SHIGETSU

Zen vegetarian cuisine at Shigetsu, Shojin ryori.Japanese food culture experience! Made from vegetable, soybeans and seaweed. Booking Need! The restaurant surrounded by the natural beauty of Tenryu-ji World Heritage Garden. 篩月で精進料理! 天龍寺直営のお店です｡ 野菜のみとは思えない満足感！ ごま豆腐や煮物など丁寧に作られたお食事に感動しました。　 平日でも予約お...勧めします。

Visited November 2023

This was my second Zen Buddhist veggie meal experience (The first one during a temple stay in Koyasan). The set up is large scale, not intimate. Exquisite food, immaculate service. The 3300 set lunch incl tea was just perfect for us. Walnuts, sesame tofu and pumpkin soup among my favourites.

Visited October 2023

We pre-booked the Hana course which included a private room. After entering without shoes we were seated on the floor at our individual tables and the servers brought the courses. Although each of the 15 or so individual dishes was quite small, there was so much food I was the most full I’ve been in... a long time. We were not told what all of the dishes were so I would only recommend this to open-minded eaters. Fussy eaters probably won’t enjoy the mystery! Although it may seem expensive compared to other meals in Japan (around £90 total for the two of us), it was such a special experience which we’ll remember forever.

Visited October 2023

The most memorable dining experience of our time in Japan. Bask in the amazing views of the mountains around Arashimaya and take in the beauty of the gardens of Tenryu-ji temple while enjoying a healthy, well-balanced meal. We had originally reserved for 3 couples but 1 couple could not make it, a...nd the staff was understanding of the last minute change. We enjoyed the Hana (Flower) course and had the privacy of a personal dining room. Each piece of the meal was thoughtfully crafted and we felt the love that went into the meal. The ingredients tasted fresh as if just plucked from a garden for the meal. The soups were heartwarming and all the flavors worked in perfect harmony. Toward the end of our meal, our server asked us when we would like to receive the matcha so that we can enjoy it fresh and warm. The matcha was oh-so delicious, warm and frothy! We also were not rushed to finish our meal, so we took some time to meditate and reflect on our experience with the stunning views from the private dining room. I highly recommend this vegan-friendly temple meal if you are planning to visit Kyoto! Definitely take some time to explore the gardens after the meal as well, the temple is gorgeous.

Visited May 2023

We were really excited to have this special meal when we visited Arashiyama but were disappointed. The food was good, although not fabulous, but the atmosphere of the restaurant was really lacking. We hoped to be looking out on the temple gardens, enjoying Zen serenity, but were seated in a line, fa...cing a line of other diners. The staff seemed to be working hard to get us in and out as quickly as possible. It all felt a little institutional.

Visited May 2023