We will be introducing the various initiatives taken by businesses that have been selected as "Company Committed to Excellence in Ethical and Sustainable Tourism Business Practices" under the "Kyoto Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism" actively promoted by Kyoto City. 

Here we will be introducing Takuji Takahashi, the third-generation owner of Kinobu, a restaurant that has been credited with revolutionizing Japanese cuisine and continues to introduce new facets of Japanese food. The restaurant's numerous innovative initiatives, not just in terms of its dishes but also through its efforts to overcome the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to train its staff, have won over the hearts of many.

When you run a family business that specializes in Kyoto cuisine, it is essential to train your staff in order to continue providing high-quality food and service. At Kinobu, staff are trained in stages from when they first join the restaurant in order to improve their cooking skills. The method of gradually assigning tasks according to difficulty level, from preparing sashimi to simmered dishes and deep-fried dishes, is a traditional training system used in Kyoto cuisine. In addition to this, however, Takahashi has been creating a clear training program for the past 20 years and has established a system where an instructor is assigned to each trainee to provide support as needed, so that the progress of each trainee can be checked.

“Our staff training policy is to provide lifetime employment based on ability. Thanks to the many highly skilled chefs we have trained, we have been able to create a system that allows us to respond to the needs of many customers and take on new challenges. Though, to be honest, having seven sous-chefs may be a little unusual,” Takahashi laughs.

Furthermore, in order to foster a spirit of taking on new challenges among its employees, the restaurant has set up an “in-house venture” system where employees can create their own independent self-financing business units to try out new ideas, for example with employees currently running their own businesses making side dishes and roast beef. The restaurant has set up this system so that employees can receive bonuses for their work, and it is said that this has led to improvements in both technical ability and motivation.

The complete renovation of the kitchen carried out during the pandemic was actually planned with this in-house venture in mind to enable it to function not only as a kitchen for the restaurant, but also as a factory for food processing and sales, and to ensure a level of hygiene that complies with the HACCP international standardized hygiene management system. 

In addition to contributing to the local community by participating in various promotional measures and giving lectures, the restaurant has long been involved in the Gion Festival. The area where Kinobu is located is within the town where the Iwato Yama float is paraded during the Gion Festival, and Takahashi himself participates in the parade, while his father Nobuaki is the head of the preservation society and his son serves as a hayashikata (festival musician), showing the family's deep involvement in the festival over successive generations.

During the month-long festival, it has become a tradition for staff to provide bento lunches for members of the Iwato Yama Preservation Society, loan out venues, and provide assistance with other festival-related events.

Takahashi sees this not merely as a contribution to the local community but also as a great opportunity for learning. The ornaments decorating the yamaboko floats and the various traditions and customs truly embody the authentic culture of Kyoto, and being able to experience them first-hand is a rare opportunity for those studying Kyoto cuisine. 

In addition to promoting communication within the restaurant to ensure that the chefs are kept up-to-date with all the latest information and inspirations, he also gives lectures at universities and other places to pass on his skills and broaden the appeal of Kyoto cuisine. The restaurant also accepts regular internships, and has opened its doors to young people who want to learn about cooking and take on the challenge of working in this industry.

Takahashi often travels to various parts of the country in search of different kinds of cuisine, but when we asked him for tips on how to fully enjoy sightseeing in Kyoto, he replied, “I recommend visiting the same restaurant or place several times.” In addition to being able to enjoy the different expressions of a place when you visit it during different seasons and at different times, particularly as a craftsman, he says, “People from Kyoto feel a sense of pleasure when they are given ‘recognition’ by those who return again and again.” The sense of happiness felt in welcoming visitors is what creates good exchanges and provides an opportunity to learn about the depth of Kyoto, which is what Takahashi means when he talks about the joy of returning to a place again and again.

Although Takahashi has been constantly creating new flavors and new values, he notes that “New things and eccentric ideas alone lose their appeal the second time around. Kyoto is a city that does not engage in that kind of manufacturing. It may look like I'm doing something new, but my intention has always been to pursue something that can withstand repetition. I hope that people will visit Kyoto and try the local cuisine again and again, and get to really understand what makes it so appealing.”

Why not take Takahashi's words of wisdom as a starting point when planning your next trip to Kyoto?

■Related links

[Kyoto Guidelines] Collection of Good Practices

Kinobu Official Website