What better way to conclude a trip away, than heading to a bar with exquisite drinks. In Kyoto, we went in search of a place where even a woman travelling alone could relax comfortably, and arrived at a spot where a wonderful encounter with a bartender awaited. We would like to introduce you to Bar Tsukuyomi (Bar 月読).
In fact, Kanazawa boasts the highest number of oden restaurants per capita in all of Japan. There are numerous specialist eateries open year-round, with some having been in business for over half a century. Blessed with the bounties of both the sea and the mountains, and offering an abundance of local sake, "enjoying a drink over oden" is simply a part of everyday life in Kanazawa.
While the oden boom has only accelerated since the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the true depth of the city's oden culture is not something you can fully grasp after just one visit. Therefore, we have carefully selected four highly sought-after oden shops in Kanazawa that you simply must try, where locals and visitors mingle in perfect harmony. Weekdays are certainly easier for securing a table compared to the weekend, but visiting later in the evening (for your second stop or beyond) is actually a surprisingly well-kept secret!
京都・両足院に生まれ育った着物家・伊藤仁美さんの連載「和を装い、日々を纏う」。連載に伴う特別企画として、古来の自然観や価値観を受け継ぐ人々と仁美さんが対談し、日本の美の源泉を探ります。
今回は、日本における「神経美学」研究の第一人者、石津智大・関西大学教授と、「美と脳」をテーマに語り合っていただきました。
撮影協力：Shiseido Beauty Park
Ito Hitomi (伊藤仁美) works as a kimono specialist. Born and raised at Ryosokuin (両足院), a Zen temple in Kyoto, she is currently active in a wide range of fields, including giving lectures and appearing at events. Her work focuses on unravelling the value of Japanese aesthetics through the kimono and passing it on to future generations. In this series, she discusses her journey so far and the charm of the kimonos she wears daily.
Perhaps the wrapping paper is the true 'face' of a shop—a reflection of the Japanese practice where even a simple purchase is wrapped with meticulous care, treating the item with the dignity of a gift. While the paper itself carries no price tag, it is often designed by renowned artists or crafted by the shopkeepers themselves. In these sheets, which leave a sweet aftertaste long after the food is finished, I feel the shop’s unique worldview—a quiet, hidden passion that I would call their remarkable power of presentation.
Through centuries of commerce, Kyoto is perhaps the region that understands better than any other the human psychology of judging the contents to be of ‘high quality’ simply because the wrapping is stylish. This could also be seen as an expression of absolute confidence in their own products. Please, come and enjoy this enchanting world of wrapping paper!
