Expressing the flavors of the four seasons
honestly, without affectation
A dead-end alley with no cars and few passersby.
An inuyarai (low fence), a red lantern with "tsunagi dango" (linked dumplings) written on it, a lattice door, and a noren (curtain) with a flowing shop name.
While retaining the charming atmosphere of Gion, Kyoto, a glance upwards reveals
the towering Ebisu Garden Place Tower on the other side,
creating a wondrous sense of a "warp" at "Kyo Shizuku."
The restaurant opened in 2009. Kiyomitsu Katayama, who trained at "Ginza Kojyu" and then further honed his skills at Kyo Shizuku from 2017, took over from the previous owner and became the proprietor in 2023.
The aspirations of a chef who trained at a top restaurant in Ginza
Kiyomitsu Katayama's hometown is Kumage District, Yamaguchi Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea near Hiroshima.
"I was quiet and wasn't in any sports clubs, but since it was the countryside, I naturally played with nature and played sandlot baseball with friends. I enjoyed helping my mother cook dinner, and I remember thinking as a child that cooking was fun.
When I was in high school, the owner of the cafe where I worked part-time had experience working in Tokyo, and as I listened to his stories, I started wanting to go to Tokyo myself. At that time, it was more about wanting to run a restaurant than aiming to become a chef."
His first job was at a high-end izakaya in Shinagawa. After working in the kitchen for about three years, he began to feel that he wanted to thoroughly master traditional Japanese cuisine techniques. In 2013, he knocked on the door of "Ginza Kojyu," which was then a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
"I worked there for about four years. Those were intense and fulfilling days.
All of the more than ten chefs were dedicated to their work with the same goal: to provide the best food and service. More than just the technical learning, I was most impressed by that attitude.
Also, there was a time when the owner, Mr. Toru Okuda, asked me, 'What are your thoughts on your way of life?' Young and naive as I was, I replied with the nuance of, 'It doesn't matter what others think of me; I'll do as I please.' However, he told me, 'What others think of you is important.'
Now I understand that he was absolutely right. As chefs, our work depends on our customers, and for them to have a pleasant time and leave satisfied, such selfishness would not work."
It was around that time that he started learning the tea ceremony. On his days off, he would go to the Omotesenke "Suikouan" in Higashi Azabu for lessons, and during the week, he practiced repeatedly on his bed, his private space in the company dormitory. He also became interested in making Japanese sweets and went to classes to learn. At the time, he never imagined that these pursuits would eventually become unique features of his own restaurant.
A Raku ware flat teabowl (summer teabowl) by Michitoshi Nakamura, the second generation of "Yagoto Gama" in Aichi Prefecture. It was a gift from a customer and is usually carefully stored. The matcha is from "Sankyuen Chaten" in Osaka.
"Shizuku" (drops) brimming with the spirit of hospitality
The next place he chose to work was "Kyo Shizuku," his current restaurant. It's a Kyoto kaiseki restaurant opened in 2009 by Keiichi Okada, who trained in Kyoto. Although its address is Mita, Meguro-ku, it's located on the border with Ebisu, and access is convenient via the Skywalk (moving walkway) from Ebisu Station to Ebisu Garden Place.
Katayama-san worked here from 2017 and took over the restaurant, becoming the owner in 2023.
"The name of the restaurant comes from the idea of combining various elements like ingredients, seasonings, and broth by the chef's hands, allowing customers to savor the essence that drips down. I inherited that sentiment along with the name."
He manages most of the seven-seat counter made of a single plank of plain wood and one private room almost by himself.
The utensils displayed on the shelves are mainly Hagi ware from his hometown of Yamaguchi. He also introduces the artists and offers sales if desired.
The menu consists of two types of monthly omakase kaiseki courses for both lunch and dinner.
While many chefs build their dishes around ingredients, Katayama-san surprisingly doesn't. His approach is more like picturing a calendar of seasonal events.
"I value traditional Japanese food culture, a sense of the seasons, and the flavors the body craves, such as 'that dish for this season' or 'this kind of seasoning,' and I build the menu from there. Of course, it ultimately involves using seasonal ingredients."
For example, to coincide with "Nagoshi no Harae" on June 30, he adorns the dishes with a chi-no-wa (a ring of miscanthus grass) bearing the amulet "Somin Shorai Shison Nari." The choice of tableware and the presentation are also crucial elements of the taste.
The calligraphy on the amulet is Katayama-san's own handwriting. In addition to the tea ceremony, which he has been practicing for 10 years, he has also been learning calligraphy at the same tea room for 7 years.
It's particularly thoughtful that he deliberately doesn't write out the menu, but instead effectively incorporates calligraphy as a performance for each dish in the course.
"The reason I started calligraphy was thinking it would be nice to be able to read the calligraphy on hanging scrolls.
Originally, my handwriting was poor. I'll never forget when I was in elementary school, I spent a lot of time and effort on a kanji drill homework, but the character '岸' (kishi, shore) was marked with an X. It was because I had written '干' (kan, dry) instead of '千' (sen, thousand), but at the time I didn't understand why, and I came to dislike writing.
Now, I'm happy when I can read cursive script at museums, and I think it also helps a little with my aesthetic sense of balance for plating and arrangement."
A spring poem by Saigyo in Katayama-san's own hand: "Oshinabete hana no sakari ni narinikeri yama no ha goto ni kakaru shirakumo" (Flowers are now in full bloom everywhere, white clouds hang over every mountain ridge). It is changed seasonally and displayed in the restroom.
While various alcoholic beverages are available, there is a rich selection of premium Japanese sake, including Nabeshima, Juyondai, and Kokuryu.
The climax of the course is handmade Japanese sweets, followed by usucha (thin tea) prepared right in front of the counter. The "shizuku" (drops) that are drunk are truly the condensed flavor of Katayama-san's spirit of hospitality.
Tea kaiseki and Japanese confectionery classes, popular for home cooking
The main customer base is older, mostly in their 60s and 70s, with a gender ratio of about 60% female to 40% male. Many come as couples, women's groups, or for business entertainment.
Cooking classes are also held several times a month, with most participants being women of various ages.
For example, in July, the class might cover "ayu ichiyaboshi" (dried ayu fish), "chicken and winter melon stew," and "grilled fig," with "kan kouri" (a type of candied ice) as the Japanese sweet. These tea kaiseki dishes and Japanese sweets, which can be made at home, are demonstrated. Afterwards, several more dishes are added to create a meal, served with usucha prepared by Katayama-san. Participants not only learn recipes but also plating techniques and food culture, and enjoy the meal, making these classes highly popular.
"While the classes help attract customers to the regular restaurant operations, more importantly, teaching cooking requires me to organize my knowledge, skills, and articulate them precisely, which in turn helps me in my own learning."
Part 2-----
We will showcase dishes that simply highlight high-quality ingredients such as horse mackerel, conger eel, early summer vegetables, and duck, along with his specialty Japanese sweets.
