Three summery bottles for your BACK BAR

CHEF FRANCK’S KYOTO

Franck Garanger, Oceania Cruises’ Corporate Executive Chef, shares his top picks for where and what to eat when disembarking in Japan’s food capital

Samurai castles, Buddhist temples, geisha districts and timeless food traditions put Kyoto in the epicentre of Japanese culture. Surrounded by sacred mountains in what was the Imperial capital city, sleek skyscrapers meet ancient palaces. Yet it’s Kyoto’s love for refined, delicate flavours that stands out whenever I visit. And, with 30 Oceania Cruises routes docking overnight in the nearby Kobe Harbour, there’s always ample time to explore local cuisine.

Begin a culinary adventure with kaiseki – a traditional, multicourse dinner – at the triple Michelin-starred Kyoto Kitcho. The seasonal ‘Chef’s Course’ menu sees elaborate dishes expertly prepared in private dining rooms. The sashimi is unparalleled.

Nearby, you’ll find 400-year-old Nishiki Market, known locally as ‘Kyoto’s kitchen’, where 100-odd stalls packed into a narrow passageway sell everything from fresh seafood to Kobe beef. Be sure to try tako tamago (grilled octopus skewers) along the way.

Although teppanyaki and yakiniku meat dishes are popular, it’s Shojin ryori – Buddhist vegetarian cuisine – that has become one of Kyoto’s greatest specialities. Tofu lovers should head to Arashiyama, a district in the north-western outskirts where tofu is boiled with seaweed stock in yudofu, twice-fried with seasonal vegetables or served in carefully assembled yuba hot pots. My biggest vegetarian crush in Kyoto has to be Shigetsu, a restaurant inside the Tenryu-ji Temple. The Michelin Guide deems its bean takiawase ‘exquisite’, and I couldn’t agree more.

Before you leave, pay a visit to the historic Ichiriki ochaya for a ritual tea ceremony in the heart of Gion Kobu, the city’s geisha central. One last note: if you’re tempted to invest in a Japanese knife, look for an authentic Misuno – for me, they’re the best. Bookings for Oceania Cruises’ 10-day Toyko to Tokyo cruise, which takes in Kyoto, Nagasaki and Shimizu, are open for spring 2023 sailings. To book, visit oceaniacruises.com