Explore Washoku at a Venerable Dashi Store in Kyoto – Make Onigiri and Miso Soup With Dashi

Learn the Basics of Japanese Cuisine at a Historic Dashi Store in Kyoto

Since its UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation, Japanese cuisine has gained increasing attention both at home and abroad. At the heart of Japanese cuisine lies dashi, a soup stock made from ingredients like kombu, bonito flakes, and dried sardines, serving as the base for dishes such as miso soup and udon. In this experience, you’ll explore dashi, an indispensable element of the Japanese dining experience, at Uneno Main Store in Kyoto.

Uneno Main Store is a 15-minute walk from Toji Temple, a World Heritage Site

Founded in 1903, Uneno is a dashi dried goods store spanning four generations. Initially in Shiga Prefecture selling rice and dried goods, the second-generation owner expanded operations to Kyoto, focusing on dashi products, particularly bonito flakes. Known for its historical significance, Uneno has supplied "mike," offerings to gods, to many temples and shrines, including Yasaka Shrine and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

Workshop space at Uneno Main Store

Dashi, an Essential Part of Japanese Food Culture

This experience begins with a classroom lesson on dashi basics. Dashi is a soup stock made by boiling kombu, a type of seaweed, and shaved bonito flakes, which are smoked fish flakes grated with a special tool. Interestingly, different regions use different types of kombu for dashi. For example, the fragrant Rishiri kombu is popular in Kyoto and the Kansai region, while the sweet Rausu kombu is commonly used in Tokyo and the Kanto region.

Rishiri kombu, favored in the Kansai region for its elegant flavor

Various fish such as bonito, tuna, mackerel, round herring, and sardines are used for shavings, each imparting unique tastes and aromas. Chefs can discern these differences and select the most suitable ingredients for their dishes.

Add dried bonito flakes to a soup made from boiled kombu to make dashi stock

"Dashi is essential in Japanese cuisine. Uneno aims to make dashi that perfectly complements your dish without overshadowing its flavors," explains Motofusa Uneno, Uneno's representative. If you have any questions during the experience, your instructor will provide detailed explanations, so please feel free to ask anything you need clarification on.

Explore Dashi's Charm with a Factory Tour and Tasting

After the classroom session on dashi, you’ll visit the factory at Uneno Main Store. Through glass, you can observe the actual manufacturing of bonito flakes, using a traditional bonito shaving machine passed down through generations. Skilled craftsmen make fine adjustments to shave each piece according to the unique shape of the smoked fish. The factory's spiral staircase is another highlight—it was constructed using traditional Japanese building techniques, without nails, featuring intricate wood joinery. Enjoy the opportunity to observe this fascinating building technique while touring the factory.

Using an old-fashioned electric bonito flake shaving machine

After the factory tour, you'll compare the taste of dashi made with freshly shaved bonito flakes. First, you'll sample dashi made from only boiled Rishiri kombu. Its comforting flavor spreads in your mouth, delicious on its own. Then, you'll taste awase dashi, where bonito flakes are added for a more intense and flavorful taste.

Boil kombu alone to make ichiban dashi (first dashi) with a clear, golden hue

Make Dashi With Bonito Flakes Shaved by You

After comparing the dashi, it's time to cook with it. Begin by shaving the bonito flakes using a shaving tool. Hold the smoked bonito with its head facing you and shave from the tail. Listen for the "shari, shari" sound, indicating proper shaving.

Shave the bonito flakes as demonstrated by the instructor

After the shaving lesson, you'll learn to prepare dashi. Start by heating the kombu in water at around 60°C to 70°C. Once the kombu is removed from the pot, add the dried bonito flakes, using about 1% of the water's weight in flakes. Simmer gently for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the flakes sink, then strain them out with a kitchen towel or colander to finish the dashi.

Strain the dashi to remove the bonito flakes. The appetizing aroma of dashi fills the room

Deepen Your Knowledge of Japanese Food Culture Through Dashi

To wrap up the tour, you'll make miso soup using your homemade dashi. Learn to prepare salted onigiri (rice balls) and onigiri flavored with bonito flakes and soy sauce. The rice comes from Uneno's own organic farm. Enjoy the essence of Japanese cuisine with the miso soup and wholesome rice balls made from healthy ingredients.

Includes 3 Kyoto side dishes. Take the chopsticks home as a souvenir

The more you learn about dashi, the more fascinating it becomes. While dashi is synonymous with Japanese cuisine, Uneno suggests a surprising twist: "Try using dashi instead of water for boiling pasta or making stew. It complements Western dishes surprisingly well. Practice what you've learned at home," encourages Uneno. Why not explore dashi, which underpins Japanese food culture, through an experience that goes beyond simply enjoying Japanese cuisine?