We arrived in Kyoto in the afternoon.
Look how beautiful the scenery of Kiyomizu Temple.
After waking around a few hours, we were already hungry for dinner. We had a reservation at Ikumatsu for their seasonal "Yuka" dinner, in which the dinner is served at their waterfront deck by Kamo River. They serve dinner also at this beautiful outdoor setting only from May to September.
The building of Ikumatsu is 200 years old and it's also a historical landmark. It used to be a residence of Kogoro Katsura and his mate, Ikumatsu. Kogoro Katsura (1833-1877) took a vital role in the Meiji restoration of imperial rule. This room, overlooking the waterfront deck and Kamo River was also a antechamber for the Choshu clan which Katsura belonged to.
After we took the table on the deck, we started traditional Kyoto-style kaiseki (会席, not 懐石）dinner has started. I was very excited to see our dinner course menu, filled with deliciously sounding dishes.
The dinner featured mainly seasonal ingredients, such as hamo (pike eel), ayu (sweetfish), and Kyoto vegetables. Every dish was so elegant and delicious. We also had their jizake (local sake).
Kyoto is such a magical place. We had a special time tonight.
