Kashiwaya

Osaka is a major city and port on Japan’s Kansai coast. Here, on the city’s outskirts, Kashiwaya offers carefully reinterpreted dishes in a setting that reflects the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

"Expressing the art of Japanese living, through food, has been chef Hideaki Matsuo’s quest at Kashiwaya for over 25 years. Recently, he has given this aim a broader focus—by helping to create a local network of similarly experienced chefs. Osaka was traditionally referred to tenka no daidokoro—the country’s kitchen—but recent times have seen tourists seduced by the culinary charms of Kyoto to the north and Tokyo to the east. By meeting monthly, Matsuo’s network aims to put Osaka firmly back on the map, making it the number-one region for sustainable local production and products. The chefs discuss local ingredients in detail, and with the support of local suppliers, they then tailor their dishes to reflect traditional Japanese cuisine."