With its multitude of temples, Kyoto has a long history of the typically vegetarian or vegan Buddhist cuisine known as shōjin ryōri. It's no surprise then, that Japan's ancient capital is still something of a mecca for vegetarian and vegan visitors. Those wishing to sample this traditional vegetarian Buddhist cuisine have plenty of options to choose from, with numerous temples in the city offering set meals to suit a range of budgets. Whichever you choose, you'll invariably be treated to an impeccably presented selection of simple, yet delicious, meat-free dishes.
Plant-based food in Kyoto is by no means limited to this kind of fare, however. Many modern vegetarian and vegan restaurants are popping up all over the city, complete with inspiring menus that challenge common preconceptions about vegan food being bland and boring.
One such establishment is Ukishima Garden, which opened two years ago in Nakagyo Ward. Its website describes the menu as "contemporary vegan meets shōjin cuisine." Intrigued by this concept, I asked the owner, Naoko Nakasone, to elaborate over tea in the restaurant's elegant rear dining room. "Shōjin is always in our hearts," she explained. "But it's sometimes too simple. We want to incorporate modern types of food so that it becomes more exciting. How we present it is more contemporary, too."