When it comes to total respect to food and its practice, Japan is the leading example. Their culinary traditions dating back to hundreds of years are still practiced today, and even if the earth is slowly molding into a more evolved world of modern technology and practices, the Japanese know how to preserve their traditions, sharing its beauty and secrets with the rest of the world.
One Japanese culinary tradition that is still practiced today is called Kaiseki. It is the most expensive type of Japanese cuisine in the world, reserved only for royalties hundreds of years ago.
But now, anyone can experience Kaiseki dining, as long as you have the money to pay for it. What makes this dining experience so expensive is that the whole meal is a ceremony. Every part of the meal is thought out and perfected-cooked so meticulously by a master chef, serving only the finest food with the freshest ingredients in the best Japanese hospitality service ever.
A Kaiseki dining experience is usually found on Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto, and one of the most famous is Hyotei, serving Kaiseki cuisine for over four hundred years now. It is now currently headed by Chef Yoshihiro Takahashi.
A full Kaiseki meal depends on the season, but according to CNN, some standard courses include: Sakizuke, an appetizer served with sake; Nimono, a simmered dish; Mukozuke, a sashimi dish; Hassun, an expression of the season; Yakimono, a grilled course; and Hanmono or shokuji, a rice dish.
Some Kaiseki meals even serve 14 types of dishes in one sitting-depending on the chef. The order of the food being served is also decided by the chef, all in balance with the traditional culture of Japanese aesthetics. The experience is then finished with dessert and matcha tea.
Kaiseki restaurants are usually served at a tatami-matted ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. Part of the Kaiseki dining experience is to serve the food in a setting close to nature, that's why typical modern Kaiseki restaurats often have beautiful views of traditional Japanese gardens.
Fancy a meal fit for a king? Prices vary in each Kaiseki restaurants, but they usually start at $450 per head, excluding drinks.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
