Kyoto has entered the Gion Matsuri season. Even in its usual bustling state, Kyoto feels different during this time of year! So, I visited Tokuha Motonari to enjoy sweetfish in July.Today, I came for lunch. It’s delightful to be able to enjoy a meal in Kyoto for around JPY 20,000. As usual, I arrived about 10 minutes early, and coincidentally, the owner was just coming out. While greeting her, she suggested, "We’ve started offering pairings! I hope you’ll give it a try!" How could I resist that? (laughs)I was guided inside and greeted Matsumoto-san. It always makes me happy to come here! Today, I got to enjoy Matsumoto-san's work right at my table.Now, let’s take a look at today’s menu...△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼☆ Drinks① Dishes☆ Sansho Tea☆ Mimuro Sugi Sparkling Rairai① Kamo Eggplant, Hokkaido Purple Sea Urchin, Tomato, Fushimi Chili Pepper, with Yuzu and Sudachi Jelly→ The Mimuro Sugi sparkling wine has a dry and crisp finish. The owner mentioned, "I saved this for you until you arrived!" which was a nice touch. It was fresh and lively. The sea urchin eggplant was delicious! Last year, it was grilled over an irori (hearth), but this year it’s served cold. The balance of acidity and umami is superb.☆ Shida Sushida Dry Junmai② Horse Mackerel Sushi→ This was my first time trying Sushida. The sushi rice for the horse mackerel was just the right sweetness, making it a great match with the dry and crisp Shida! The melting fat of the horse mackerel combined with the flavor of the wood buds was wonderful. There was a great harmony.☆ Joyo Trial Brewing 2025 Type-Kimoto③ Abalone from Yamaguchi Prefecture, served with liver→ Enjoying the abalone, which has been simmered for a long time until tender, with its liver is pure bliss! The light acidity of the Kimoto-style Joyo pairs perfectly.④ Wakame Soup with Black Kurose Seaweed and Scad from Hiroshima→ The Kurose seaweed has no unpleasant odor, allowing for a delicate soup to shine! The texture is delightful! Matsumoto-san’s beautiful broth is just to my liking! The pairing is a refreshing summer ginjo that has a fizzy, soda-like quality. It’s a fun contrast!☆ Bunkajin Summer Ginjo Unfiltered⑤ Sashimi, Freshly Caught Hamachi→ Today’s hamachi was freshly delivered directly from Akashi. I was surprised to learn that they send it directly for both lunch and dinner services! It was caught just an hour before service, resulting in an incredible texture and rich flavor.☆ Azores Wine Company Verdelho 0 Original 2023⑥ Grilled Sea Eel from Awaji Island→ Summer in Kyoto means enjoying sea eel! Matsumoto-san carefully grilled it for about 15 seconds before serving. The accompanying plum sauce is a perfect match. After enjoying two pieces, I also had some grilled for 30 seconds longer, which cooked the flesh more thoroughly and enhanced the richness of the fat. The pairing is a native Verdelho from the Azores, which has a fresh taste with a nice saltiness and aroma. It’s delicious and pairs excellently with the eel.☆ Mittelheimer Edelman Rheingau Koshu Trocken 2023☆ Chateau de la Liquiere Faugeres Cistus 2023⑦ Grilled Sweetfish from Shiga Prefecture with Green Beans in Sesame Sauce→ Summer’s delight, sweetfish! Matsumoto-san grilled it perfectly over the irori. The skin was crispy while the inside was fluffy—just perfect! The pairing includes two types of wine. The slight bitterness of the head and liver pairs well with the Rheingau Koshu, while the purity of the flesh matches nicely with a blend of Languedoc Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. What a delightful suggestion!The sesame sauce with the green beans was truly wonderful.☆ 800 Soba (Yao Soba), Rice, Soba Koji (from Niigata Prefecture), and Kasutori Shochu as ingredients⑧ Sesame Tofu, served with broth→ For a palate cleanser, I enjoyed sesame tofu made by Matsumoto-san’s apprentice. It had a smooth texture without being too rich. The pairing was craft sake. The fragrant soba and the sweetness reminiscent of brandy were delightful, leading to a lively conversation with the owner.☆ Champagne Piollot Cuvee Les Protelles Rose 2019⑨ Grilled Eel with Sauce, Winter Melon, and Yuzu Pepper Jelly→ And then there’s eel! Eel is a must-have in summer. It’s not just rich from the fat; the refreshing quality from the vinegar and yuzu pepper jelly is impressive. The volume of the Pinot Noir rosé champagne pairs perfectly with the eel. Oh, this is bliss!☆ Domaine Theulot Juillot Mercurey Les Chenaults 2023⑩ Simmered Large Clams (200g size) from Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, with Taro Stems in White Miso→ The simmered dish features a giant clam from Kuwana. The melting texture and flavor of the clam wrapped in slightly sweet white miso is delicious.☆ Aramasa Sake Brewery 2026 Special Distribution Meeting Wonderful World of Sake Rice III Viridian - Velvet Mist→ The owner asked, "This is the complete pairing, but would you like to drink something else?" I inquired if there was any Aramasa available, and to my surprise, various Aramasa options came out! This time, I couldn’t resist the Velvet Mist, which is a must for Viridian lovers! I was grateful to have it at the start. Matsumoto-san complimented me, saying, "Choosing that is impressive!" (laughs) It has a sweet and sour taste reminiscent of lactic acid, and it’s smoother compared to the regular version. This is quite nice!⑪ Rice Set・Square Rice・Grilled Hatahata Fish・Pickles・Miso Soup→ The Hatahata fish was delicious!⑫ Sea Eel Chazuke with Plum Paste→ A refreshing palate cleanser.⑬ Yomogi Mochi with Chilled Zenzai & Japanese Black Tea△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼△▼It was a great meal! Wow! I was thoroughly satisfied with the dishes and drinks. The summer ingredients made my heart dance. And the pairings suggested by the owner were spot on! I was very pleased with the combination of sake and wine that Matsumoto-san and the owner crafted together. By the way, the pairing cost around JPY 15,000. Including the dishes, it came to about JPY 40,000. What a wonderful experience! If you want to spend a happy time, this is a must-visit!As always, I stayed until the end to chat with Matsumoto-san and the owner. I cherish this time! I’m looking forward to my next visit, which will be around autumn.It was a great meal!