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If there is one place outside Tokyo that foreigners are sure to have heard of in Japan, it is Kyoto. Though no longer the main city, Kyoto was Japan's capital for over a thousand years, and it is widely regarded as the cradle of Japanese culture. In recognition of the historical importance of the place, UNESCO lists no fewer than 17 properties in and around Kyoto that together constitute a World Heritage Site. And at any time of year, the visitor to Kyoto is rewarded with its exquisite temples and shrines, all harking back to some bygone age.
Kyoto's cultural impact does of course extend well beyond architecture, and the food of this city is regarded as among the finest in the land. One interesting and very varied part of Kyoto cuisine that the visitor can look forward to goes by the name of hassun. Varying with the season,
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hassun is essentially an appetizer, consisting of a number of small seafood and vegetable dishes served together on a large plate. Kyoto is itself an inland city, but the proximity to the sea means that such delicacies as sashimi feature prominently on the menus of its fine restaurants.
It would be hard to think of a better accompaniment to an appetizer like hassun than the fine sake of Kyoto. In this city, the brewery to watch for is Tanzan. Located to the west of Kyoto, Tanzan has been making Japan's national drink for well over a century. Within the range of fine produced by Tanzan, three notable names are the fruity, wine-like Bonki, the mellow bouquet and rich flavor of Nagisa and the magnificent pure-rice daiginjo known as Ranzan, which, with its heady floral bouquet, somehow manages to capture the essence of Kyoto at its beautiful best. |
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