Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Ryokan Inn Breakfast at Miyamasou 美山荘, Kyoto JAPAN

Rice, Pickles, Grilled Mackerel, Miso Soup, Ume Tea
Vegetable Nimono (Simmered dish) with red carrot!
Breakfast at Miyamasou actually looks simple and casual, not the luxurious ones that you would think of from most Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). The meal is humble, primarily based on freshly picked local resources and Japanese mountain cuisine. Overall, breakfast is light and comfortable. Ingredients are simple, but prepared in a fine manner. It makes you cherish every single piece of vegetable.



As you can see, Miyamasou is located deep in the northern mountain of Kyoto Prefecture, about 1.5 hour driving from the city of Kyoto. Due to its location, food primarily came from the nearby mountainous area based on seasons. This includes wild boar, river fish such as ayu (sweetfish), wild grown vegetables, herbs, and mushroom.

river nearby
For most ryokan breakfast, it is mandatory to stay at the inn the night before your breakfast.

Dining House
After a nice stay in their Ryokan, you come to the dining house's counter-seat room for breakfast. (if you want, you can choose the traditional floor dining too)

BREAKFAST 

What they first serve you is actually a hot cup of ume (plum) tea. It is served with a customized wooden stick for stirring. It follows with a side dish consisted of mushroom, Komatsuna greens, and ground sesame seeds.

plum tea and side dish
The nice thing about counter seating is that you can see how they prepare your food such as scooping tofu from the large pot, cutting and cooking mackerel fish on Japanese charcoal konro grill. (Check out video at HERE)

Chef grilling mackerel (pot of tofu behind it)
Tofu is homemade in a large pot (photo above). What you get is a scoop of tofu with a bit of savory broth. The tofu is smooth and light. You can eat it plain or add as much scallions or ginger as you want. I love it with scallions!

Tofu
When mackerel is ready, it is served with grated daikon in a small plate, along with rice, pickles, and hot miso soup with daikon. Mackerel has a smokey and salty aroma from the grilling. Eating with the moist, refreshing grated daikon, the dish feels more complete and balanced!

Rice, Pickles, Grilled Mackerel, Miso Soup, Ume Tea

More vegetable dishes are served, which features local red carrot, lotus roots, konjac, and shiitake mushroom. They are called "Nimono," which is a simmered savory dish based on soy sauce with a little bit of sweetness.

Carrot, lotus roots, konjac, gobou, snow pea, and shiitake mushroom
Aburaage (thin deep-fried tofu) & Hakusai (Napa cabbage)

CONCLUSION

Miyamasou's breakfast is pure and delicious. It is a balanced meal with rice, fish, and lots of vegetable variety. Overall, flavor is light other than the smokey mackerel. As a breakfast meal, I like light Japanese breakfast like this. Comparing to heavy American breakfast with bacon, pancakes, syrup.... I prefer vegetable-oriented meal to start off the day.

RYOKAN EXPERIENCE & DINNER?

For Ryokan experience at Miyamasou, learn more at HERE.
For the 2-Michelin star dinner, make sure to read review at HERE.


Miyamasou 美山荘


 

Phone: +81 75-746-0231

Website:
http://miyamasou.jp/html/index.html

2 comments:

  1. Amazing the variety you get only for breakfast when visit Japan! express coupons 30 off 75

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like Japanese cuisine, especially traditional food. I also like the new Japanese makeup. I often buy cosmetics from Japan at The Venus Handbook , yeh I think it's great for you guys.

    ReplyDelete