Michelin-Starred Kyoto Restaurant Tenjaku: Delight in a Private Tempura Kaiseki Course

A Beloved Neighborhood Fixture of Fine Dining in the Silk District

Kyoto’s Nishijin district is the birthplace and namesake of Nishijin-ori, the Japanese gold standard model for top grade silk. Tenjaku restaurant has been a neighborhood fixture here since its founding in 1963, popular with the area’s merchants and many others. As its former proprietor and chef aged out of the business, it was forced to briefly close its doors from 2017 until 2021, when that proprietor’s grandson chef Ryo Nishioka took up the mantle as the restaurant’s second generation head, revitalizing and reopening it.

The restaurant stands at the ready on Kyoto’s Senbon Street in the Nishijin district

The restaurant’s spacious seating centers on the same magnificent single-piece countertop of 1,300 year old Japanese cypress used by the previous generation, emanating cozy repose like only genuine wood can. Your dining party will have this elegant dining room all to itself for an easygoing meal, served with Nishioka’s amicable and generous hospitality.

The countertop is a glorious centerpiece of the room, made of a positively monumental single board of solid cypress

A Second Generation Master Chef Following in His Grandfather’s Footsteps

Nishioka remembers his grandfather as a man who put smiles on people’s faces with his cooking, and it was admiration for his work that drew Nishioka himself to the kitchen. After graduating from university, he apprenticed directly under his grandfather and trained at top class Kyoto restaurants Kodaiji Wakuden and Otagi. At the age of 30, he took over the helm of Tenjaku, after his grandfather had been forced by age to shutter the long-beloved restaurant, and restored it to its former glory. Although he had big shoes to fill, Nishioka’s exceptional cuisine and service proved a match. After a few short years (and no small number of rave reviews), the restaurant was back to being the veritable institution it had always been.

Nishioka made the decision to carry on the Tenjaku legacy when he was only 3 years old, and has been hard at work rising to the challenge since

The Birthplace of Nishijin-ori, a Thousand Year Old Silk Textile Tradition

When you first arrive, bask in the splendor of the traditional restaurant interior while soaking up Nishioka’s verbal overview of the history and culture of the historic Nishijin silk district.

Tenjaku’s entrance design highlights the warmth of wood

Nishijin-ori is a traditional silk weaving method that uses dyed thread, meticulous handiwork and exquisite technique to produce sumptuous and intricate patterns. With a history stretching back over ten centuries, Nishijin textiles also feature as key decorations in the parade floats and sacred mikoshi palanquins of Yasaka Shrine’s famed Gion Festival in Kyoto, one of if not the single largest and most renowned traditional festival in all of Japan.

Nishijin-ori coasters made by the previous head of the restaurant, set out as hospitality accents during the experience

The restaurant’s interior is brimming with traditional Japanese craftsmanship and adorned with uniquely local Nishijin touches, from its tableware to its kimono-fabric noren shop curtains to its wood and bamboo ajiro wickerwork ceiling – the last of which imparts more than just visual ambience to the restaurant, with the occasional subtle natural shifting and crackling sounds it emits.

Wickerwork ceiling made with a traditional Japanese weaving technique known as ajiro

Delight in a Private Dinner of Succulent Tempura Fried Right Before Your Eyes, alongside Fluffy Fresh-Steamed White Rice

We eat with our eyes first: Tenjaku’s tempura course is as much a visual feast as it is a gustatory one, beginning with a traditional hassun appetizer course featuring 8 distinct micro-dishes representing seafood, mountain fare, soup, sashimi, tempura, pickled vegetables, a hot dish, white rice, and a dessert. All of the ingredients are carefully curated by Nishioka, who makes the rounds to his producers all over Japan in person.

Thoughtfully curated dishes for every season

For the most part, Nishioka continues to use his grandfather’s classic tableware, some of it adorned with seasonal scenes by the same artists who design Nishijin-ori silk patterns. These alone are worth the visit, along with his collection of top tier traditional Japanese knives and other cookware. Learn all about the tools and techniques of fine Japanese cuisine, and watch the master chef’s technique as he grates exquisite fresh Shizuoka Prefecture wasabi – a revelation all its own.

Professional wasabi grating technique as demonstrated in the experience

After the luxurious spread, it’s time for the signature Tenjaku main course: tempura. Nishioka thoughtfully curates a scrumptious menu of the finest seasonal ingredients, and as a Wabunka exclusive perk, you can make your choice of your preferred ingredients to have prepared fresh as tempura right before your eyes – giving you the chef’s experience of carefully examining each before making your selection.

The chef displays your tempura ingredients to you, with explanations on where they were sourced and how they will be prepared

Nishioka will cook at the pace you eat, so that each new piece of tempura is fresh and ready when you are. Tenjaku uses a stone-ground flour batter for an airy and crispy outer crust that highlights rather than crowds the natural flavors in each ingredient.

The Tenjaku tofu tempura is thought to perhaps be the origin of agedashi-dofu, a Japanese home-cooking staple

Tenjaku’s signature dish since the previous generation has been its tofu tempura. This dish is Kyoto to the core, fried and then dunked in warm dashi soup stock that adds flavor and a soft, melty mouthfeel. After the tempura course is complete, round out your meal with earthenware pot white rice, miso soup, and pickles – the traditional Japanese trifecta. As an optional add-on, enjoy a paired tasting of 90ml half-servings of five types of sake (totaling 2.5 servings, or 450ml) hand-selected by Nishioka to complement his dishes (additional fees apply).

A Chance to Relax with Matcha Tea and Traditional Sweets Prepared by the Chef

After the meal, delight in the chef’s authentic matcha tea and traditional Japanese sweets. Nishioka has always believed that a truly top tier Japanese chef must understand the broader cultural context inside and out, and as such has been a devotee of tea ceremony since his school days. His deep knowledge of and familiarity with these traditions handed down from ancient times are sure to enrich your drinking experience. “I think Japanese cuisine is the culmination and embodiment of Japanese culture,” says Nishioka. “And I strive to make Tenjaku a place where not only locals but also visitors from abroad can immerse themselves in its joy.”

Nishioka’s fresh-brewed tea is delicious and comforting

Take home a commemorative silk drawstring bag made by long standing Nishijin textile house Watabun as a souvenir of your experience. This beautiful item, not usually available in stores, is perfectly sized for ochoko sake cups or other small items.

Commemorative silk drawstring bags made from tie scraps

A unique opportunity to take in Japanese craftsmanship of all kinds, from architecture to handicrafts to traditional cuisine, and delight in conversation with a Japanese master chef. Make unforgettable memories of your time in Japan at a place that distills and embodies the singular spirit of Kyoto.