A warm and inviting place where tea and Zen harmony prevail

Shofukuro is believed to have opened in the early Meiji period as a teahouse started by the wife of a foundry worker. After World War II, the family’s third generation transformed it into the ryotei it is today, now operated collaboratively by the fourth and fifth generations. A Zen atmosphere prevails right at the pavilion’s entrance, from the moment you set foot on the grounds. Following a peaceful, pristine gravel path, before you know it, you feel as if your spirit is purified in this hospitable space.
This restaurant is known for the elegance of its dignified space and atmosphere.

Following a visit to the Raku Kichizaemon Museum at the Sagawa Art Museum, I stopped by the restaurant and couldn't resist taking a picture of an exquisite appetizer. It was July 7, a date that coincided with the Tanabata Festival. As part of this tradition, which dates back to the Heian period (794-1185), wishes are written in sumi ink on kaji** leaves. The lid of the appetizer dish was adorned with a natural kaji leaf tied with mizuhiki, decorative cords made from tightly twisted washi paper. This special touch left a strong impression on me.
Exactly one year later, I had the opportunity to return. This is a record of my visits.

No formal report, this article came out of pure chance; I happened to partake of similar meals on the same date at the same traditional Japanese restaurant two years in a row. These meals intermingle here. I am not a professional photographer, and I almost never take pictures of food, the exception being for the High Resolution Tour project. So, enticed by the dishes, the tableware, and the surroundings, I couldn't resist photographing them. Thus inspired, I decided to take this opportunity to introduce Shofukuro to my readers.

It would be boorish for an amateur like me to critique the cuisine, but if the aesthetics of chanoyu are expressed in the tea room with a cup of thin tea in a simple, rustic setting, then this ryotei showcases the same in a series of dishes and the space created with elaborate and thoughtful arrangements. The quality of the cuisine, based on the appreciation and expression of the seasons, is in harmony with the spirit of the tea ceremony. Cold somen noodles are served in a bowl made of ice, clearly modeled after raku ware. After the noodles are served, the ice bowl is wrapped in a white cloth, and guests partake of dipping sauce from the same.

Ayu, or sweetfish, a freshwater species that thrives only in very clear water, is prepared by a chef who emerges from the front yard carrying a hibachi and squats outside the room to begin cooking. The fish, gathered from Lake Biwa, are swimming in a houraku, a large earthenware roasting vessel. After skewering the fish, he stands them vertically over the ash to roast. The tension of consuming life is palpable, felt from the porch to the diners, at the single flash as the ayu twitches as it is skewered. This process—transforming life into food and then presenting it as a meal on a plate—stages a frank and impactful ichigo-ichie encounter, symbolizing the unrepeatable nature of a moment.

The exquisitely grilled ayu are served. The first, a larger, roe-carrying female, perfectly cooked and skewered with such skill that it seems alive, as if jumping about on the bamboo leaf-shaped plate. A second plate, striped in blue and white, features two juvenile-sized fish. These, served spindle free, are positioned as if swimming close together. Perhaps this illusion of movement was contrived at the moment of skewering.

Perfectly suited to the Tanabata season, many of the tableware items were cool and refreshing to the senses. The sake service was especially pleasant, with transparent kiriko (faceted glass) cups, exhilaratingly cool to the eyes and perfectly complementary to the chilled sake. The finely crafted cut glassware on which the dessert mango rested vividly enhanced the orange flesh of the fruit. At the end of the meal, a cup of thin tea was presented in a delicate black Oribe ware tea bowl, reflecting the preferences of the ryotei’s proprietor; satisfying for its elegant undulations.

* A traditional Japanese restaurant

** Paper mulberry tree, traditionally representing health and prudence

2025.7.7