Higashiyama Tsukasa, a Japanese restaurant located just a 3-5 minute walk from Higashiyama Station, is a renowned establishment with a warm and friendly atmosphere created by its cheerful owner. It has been recognized as one of the top 100 Japanese restaurants in the West for 2023 and 2025, and has also been awarded the Tabelog Bronze from 2024 to 2026.Unlike many Japanese restaurants in Kyoto, it offers online reservations, making it relatively easy to book a table for future dates. The restaurant features a spacious counter with 9 seats, and the beautiful, clean counter adds to the overall charm.Here’s the menu we enjoyed:-----------------------------◾️Jun Sai We started the course with a seasonal Jun Sai paired with soda, called Jun Cider. The playful name aside, the refreshing carbonation and the smooth texture of the Jun Sai complemented each other perfectly, providing a delightful way to cool down.◾️Sweet Shrimp A summer-inspired cold dish featuring sweet shrimp topped with a jelly-like broth and shiso leaves. The rich sweetness of the shrimp combined with the gentle umami of the broth was simply irresistible!◾️Ayugai This dish featured ayu (sweetfish) served over vinegared rice porridge, garnished with aori nori seaweed and cucumber. The unique bitterness of the ayu paired beautifully with the mild acidity of the rice, enhanced by the refreshing aroma of the seaweed.◾️Amasaba A rich and creamy soup featuring high-quality ama saba (sweetfish) paired with green asparagus. The sharp aroma of wasabi provided a nice accent, highlighting the sweetness of the fish.◾️Isaki Grilled isaki (grunt fish) served with cucumber and lemon koji. The crispy skin and the firm texture of the fish, bursting with seafood flavor, made for an exceptional dish.◾️Kensaki Ika An innovative dish featuring kensaki ika (swordtip squid) topped with a generous amount of soy milk and white miso sauce, along with fresh lotus root. The creamy sauce balanced perfectly with the squid's sweetness and the crunchy texture of the lotus root.◾️Unagi A dish resembling Peking duck, featuring unagi (eel) wrapped in rice paper with sesame oil and sweet bean sauce. The rich, sweet-spicy flavor of the sauce harmonized beautifully with the eel's tender texture and crispy skin.◾️Kajiya Beef The main dish featured Kajiya beef from Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture. Cooked to perfection with a crispy exterior and juicy interior, it was served with a sauce made from grilled eggplant, black garlic paste, and coffee oil, maximizing the beef's flavor!◾️Kamo Eggplant A noodle dish featuring large, impressive kamo eggplant. The refreshing aroma of sesame and sansho pepper complemented the melt-in-your-mouth eggplant, making it a standout.◾️Tenmusu Hot clay pot rice shaped into onigiri with corn tempura. The combination of the crunchy corn tempura's sweetness and the fluffy onigiri was simply delightful.◾️Tamago Kake Gohan The second closing dish was tamago kake gohan (rice with raw egg) served with XO sauce. The simple dish transformed into a luxurious experience with the addition of the spicy XO sauce.◾️Mapo Curry The final dish was a stimulating mapo curry. The fragrant blend of mala and curry spices was perfectly balanced, making it easy to eat bowl after bowl of rice.◾️Dessert The course concluded with a dessert featuring grilled warabi mochi, milk ice cream, kinako (roasted soybean flour), and cardamom, allowing us to enjoy a variety of flavors.-----------------------------At Higashiyama Tsukasa, you can savor unique dishes that blend various culinary influences with a foundation in Japanese cuisine. I highly recommend visiting!Thank you for the wonderful meal!*Instagram Gourmet Account https://www.instagram.com/shunsuke.naka/ (Over 10,000 followers!)*Gourmet Blog https://syn-gourmet.com*Comprehensive Links https://lit.link/syngourmet
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