Kyoto Food Guide: Top Foods You Should Eat
Looking for some authentic Japanese cuisine in Kyoto? Look no further, we got you covered with our picks of the top foods in Kyoto you should definitely try out and eat when you visit the city.
If you are planning to travel to Kyoto, check this out! You'll get the ideas of how to make the most out of your Kyoto travel!
Two Days In Kyoto: A Super-Efficient Itinerary
Table of Contents
This Kyoto Food Guide contains various information on the different kinds of foods in Kyoto. As it is a long read, you can jump to the information you are most interested in from the links below.
- Obanzai
This is the most famous and well known dish in Kyoto. Almost everyone in the city knows this Japanese style dish because it is a local everyday life type of meal. - Yuba Sashimi
Another famous dish in Kyoto and comes from the processes of making tofu using soybeans. - Sake Kasu Ramen
A special ramen whose soup broth is made from sake lees - Kyoto Style Grilled Fish
Speciality of Kyoto which involves a unique method of marinating and cooking fish. - Shibazuke Fried Rice
Fried rice made with Shibazuke that is produced in Kyoto. - Yuba Cream Croquette
A croquette filled with a cream sauce made from yuba - Namafu Dengaku
Fresh gluten cake topped with Kyoto miso paste
Obanzai
Obanzai is a Kyoto style home cooking meal. It is usually serves with seasonal vegetables and small portions of fish. Almost all of the vegetables and ingredients are fresh from the areas around Kyoto. I'm sure my vegetarian readers will enjoy this dish to the fullest. The tastes varies depending on the cook but traditionally it is usually a simple taste native to the people of Kyoto and is considered very healthy.
Yuba Sashimi
Yuba means tofu skin or another term for that would be soybean sheet. When boiling soy milk, a layer or film is formed at the top which the Japanese call as being Yuba. Vegetarian lovers will surely love the texture and taste of this unique dish.
Sake Kasu Ramen
It's no surprise that Japan is the ramen capital of the world. While there are many types of ramen in Japan, in Kyoto the ramen to try out is sake kasu ramen. Sake Kasu is a special type of broth that is generally made from sake lees. Sake lees are what is used to ferment sake and is referred to as a pickling agent in the production of the sake drink. Sake lees are used and whipped up into making a soup broth that is unique and rich tasting. While in the name it has sake, sake kasu ramen is non-alcoholic.
Kyoto is also famous for its production of sake, so if you're looking to try out some of the unique sake brands in Kyoto then look no further than our Kyoto Sake Tasting Tour which our local tour guide will take you on a sake learning and tasting adventure. From the production of how sake is made at its breweries to the local shops that house various types of local sake in the city. Join our sake or Kyoto Night Foodie Tour to enjoy the best parts that Kyoto has to offer.
Kyoto Style Grilled Fish
Grilled fish marinated with miso paste in Kyoto style which is commonly referred to as Saikyoyaki.
Saikyoyaki
Saikyoyaki is a method of preparing fish in Kyoto in which white miso paste from the local areas of Kyoto, is used for marinating the fish and leaving it overnight so that it can absorb the delicious flavor. White miso paste from the Kyoto area is usually sweeter than other varieties found in other parts of Japan. Think of the process as being like marinating a turkey in pineapple juice overnight, the outcome is often a flavorful turkey that is soft and tender when cooked right.
Enjoy this flavorful dish unique to Kyoto with tasting the crispy fish skin and the soft yet tender mouth watering taste of its meat.
Shibazuke Fried Rice
Fried rice made with Kyoto produce Shibazuke(cucumber picked in plum brine). Said to have originated in Kyoto, Shibazuke is a traditional lacto ferment of eggplant, shiso, & ginger. Basically Shibazuke is a pickle that is usually red and is used commonly in many types of Japanese dishes as a side dish.
Yuba Cream Croquette
Deep fried croquette that is filled with Yuba. Yuba mentioned earlier here, is a layer that is formed when soybeans are heated. If you're looking to try this deep fried food, Magical Trip's local market food tour will take you to several places in Nishiki Market Kyoto in where you will explore and try different foods that are unique to Kyoto.
Namafu Dengaku
Namafu is fresh gluten cake. Dengaku is a style that is usually made with a grilled skewer topped with fresh Kyoto miso paste that are almost only sold in Kyoto.
Closing thoughts
And that concludes our top picks of local foods in Kyoto. Foods in Kyoto are generally healthy compared with other cities in Japan. One of the main reasons for this is because of the fresh produce that are grown and gathered from the surrounding areas of Kyoto. Which is why these are the foods that are really hard to come by if you're not in Kyoto. If you are traveling to Kyoto, do try out our top picks and have a blast getting to know the taste of Kyoto. If you are in Kyoto and need a general overview of the city while trying out food and saving time, then look no further than checking out our tours in Kyoto. Our local guides will show you Kyoto and help navigate you through the best parts of the city!