FROM SOY SAUCE TO SILK
Akira Shiota – the general manager of Aman Kyoto – shares his tips on under-theradar gems to visit for a different appreciation of the city.
HOUSE OF HOSOO
“While the handiwork of many Japanese artisans are featured within Aman Kyoto, the workshops of most are not open to the public. One that I can suggest is the Hosoo fl agship,” shares Shiota. The Kyoto-based textile company founded in 1688 specialises in richly textured Nishijin fabric, which takes its name from a district in Kyoto, and continues the tradition through applying the weaving technique developed over 1,200 years ago to the creation of modern patterns. House of Hosoo’s fabrics have been used in Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, and Graff boutiques worldwide. Guests of Aman Kyoto can also appreciate its beauty in the understated cushion covers in the rooms and living pavilion. www.hosoo-kyoto.com
MASTSUNO SHOYU
If you love the nuanced fl avours of the soy sauce and miso sampled at the restaurant of Aman Kyoto, Shiota will be happy to point you the way to Matsuno Shoyu. The heritage producer, located just a short stroll away from the resort, has been practising the traditional handmade method of making Japanese soy sauce for more than 200 years. The family-run business continues to apply stringent standards on all aspects of the making of shoyu and other fermented soy products, from the sourcing of raw materials to the Japanese cedar and bamboo casks that the soy sauce ages in. The result: beautifully complex products packed with lots of umami and a lingering fragrance. www.matsunoshouyu.co.jp/
KOUETSUJI TEMPLE
One simply cannot go to Kyoto and not visit a shrine or temple. But if jostling with the bus-loads of tourists at Unesco sites such as the Ginkaku-ji and Kinkaku-ji is not your idea of fun, head towards Kouetsuji Temple, located at one end of the street where Matsuno Shoyu sits. Recommends for its relative obscurity and ethereal beauty, it is originally the residence of 17th century artist Hon-ami Koetsu – an influential calligrapher, ceramic artist and tea ceremony master. It became a temple in 1656. The gardens are lush with moss, maple and azaelea, making the grounds a treat to wander in. Koetsu’s passion for tea is also evident, and seven teahouses call the estate home. 29 Takagamine Koetsucho, Kita Ward,Kyoto