About an 18-minute walk from Kitano Hakubaicho Station on the Keifuku Electric Railroad Kitano Line, you will find the long-established restaurant "Daiichi," specializing in soft-shelled turtle cuisine, along Shimonaga-cho Street.As you pass through the gate, you enter a building that feels like time has stopped. It retains the same appearance since its founding, with even sword marks said to be made by samurai remaining at the entrance. The history of the restaurant speaks for itself without needing to be told.The only dish served here is the soft-shelled turtle Marunabe (round pot). While there is a drink menu, there is no food menu. Guests leave themselves in the hands of the restaurant and enjoy the course of the Marunabe that has been passed down through generations.First, you are served a small dish of simmered soft-shelled turtle meat.Then comes the main dish. Inside the clay pot is a rich broth made from soft-shelled turtle. Bite-sized pieces of meat with bones are added, simmering away. You enjoy it while it’s hot. The umami of the meat dissolves into the broth, and the flavor of the broth returns to the meat, creating a taste where the pot itself becomes one dish.Finally, there is soft-shelled turtle zosui (rice porridge). The essence of the pot is transferred to the rice, allowing you to finally take a moment to relax.This is accompanied by pickles and seasonal fruits. The total cost is JPY 26,000, including tax and service charge.At first glance, the price may not seem cheap. However, what you experience here is not just the food. The skill of preparing soft-shelled turtle is passed down through generations, and the Marunabe is cooked quickly over high heat using coke. The thick clay pot is a custom-made piece from Shigaraki. Over the years, there is a unique cooking method that allows the pot itself to absorb flavor.Preserving the old does not mean leaving it as it is. It involves maintaining the fire, using the pot, and actively preparing the same dish for guests today. This accumulation becomes the history of the restaurant.Eating the Marunabe at Daiichi is not just about eating soft-shelled turtle. It is about savoring a moment that remains in the town of Kyoto, slowly enjoyed from a hot pot.