The first dish to emerge from the Tsurutokame kitchen, Japan’s only all-female kaiseki (traditional multicourse) restaurant, located in Ginza, is a sampling of persimmon, grapes, Japanese pear and pomegranate topped with a single viola blossom and a tiny sprig of dill. Drizzled with tofu sauce, its shape hints not only at Mount Fuji’s snow-draped shoulders, but also head chef Yubako Kamohara’s culinary skill.
Kamohara leads the other itamae (chefs) through the next 11 courses, making their singular culinary vision a reality. Among their creations is a whole yuzu citrus filled with warm, salted cherry blossom-flavored tofu, and buckwheat noodles swirled with black truffles, garlic and olive oil and topped with near-transparent strands of daikon.
While some customers are surprised or even skeptical of Kamohara and her team’s abilities, fixated on the chefs’ gender, rather than talent, what they discover is a beautiful and delicious kaiseki service that simply happens to be made by women.