Japan Travel: Kyoto Tofu

For Travel Tuesday in Japan this time, I want to take a break from the sightseeing and let’s talk about some Kyoto food! As I mentioned, Kyoto served as the capital for Japan for about 1000 years, so has a culinary lineage that includes royalty and imperial court, as well as the base for literally thousands of temples and shrines in the area. Famous kinds of foodie goals to seek out while in Kyoto include

  • Kaiseki, elaborate haute multi-course traditional Japanese dinners
  • Shojin Ryori, Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cuisine
  • Tofu
  • Sake

I have already shared with you how I enjoyed a kaiseki dinner and breakfast when I stayed at a ryokan by Mount Fuji. You can see a great breakdown of what are the kinds of foods you would see in a kaiseki here at Japan Guide and Japan Talk.

And I showed you a Zen vegetarian shojin ryori lunch at Shigetsu restaurant at Tenryu-ji Temple at Arashiyama.

But, did you also know that the waters in Kyoto are reknown for how clear and pure its waters are, and some byproducts of utilizing that perfect water are Tofu and Sake? In fact, Tofu is considered a local specialty in Kyoto, might be considered the best in Japan, and is popular enough to be Tofu Ryori (“tofu cuisine”).

Tofu is everywhere – and it’s really tasty. I discovered I’m in love with yuba (tofu skin). In fact the common availability of Kyoto tofu is one of the reasons F found Kyoto to be his favorite destination of all the places we visited in Japan during our 2 week trip. If you are vegetarian, even vegan, you are going to get along well in Kyoto.

Yudofu

During our visits to Kyoto temples and shrines, we stopped at a restaurant just below stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall’s 3 streams for a late breakfast and fueling of Yudofu. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce (you can see the sauce container is placed in part of the yudofu wooden bath). Simple perfection.

It’s hard to describe what it could be comparable to –  the tofu is solid but soft, almost the texture of big dumplings in being solid yet soft, and absorbing the flavors in the bowl while offering its own clean freshness.
Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce Yudofu - we stopped at a restaurant just below the famous stage at Kiyomizudera by Otawa Waterfall's 3 streams. Yudofu is a hot soybean curd- it was a bargain for 2 people at 800 yen I thought. You carefully remove a piece from the hot water with light flavoring, and then in your own individual bowl add condiments like green onion or sauce

Tofu with Beer

We went to a craft beer bar called Beer Komachi that along with their local Kyoto and Japanese brews and a few imports also offered an izakaya food menu that included vegetarian friendly options including tofu options of Tofu Pizza (which F ordered twice during our visit it was so good). I was taken aback how how great Yuba soy milk skin goes with beer,  and it’s fresh creaminess was surprisingly reminiscent of burrata!
Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food highlighting Kyoto ingredients along with craft beers in Kyoto At Beer Komachi in Kyoto offering craft beer and craft food, Beer Komachi offers izakaya style food along with craft beers in Kyoto. The chef has a very small kitchen to work from of only a stove, deep fryer, oven, and toaster oven but puts out lots of options from the kitchen The Deep Fried Tofu Pizza at Beer Komachi, Kyoto, so good that Fred ordered a second one shortly after finishing the first order Kyoto's Yuba Soy Milk Skin - at Beer Komachi. I really liked this dish, and it goes really well with beer

Tofu Kaiseki at Tousuiro

There is one restaurant that specializes in Tofu Kaiseki in Kyoto called Tousuiro – it has two locations, and it turns out the one in Gion was essentially just a block away from our AirBnB. So I had F ask a colleague who can speak Japanese to call and make a reservation for us, ensuring that at least his dinner would really be completely vegetarian  – my version could include seafood. Here’s a look at our experience to Tousuiro

Outside of Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant Outside of Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant

We ordered local Kyoto sake to enjoy with our dinner.
Sake - first bottle we ordered at Tousuiro of a local sake Sake - second bottle we ordered at Tousuiro of a local sake

When we arrived, we removed our shoes and were seated at a chef’s bar that thankfully had sunken seating (Zashiki) so although we were on the floor I didn’t have to sit awkwardly in my dress and could stretch my legs in the sunken floor. Sitting at the bar meant we got to watch the chef prepare everything, though we didn’t really talk because I don’t think he spoke much English. Our only communications was to express with gestures how beautiful and delicious everything we had was.

Even looking back at these photos, I am a little teary eyed at how achingly exquisite this meal was. I didn’t want to be obnoxious with my camera so was trying to take them quickly and also eat at a good pace as I think we were among the last seating for the evening. But I hated destroying by eating the stunning art before me, even though I knew that was its purpose. Ha such mixed feelings…

First course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first courseTousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the first course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have vegetarian version of the first course

Second Course

Yudofu. We ate the same thing, but had different sauces to add to the tofu. The chef said we could get this refilled as many times as we wanted. We had him refill it once, but were afraid to do any more or we wouldn’t be able to eat the other courses though we didn’t know what was coming yet…
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. The Yudofu here is sublime and supreme Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. The Yudofu here is sublime and supreme

Third Course

Soup- my version that can include seafood, and his that is completely vegetarian. I think his was better.
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the soup course

Fourth Course

I had been tortured by the scent of the chargrilled tofu for a while, and was so stoked when it finally arrived. His version didn’t have the shrimp on the plate but was otherwise the same. It was sooo good, one of my top two favorite dishes of the night with the smoky sweetness from the grill and miso sauce that has carmelized.
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This chargrilled tofu skewer was one of my favorite of the night with its smoky sweetness, the vegetarian version doesn't have the shrimp on the plate obviously

Fifth Course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the fifth course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the fifth course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the fifth course Tousuiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the fifth course

Sixth Course

I always love how gorgeous and elegant the bowls are and then the surprise when you open it to reveal what’s inside! This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the sixth course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the sixth course

This is the vegetarian version
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the sixth course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the sixth course

Seventh Course

I was super jealous of his vegetarian course with the yuba.
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the 7th course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the vegetarian version of the 7th course

This is the “can have seafood” version I ate
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the 7th course Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the can have seafood version of the 7th course

Eighth Course

Dessert!
Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert Tousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessertTousiro, a Tofu Kaiseki restaurant. Tousuiro specializes in homemade tofu and offers a kaiseki dinner that can include seafood or can also be completely vegetarian. This is the 8th course, dessert

 

If you think you don’t like tofu – I would suggest that perhaps you haven’t really tried high quality, fresh tofu yet. The difference between the tofu that I made faces at when I first started dating F and was trying to figure out which plastic packaged in water kind to get at Whole Foods and how now I mainly get my fresh tofu at Bui Tofu (best tofu in Portland I think) is vast – sort of like the difference between frozen microwavable burgers and the best burgers in town like at Toro Bravo or Little Bird (my current faves). It’s like American cheese vs real aged cheeses.

There are many preparations of tofu out there – some almost disguise it such as in Chinese MaPo Tofu or Korean SoonDuBu Jjigae with so much spice. What I really love about the Japanese treatments you see here is that they keep it simple and let you really taste the tofu’s clean flavors that can be creamy like with yuba, smokey and sweet like with the grilled skewers, silky yet firm like in yudofo, or solid enough to be a vehicle for toppings with tofu pizza. You just have to find what fits you.

I would go to Kyoto again in a heartbeat, and definitely seek out tofu again. Did any of these dishes intrigue you, would you try any of them? Did you know tofu was such a specialty in Kyoto?

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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