THE RYOKAN COLLECTION

The first-floor café is the venue for a seasonal breakfast created especially for Higashiyama Shikikaboku by chef Ryo Sakatsuji of popular restaurant Pasto Generale. With local organic produce, free-range eggs from Ohara, pastries and bread from bakery Hanakago, and tart yogurt from Miyama, the healthy meal showcases the fresh, flavorful abundance found in Kyoto’s backyard. During the day, the cafe is a peaceful perch to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and watch the comings and goings of the neighborhood. With a dynamic piece of calligraphy by Rieko Kawabe overlooking warm wood furnishings and a courtyard garden of moss and stones, the space exudes an austere beauty and understated comfort. By night, the space becomes a bar overseen by experienced sommelier Eiki Takahara, whose skill at wine and sake curation is surpassed only by his seasonal fresh-fruit cocktails. Outside guests are welcome, but Higashiyama Shikikaboku doesn’t advertise that fact, so the bar is still a well-kept secret. Of an evening, any other patrons are likely to be friends of the owners from the art and design world and the occasional kimono-clad maiko with client in tow.