Yakumo Saryo

For more elaborate dining, take a 20-minute walk to Yakumo Saryo to savour their modern kaiseki lunch. I was quite mesmerised by the exquisitely refined setting of the restaurant, its contemporary design so skillfully incorporating elements of traditional Japanese interior designs that epitomise zen aesthetics. The moment you step in you realise that it is a place where all your senses will be involved, a place that evokes an immediate sense of peace and calm.

Tea lovers must not leave without visiting the century-old Tea House Kosoan which serves as a little sanctuary from the city’s hustle and bustle. It’s a perfect place to immerse in authentic Japanese aesthetics by savouring the matcha tea and wagashi whilst sitting on tatami floors and admiring the beautiful landscaping of the garden.