2,783 characters ★Omakase Sakura (JPY 15,730, tax included) Duration: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutesI traveled from Tokyo to Kyoto Prefecture.The chef, Wataru Hayashi, originally from Niigata Prefecture, has been honing his skills for over 50 years and has been running this establishment for more than 30 years in Demachiyanagi (Rating: 4.24). I found a reservation on the online booking site Ikkyu.com and decided to visit.During lunch, there are eight options ranging from a limited-time lunch course at JPY 7,260 to a dinner course at JPY 36,300. I chose the most popular "Omakase Sakura (JPY 15,730)" available for both lunch and dinner. Photography is prohibited at the counter.To get straight to the point, I was deeply impressed by the legendary chef's skill in preparing the bone-cutting of the conger eel (hamo). Given that this is a "JPY 15,730 course" in Kyoto, a major tourist destination, there are some concerns regarding cost-performance, but the conger eel served in the soup and the Narutomaki-style fried conger eel were rated around 4.0, showcasing the restaurant's excellence in the Tabelog Awards. It seems that the higher-priced courses also feature sweetfish, which, alongside conger eel, is a symbol of summer in Kyoto, piquing my interest.Upon entering, I removed my shoes and stepped up a small incline. The first floor has a sunken kotatsu-style counter with five seats (there are three private rooms on the second floor). On the table, there were a towel, napkin, chopsticks, chopstick rest, a small sake cup, and cold barley tea.At the counter, you can enjoy the chef's knife skills live. The chef, the proprietress, and male and female apprentices manage the restaurant. The restroom is spacious and features a TOTO Neorest.As I did not receive explanations for the dishes, my notes may contain inaccuracies. Below is a summary of what I ate, with a total bill of JPY 17,182.Chilled Sake (Original Hayashi-sen) Tokkuri- Omakase Sakura (JPY 15,730)01. Appetizer (Plum Wine) | Junzai and Okra in Vinegar02. Hassun03. Conger Eel Soup04. Assorted Sashimi (4 types)05. Warm Dish of Braised Kamo Eggplant with Sesame Sauce and Sansho06. Grilled Sea Bream Collar with Daidokuji Natto-filled Yubeshi Cube and Hajikami07. Kohada Chumaki Sushi with Shiitake Nanban-zuke and Vinegared Lotus Root08. Tempura (Narutomaki-style Fried Conger Eel, Shrimp Crackers, Perilla, Dashi Salt)09. Kuzusomen with Poached Quail Egg, Shiitake, and Mizuna10. Octopus and Green Onion Nuta11. Meal11-1. Pickles (Cucumber, Nagaimo, Kombu with Bonito Flakes)11-2. Hot Hojicha11-3. Cold Rice with Myoga and Perilla12. Pear Compote Ice13. Soy Milk Dessert with Daidokuji Natto14. MatchaHere are my brief reviews of the dishes, with scores in brackets and prices including tax:【3.2】Junzai and Okra in VinegarThe dish is presented with leaves and shaved ice for a refreshing touch. I mixed the junzai with a jelly-like dashi vinegar, but it was quite sour, giving a more classical than modern taste impression.【3.7】Hassun1. Grilled Squid Yolk2. Hachiman Roll3. Octopus Jelly4. Bekkou Ginger5. Simmered Konnyaku6. Fried Honmoroko7. Vinegared Blue Fish Wrapped in Gold Leaf8. KatsuWhile many dishes are somewhat plain, they offer a profound and comforting deliciousness. Young chefs often rely on extravagant ingredients for their hassun, but a veteran chef's hassun showcases skill. The composition felt reminiscent of the history of Japanese cuisine and was quite good.【4.0】Conger Eel SoupThe chef skillfully cut the bones and prepared the dish in the back kitchen. The soup was simply garnished with a ring of yuzu, but both the dashi and the conger eel were incredibly flavorful and delicious.Earlier in the month, I had a similar soup with junzai in Tokyo, but I was reminded of the chef's excellent bone-cutting skills as I encountered small bones. The soup was simply conger eel, but perhaps adding matsutake or junzai was unnecessary.【3.7】Assorted Sashimi (4 types)1. Sea Bream | Sea Bream Skin with Hot Water2. Conger Eel3. Bonito4. SquidServed on crushed ice with fresh yuba, real wasabi, nagaimo, soy sauce, and plum paste. I was a bit disappointed to see the bonito taken from a styrofoam pack, but the chef's careful knife work transformed the squid into a delightful texture, and the sea bream was rated around 3.9 for its skin (the flesh and skin were separated).【3.5】Warm Dish of Braised Kamo Eggplant with Sesame Sauce and SanshoIn contrast to the Dutch-style braised eggplant (which had a bit of oil), this dish had a delicate flavor. I personally prefer the Dutch-style braised eggplant.【3.7】Grilled Sea Bream Collar with Daidokuji Natto-filled Yubeshi Cube and HajikamiAs I noted when I had it as sashimi, the sea bream is of high quality. Being the collar, it doesn't dry out when grilled.【3.6】Kohada Chumaki Sushi with Shiitake Nanban-zuke and Vinegared Lotus RootThis sushi had more rice than the kohada served at Edomae sushi restaurants, and while I think the balance is better at Edomae, the lightly vinegared kohada was quite tasty.【4.0】Tempura (Narutomaki-style Fried Conger Eel, Shrimp Crackers, Perilla, Dashi Salt)The Narutomaki-style fried conger eel was made using the tail, resulting in a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture bursting with flavor. While the sashimi version felt like a lesser version of the soup, the conger eel in both the soup and tempura was rated around 4.0 and was excellent.I initially thought the shrimp crackers were made from fish skin, but they were actually made from whole shrimp, transformed into something entirely different through skill. The chewy texture was quite interesting.【3.6】Kuzusomen with Poached Quail Egg, Shiitake, and MizunaThe kuzuko, made with potato starch, is dried once before use. It has a unique crunchy texture that differs from typical somen.【3.4】Octopus and Green Onion NutaThe mustard miso sauce was quite sour and did not match my taste.【3.6】Meal1. Pickles (Cucumber, Nagaimo, Kombu with Bonito Flakes)2. Hot Hojicha3. Cold Rice with Myoga and PerillaGiven that this is a JPY 15,730 course in Kyoto, it is understandable that there were no animal proteins, making it quite simple. Earlier in the month, I visited Taizuki in Omotesando (Rating: 4.16), where the JPY 12,705 lunch course included fried horse mackerel as a side dish. Kyoto, being Japan's largest tourist destination, does not offer the same cost-performance as Omotesando. Nevertheless, the pickles and cold rice were delicious, albeit simple.【3.5】Pear Compote IceI initially thought it was apple or peach, but it turned out to be pear. I made excuses that it becomes less recognizable when made into compote.【3.5】Soy Milk Dessert with Daidokuji NattoThis sweet soy milk dessert is filled with Daidokuji natto and has a firm, jelly-like texture. Originally, the recipe called for sweet yuba (the top layer of boiled soy milk), but due to its unavailability, they are currently using soy milk as a substitute. It feels as if there is red bean paste inside, but it is actually the sweetness of the soy milk that creates that illusion.