants with lots of Veggies in Central Kyoto While not 100% vegetarian, and certainly not vegan, you can still veg-out and eat well at these restaurants. Tawawa and Harvest are buffet oriented and Nishiri is a course format. Tawawa Restaurant Concept: Kyoyasai (Kyoto vegetables) Dining and Kyoyasai Buffet (lunch) and fresh fruit desserts. Not vegan but heaps of veggies! The kyoyasai buffet is incredible. Entries often come with meat or fish, but a meal can be had just from the buffet. Tawawa website (Japanese language): <a href="http://www.kyo-tawawa.co.jp/index.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.kyo-tawawa.co.jp/index.htm</a> Location: Shinpukan Shopping Center (新風館) is on the east side of Karasuma Street between Sanjo and Oike Streets. From the Karasuma Oike Subway Station, use exit #5. Shinpukan website (Japanese language): <a href="http://www.shin-puh-kan.com/access.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.shin-puh-kan.com/access.html</a> Harvest (ハーベスト) Another amazing buffet format restaurant in central Kyoto that offers lots of vegetables, all dishes offered are excellent! Concept: Lots of veggies, healthy, natural food, all you can eat! Harvest website (Japanese language): <a href="http://www.create-restaurants.co.jp/shop/00218-1.26.0.0.0.0.0.0.2" rel="nofollow">http://www.create-restaurants.co.jp/shop/00218-1.26.0.0.0.0.0.0.2</a> Location: Shijo-Kawaramachi intersection, 8F of Hankyu Department Store Nishiri Nishiri is one of Kyoto's largest tsukemono (Japanese pickles) companies with stores all over Japan. At Nishiri's Gion store there is a restaurant on the second floor that offers several excellent and novel course, at a reasonable price. Tsukemono Kaiseki A kaiseki meal of tsukemono! Very novel indeed! At less than 3,000 yen it is a deal. There are about 10 courses of Nishiri's tsukemono prepared in various ways. There is even daikon tsukemono tempura. The last course is a large selection of tsukemono and rice, second helpings of rice are available. Dessert is a tsukemono apple with sour yogurt. Tsukemono Sushi Tsukemono sushi is excellent and novel, but a rather light meal. (I have only had this once and I recall it being around 1,500 yen.) Tsukemono Chazuke Tsukemono on rice with hot tea poured over it. A light meal. Tsukemono Ice Cream and Sorbet Somewhat weird, a hardcore foodie would probably not want to miss it though. Nishiri website (Japanese language): <a href="http://www.nishiri.co.jp/" rel="nofollow">http://www.nishiri.co.jp/</a> Gion Location (useless webpage): <a href="http://www.nishiri.co.jp/mise/gion/gionbtm.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.nishiri.co.jp/mise/gion/gionbtm.html</a> Location: Nishiri Gion-ten is located on the south side of Shijo Street just west of Yasaka Shrine. This is about 5 minutes on foot from Shijo-Kawaramachi. peko on "Vegetarian/Vegan and Visiting Japan at New Year's" http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/topic/vegetarian-vegan-and-visiting-japan-at-new-years#post-9 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:19:44 +0000 peko 9@http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/ Hello Qphelia, Visiting Japan at New Year's, Oshogatsu (お正月) Generally I would NOT recommend visiting Japan during the New Year's celebration for several reasons - New Year's in Japan is family time, like Christmas in Western countries. - Few shops, stores, restaurants will be open from January 1-4. - Hotel and ryokan will be very difficult to book. Oshogatsu is a wonderful time in Japan, here is how you might be able to experience it: - Book an EXPENSIVE ryokan, probably 6-12 months in advance would be required. Some (wealthy) families book the same ryokan every year for decades. At an upscale ryokan you will be very well taken well care of with breakfast and dinner included. (In Kyoto plan on about $1000 per day for two people at a nice ryokan at New Year's.) - If you can stay with friends or family in Japan, you will surely have a great time. Vegetarian Food in Japan Vegetarian food in Japan is a rarity. Shojin ryori (精進料理), or 'temple food' is your best bet. In Kyoto there are a number of restaurants that offer shojin ryori, but many use fish based dashi (出汁), soup stock, so this won't work for vegans. Shojin ryori is fairly expensive and more restaurant are open from 11am to 4pm. So, dinner is not available. Shojin ryori article in Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cuisine" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_cuisine</a> Happy Cow's Vegetarian Guide for Kyoto <a href="http://www.happycow.net/asia/japan/kyoto/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.happycow.net/asia/japan/kyoto/index.html</a> Vegan Food in Japan Vegan Food is virtually impossible to get in restaurants in Japan. If you are vegan, and you really want to visit Japan, I think that you need to stay somewhere that has an attached kitchen so that you can cook your own food. In Kyoto, there is Cafe Proverbs [15:17] (formerly Dining Bar Peace and before that Cafe Peace) located in the Hyakuman-ben neighborhood of Demachiyanagi and Kyoto University. Dining Bar Peace - 100% Vegan in Kyoto (Our review of what is now Cafe Proverbs [15:17]) <a href="http://kyotofoodie.com/dining-bar-peace-100-vegan-in-kyoto/" rel="nofollow">http://kyotofoodie.com/dining-bar-peace-100-vegan-in-kyoto/</a> Cafe Proverbs [15:17] homepage <a href="http://www.proverbs1517.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.proverbs1517.com/</a> Qphelia on "Vegetarian/Vegan and Visiting Japan at New Year's" http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/topic/vegetarian-vegan-and-visiting-japan-at-new-years#post-7 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:51:09 +0000 Qphelia 7@http://openkyoto.com/kyoto-support/ I was hoping to go to Kyoto for my honeymoon this winter (December 29th-January, 2nd) but my fiance is a vegetarian. He can't have any kind of meat (fish included), or any oils, extracts or dashi. Do you have any recommendations for vegetarian restaurants in Kyoto that would be open during this time? I'm also wondering if there are any interesting New Year's celebrations we might be able to take part in. Thanks!