The Japanese restaurant Tenjaku is located in Nishijin, a silk fabric district full of elegance in Kyoto. Head Chef Ryo Nishioka welcomes his customers with all his heart and soul.
Originally, Tenjaku was a Kyoto-style restaurant run by Nishioka's grandfather under the same name. Chef Nishioka grew up seeing his grandfather's customers satisfied with his cooking and leaving with smiles on their faces. And from the time he was three years old, he knew in his heart that he wanted to take over Tenjaku. He started working at Tenjaku after graduating from Keio University in 2014. He worked under his grandfather, but the business closed temporarily in 2017 due to his grandfather's advancing age. Nishioka then trained at two-starred restaurants in Kyoto Kodaiji Wakuden and Otagi before renovating and reopening Tenjaku in December 2021. The place has been restored to its former glory.
As the name of the restaurant suggests, the kaiseki dishes at Tenjaku are characterized by the inclusion of tempura dishes. The tempura that is carried over to the new Tenjaku is not served in an assortment, but instead each piece is fried and served in front of the customer, just like a tempura specialty restaurant. The meal begins with the "Hassun", an assembly of dishes with a great impact on the palate and the eyes that will allow you to enjoy the Kyoto atmosphere. You can also enjoy the piping hot tempura with natural wines or Chinese tea.
The ingredients are sourced mainly locally in Kyoto, but Nishioka uses ingredients of producers from all over Japan that he has visited himself to check. Nishioka comments, "We tell our customers about the particulars of each ingredient. In addition to food culture, Japanese restaurants bring together Japanese culture such as craftsmanship from buildings to knives and hanging scrolls. I want Tenjaku to be a place where people can encounter Japanese culture through cuisine." The restaurant offers a wide range of tableware from antiques to pieces by contemporary artists, and also features earthenware made by the Chef himself at the Teisangama and Raku studio "Waraku".
The eye-catching Bishu cypress counter (8 seats) made from a single block has been handed down from his grandfather's Tenjaku. The tree it came from is said to be 1,000 years old, and with a thickness of nearly 14 cm, it warmly envelops the restaurant. We invite you to visit Tenjaku with your family, friends, colleagues, or as a couple and rediscover Japanese culture.
------------------------------------------------------------------
* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 2-minute walk from Senbon Imadegawa bus stop of Kyoto City Bus
