An Authentic Encounter with the Tea Ceremony and Chakaiseki in Ebisu, Tokyo

A Traditional-Style Japanese Restaurant Where Kyoto Charm and the Tea Ceremony Come Together

Kyo Shizuku is a reservation-only Japanese restaurant located near Yebisu Garden Place. Through a combination of seasonal ingredients, carefully curated setting, carefully selected utensils, and ingredients sourced directly from Kyoto, Kyo Shizuku brings the enduring traditions and aesthetic sensibilities of Kyoto cuisine to Tokyo.

Head Chef Kiyomitsu Katayama was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture and moved to Tokyo to master the culinary arts. He trained at a three-Michelin-star Japanese restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, where he honed both his spirit and his technique, learning how to bring out the full flavor of every ingredient. In 2023, he succeeded the founder of Kyo Shizuku to become the restaurant’s head chef, where he continues to devote himself to the art of Japanese cuisine.

At the same time, he also practices the Japanese tea ceremony and calligraphy, and serves as a board member of the Omotesenke tea school affiliate Suikoan, which helps promote tea culture. Learning from a culinary master as experienced in both Japanese tea and cuisine as chef Katayama offers a rare opportunity to explore the deep connection between Japan’s two great cultural traditions.

The Story of the Seasons Woven into Every Dish

Chado, the Way of Tea, is a comprehensive art that embodies Japan’s spiritual culture. During this ceremony, guests are made to feel welcomed through attention to the smallest details: the seasons, the setting, the utensils, even gestures. There are many kinds of tea gatherings but among them the chaji formal tea ceremony is the most refined. It’s an intimate occasion where a small number of guests enjoy kaiseki cuisine followed by strong and thin tea. “Chakaiseki” refers to the meal presented at the start of the ceremony, which is meant to fortify the body and spirit and enhance the flavor of the tea.

The origins of chakaiseki lie in the shojin ryori cuisine once eaten by Zen Buddhist monks. Modest and free of any extravagance, their simple meal of one soup and three dishes was created to help guests appreciate the flavor of tea. This tradition quietly embodies the spirit of wabi, a distinctly Japanese sense of beauty that values simplicity and calm restraint. At Kyo Shizuku, this philosophy is honored through a skillful utilization of modern ingredients and techniques to present the cuisine in a more approachable way without compromising its essence. Chef Katayama believes that to be the purest form of hospitality.

The meal features Kyoto-sourced ingredients made into nine to ten dishes highlighting fresh vegetables and fish. The kaiseki begins with rice porridge to warm the body, followed by sakizuke, a clear soup, then sashimi, a grilled course, and a hassun serving of seasonal delicacies. Each dish carries within it a story of the season expressed through the choice of utensils, the presentation, flower arrangement, and even an accompanying haiku poem. The more one understands these stories, the deeper the dishes’ flavors become. Experiencing Japan’s culture and the changing seasons with every bite is the true allure of chakaiseki.

Delight in Handmade Confections and Matcha Served in a Hagi Ware Bowl

After body and mind have been relaxed and aligned through the chakaiseki meal, guests are served thin matcha along with seasonal sweets. While participants enjoy the delicate sweetness of seasonal confections, freshly whisked thin matcha prepared by Chef Katayama is presented. Aromatic, light, and smooth, the tea is an epicurean delight. Be sure to pay close attention to the precise movements with which the tea bowl and sweets are offered, as they embody the living spirit of the Way of Tea and are an essential element of Japanese hospitality.

Thin tea is served in Hagi ware tea bowls, an art form with over 400 years of history. Characterized by the warmth of their clay and a coarse texture, their color and patina change pleasantly the more you use them. These utensils are carefully selected by Mr. Katayama, a native of Yamaguchi Prefecture, the birthplace of Hagi ware. At Kyo Shizuku, you’ll savor the multifaceted charms of Japan through the country’s cuisine, sweets, and tea using vessels that are commissioned seasonally from local artisans.

A Hands-on Tea Whisking Experience

As the guests delight in the lingering aftertaste of tea and traditional confections, they are handed a bamboo whisk and prepare for the ultimate luxury: making their own matcha bowl. You’ll choose a Hagi ware utensil from the shop’s lineup, selecting one whose color and texture most appeal to you, add matcha powder, pour in hot water, and whisk it all until smooth. With the gentle aroma of matcha filling the air, you should start to feel your mind becoming calmer.

The thin tea you whisk yourself may not end up perfect, but that’ll only make it more endearing. Notice the difference between it and the tea prepared by Mr. Katayama. Even with the same matcha, the taste and appearance can subtly change depending on the movements and care of the person preparing it. It’s quite amazing. One of the mysteries of the tea ceremony is how the preparer’s state of mind is reflected in the bowl. As you experience Japan’s world of hospitality through the Way of Tea, the time spent working with your own hands will remain one of the most memorable parts of your time at Kyo Shizuku.

Enjoying a Tea Gathering with All Five Senses

Your journey at Kyo Shizuku begins with chakaiseki followed by seasonal sweets, and finally preparing your own bowl. This Wabunka-exclusive plan engages all five senses while offering a firsthand experience with the courtesy and consideration long valued by Japanese culture, as well as a sensibility shaped by the seasons. What Mr. Katayama wishes to convey the most is not technique or form but rather the essence of hospitality that connects the host and guests. When that moment happens, it becomes a memory of a lifetime.