Shoraian — Restaurant in Kyoto

It just a Curd to me how much I love Tofu.... you know this review is going to be good if I start it off with a pun! Seriously though, one of the best dining experiences ever.

I've always had an affinity to tofu, I love it. So for me, it was no big deal to drop $$ for a grand tofu meal. For others who are not like me, I still think and believe you would enjoy this. It's an experience and the tofu dishes are out of this world. IF you're not a tofu fan, this place could convert you. Maybe I'm hyping this too much now.... nah this place is alright.. jk ;)

YOU NEED A RESERVATION. So call. Don't be afraid since they can understand/speak basic English (enough to understand you're making a reservation). The place itself is a little hidden. But as long as you have Google Maps, you'll be able to find it. I'm not the best with directions and I found it with ease.

The place itself doesn't seem to big. It's traditional style, so you're sitting on the floor and shoes off! The view was beautiful from the dining room. I loved the tranquility and ambience. Definitely set the mood for eating. Service was also amazing! The staff were always present and they made sure my tea was always hot :)

They have sets that you can choose from. I chose the most expensive one (Shofu) since that came with the most tofu dishes. The rationale behind this is that you're probably going to be here once so why not try the best. I HAVE NO REGRETS. It was totally worth it. You get so many different variety of Tofu plus a wagyu beef dish. They were all good but there were definitely standouts.

TOFU GRATIN: tofu & cheese? Yes please! It was creamy, silky, and cheesy. Perfection. TOFU EGG THINGY (special item): Not the actual name but they made tofu have the consistency of a whipped egg and it was soooooooo good. TOFU ICE CREAM: just as good as any ice cream but the fact that it was tofu made it interesting!

Also the wagyu beef dish deserves a shoutout because it was delicious. The best part of this meal is that you felt really full but not heavy. After eating everything, I felt so full but not gross. It was an amazing feeling. Each meal time can vary but we did take about ~2 hours since they serve each dish individually before moving on to the next. It was a wonderful way to spend 2 hours and I'm so glad that I got to experience it.

If you plan on being in Kyoto, then make the trip...

We came to eat for lunch after making a reservation but I messed up and put it on the wrong date I put it for the next day and at first I thought “damn we can’t go and we’ll have to miss it too” since we have to leave for Osaka the next day. The staff told us to wait a moment and after 2 mins she came out saying we can get you a table ready in 5 mins and we were shocked we thought we would have to leave but they were able to give us a table even though I messed up on the date.

The food was wonderful I never thought you can do so much with tofu and especially the way they prepared it was amazing and the flavors worked so well with everything and it felt so nice and relaxing we also got the more expensive option which came with a special plate for the months flavors and that was also so good. The best part was probably the tofu brown sugar ice cream with a cinnamon mochi I was amazed that tofu can be turned into ice cream and taste this good too it was great.

Overall such a lovely quiet experience with a view of the river nearby and we appreciate the staff so much for being able to help us still get a table after I messed up...

Most unique dining experience you can have in the whole of Japan. It is located in a park. Secluded on the slope of a mountain. Amongst trees in the forest. Overlooking the serene and beautiful Katsura River.

Access to this wonderful place can be a challenge, especially for older people. You can access from the town by walking on paved track along the river and climbing a steep slope of pebble stones with no handrail from the Katsura River.

Or you can walk through the famous Bamboo Forest and the Forest Park to climb down the hill on steep steps of pebble stones with no handrails.

But is well worth the challenge.

Dining room is totally traditional. Seating is on traditional tatami floor with low traditional Japanese table, surrounded by caligraphy, probably drawn by the owner and chef.

The traditional dishes of a variety of tofu are incredibly delightful. Unique. And obviously made with pride in the traditional art of Japanese cooking.

The service is second to none. The lady serves us the traditional seiza way. And she closes the sliding door with a traditional bow and gives us the traditional seiza send off...