Day Four in Kyoto: Kaiseki dinner at Kikokuso Ryokan

On Sunday night, we stayed at Kikokuso ryokan in Kyoto. Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns where dinner and breakfast are often included, and the food can be simple or extravagent. Here are some photos from our dinner, so you can decide for yourself...

Tea and a red bean sweet at check-in.

The first course - incredibly delicate fish in ponzu with grated radish.

Autumn kaiseki: green tea mousse, incredible ham, a candied chestnut, delicate fish wrapped in a transparent leaf, steamed fish wrapped in bamboo leaf, tiny potatoes with a hint of salt, candied persimmon...I think...

The teeny potatoes up close.

Sashimi course with shiso flowers, shiso sprouts, and shiso leaf.

Miso grilled fish with pickled ginger.

Soft, poofy tofu.

Eel and cucumber in a delicate creamy sauce.

Lotus root, pepper, and kabocha squash tempura.

Tsukemono - the pickle course.

Absolutely incredible woodsy, smoky matsutake mushroom soup.

Toothpick course - this seems to be a requirement in Japan.

A single, huge, perfect peeled grape and slices of juicy melon for dessert.

After dinner, we went for a walk. The futons were laid out for us while we were out.