Seasonal Plant-Based Brunch & Private Guided Tour of Kita-Kamakura's Zen Temple

Savor Nature’s Bounty at Brunch by a Plant-Based Chef

The talented Yuko Noda is at the helm of Kimie, a plant-based restaurant in Kita-Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. For Ms. Noda, Kimie, named after her grandmother, isn't just a restaurant, but also an atelier, as she makes use of Kita-Kamakura's seasonal plants — vegetables and herbs alike — to create creative and artistic dishes. 
Ms. Noda credits her grandmother as her inspiration to become a chef, recalling delicious home-cooked meals made with love. Clearly, she inherited her grandmother's devotion to cooking, as her innovative plant-based dishes are brimming with passion.

You can learn a thing or two about harmony with nature from Ms. Yuko Noda, plant-based chef and owner of Kimie

“I used to work as a chef at a French restaurant, but after some changes in my personal life, I started thinking about creating meals based on my own ideas," says Ms. Noda. Out of her desire to cater to small groups and interact with each guest individually, instead of impersonally serving meals to large groups, Kimie was born.

Located near Jochiji Temple, Kimie has an ambiance that will make you feel as if you've wandered into a whimsical fairy tale. Surrounded by trees, the restaurant and atelier gives off a warm, nostalgic, and welcoming vibe. Brunch specially prepared by Ms. Noda at Kimie provides the perfect opportunity for a momentary break from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Sit down to a plant-based brunch at Kimie’s verdant private garden

On rainy days, enjoy a meal by candlelight indoors

An Encounter with Nature that Starts with a Welcome Drink

Once you arrive at Kimie, you'll be served a welcome drink made with seasonal fruits and herbs. The welcome drink varies depending on the day's temperature and weather: expect something refreshing on a hot day, and something to warm you up on a cold day. Take a seat, relax, and enjoy!

Our welcome drink was made with plum puree and a sprinkling of fennel

Ms. Noda prepares and arranges the food at an open kitchen that can be seen from the dining area. You can see how your brunch is arranged to perfection as you learn about the day's ingredients.

From the look on Ms. Noda's face, one can easily see the love and joy she feels for food and cooking

Kimie sources its fresh vegetables and herbs straight from farmers in Kamakura. Instead of coming up with recipes first then purchasing the ingredients, Ms. Noda first obtains the herbs and vegetables, then thinks of what dishes to make out of them. As such, what food and drinks guests will be having on the day are surprises worth looking forward to. Your curiosity will surely be piqued by the chance to try plants that you don't usually encounter.

Fine, fresh Kamakura vegetables to energize you

Special Plant-Based Dishes Made with French Cooking Techniques

After the welcome drink, you'll be seated at the garden with Ms. Noda so that the meal can begin. Surrounded by lush greenery, you'll enjoy a plant-based brunch and an original, homemade wild-grass tea blend. Using French cooking techniques to prepare sauces that match the vegetables, Ms. Noda puts to good use her background as a chef for a French restaurant.

Ms. Noda attentively arranging each dish

The plate we had for the day consisted of hatcho miso crumble — seasonal vegetables surrounding dark-red miso arranged to look like soil — and onigiri rice balls made with 70% polished rice. The onigiri was just as delicious even after it had cooled down, and the vegetables were fresh and brightly colored.

Among the vegetables for the day, there might be some that you've never seen before, so take the opportunity to ask Ms. Noda questions while savoring your meal.

A creative and flavorful plant-based dish filled with vegetables and herbs

The wild-grass tea made with Ms. Noda's original blend is meant to complement the meal. Our blend for the day consisted of myoga (Japanese ginger) sprouts, birch twigs, and lemon verbena — all from Ms. Noda's garden. 

When blended, herbs and wild grass not only have a wonderful taste, but also, their combined health benefits are activated, revitalizing the body. The dishes and tea blends vary depending on the season, so on the day of your experience, have fun finding out what plants were used for your meal and gaining more insight into them.

Kimie's homemade wild-grass tea blend is a balance of flavors based on the season's harvest

A Conversation that Unfolds Through the Course of Your Meal

Hear the birds chirping, smell the scent of fresh grass, and feel the ground against your feet. As you take in the food and the nature around you with your senses, your body and mind will be healed. 

Brunch is also an opportunity to indulge in a conversation with Ms. Noda. Feel free to talk to her about the French cooking techniques that she mastered, or anything plant-related: rare vegetables and herbs, and so on. Who knows what sort of direction your conversation will lead to?

A conversation with Ms. Noda will surely broaden your knowledge of plants

After your meal, you can enjoy an optional add-on (additional charges apply): an original dessert, plus wild-grass tea to complement it. Relax and take your time as you indulge in this extra treat.

Our dessert was a subtly sweet kingyokukan — a jelly made of boiled beans — with perilla sauce

A Post-Meal Stroll Around Kita-Kamakura with a Private Guide

After brunch, it's time for a tour with a private guide, who will take you to a Zen temple near Kimie. We will visit one of the Zen temples that are representative of Kita-Kamakura.

Just one station after the more popular Kamakura, which sees a lot of tourists, Kita-Kamakura is much quieter than its better-known counterpart. This historically significant area is home to several Zen temples, such as Jochiji, Engakuji and Kenchoji. They are part of the Kamakura Gozan, a ranking system that was developed during the Kamakura Period to recognize the area's five greatest Zen temples. 

The private tour lasts for about 45 minutes. Have fun immersing yourself in Kita-Kamakura's history and natural beauty on your stroll around the temple!

One of Kita-Kamakura's prominent Zen temple nearby Kimie; Jochiji Temple

The greenery around Kimie is relaxing to stroll around.

Delightful Plant-based Dishes and Temple Walks for Every Season 

“I'd like for guests to mentally unwind when they come here, and then just try their best again tomorrow," says Ms. Noda. Indeed, a visit to Kimie provides a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with unique dishes; it's an experience that can relieve you of life's stresses and troubles. Why not slow down and take a break from today's fast-paced urban life, and spend some meaningful time in Kita-Kamakura's nature?

Just one visit will have you wanting to come back another season to experience Kimie