Kami, Kochi (高知県香美市) – Dinner at Kohanyu (湖畔遊) 2026 Mar. 20
We were served dinner in a private room during our stay at Kohanyu (湖畔遊), a 4-room luxury ryokan that overlooks the scenic Monobe River (物部川) in Kami, Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan (高知県香美市).
Organically grown vegetables at their garden is a big focus at Kohanyu. The owner is a vegetable sommelier who carefully choses ingredients such as locally grown organic rice. Broth is made every day from dried bonito flakes, sea kelps and baby sardines.
The menu and explanation of each serving was in Japanese, but I’ve tried my best here to summarize everything in both languages. They are:
COURSE 1 – ZENSAI (前菜 – Appetizers):
* Tai no Kobujime to Yama Udo kimiso-ae (鯛の昆布〆と山独活黄味噌和え – Konbu Sea Kelp-cured Sea Bream and Japanese Spikenard/Aralia Cordata dressed with Yellow miso, which is a sweet paste miso (soybean paste) created primarily by blending white miso with sugar, mirin and egg yolks)
* Utsubo Karaage (ウツボ唐揚げ – Crispy deep-fried Moray Eel)
* Hisago Tamago (ひさご卵 – Japanese rolled omelette shaped like a gourd (瓢箪 – hyotan))
* Tomato no Marine (トマトのマリネ – Marinated cherry tomato)
* Nanohana no Shira-ae (菜の花の白和え – Rape blossoms mixed with white paste made of mashed Tofu)
* Tai no Nikogori (鯛の煮凝り – Sea Bream in a jellied broth)
* Fukinoto Tempura (蕗の薹天ぷら – Fuki Butterbur flower shoots Tempura)
COURSE 2 – TSUKURI (造り – Sashimi):
* Kochi Ken-san Himodori Katsuo (高知県産日戻り鰹 – Bonito from Kochi Prefecture caught the same day as it is served)
* Tennen Gure no Aburi (天然グレ（メジナ）の炙り – Lightly-seared Wild-caught Largescale blackfish)
– Hassaku Orange (八朔オレンジ)
COURSE 3 – WANMONO (椀物 – Soup Dish):
* Shin Tamanegi to Hachikin Jidori no Soup (新玉葱とはちきん地鶏のスープ – Newly-harvested Onion and Hachikin Chicken soup. Hachikin Jidori is a premium, free-range chicken brand from Okawa Village in Kochi Prefecture)
– Aojiso (青じそ – Green shiso leaves)
COURSE 4 – NIMONO (煮物 – Simmered Dish):
* Satoimo no Kousen-age (里芋の香煎揚げ – Japanese Taro coated in a thin batter and then deep-fried in crushed rice crackers)
COURSE 5 – YAKIMONO (焼き物 – Grilled Dish):
* Chotarogai (Hiogigai) to Yasai no Gratin (長太郎貝(緋扇貝)と野菜のグラタン – Noble Scallops and vegetables au Gratin)
COURSE 6 – OFF MENU (オフメニュ):
* Somen Suimono Jitate (素麵吸い物仕立て – Somen Noodles in a clear soup)
COURSE 7 – MUSHIMONO (蒸し物 – Steamed Dish):
* Hatsuga Genmai Mochi no Chawanmushi (発芽玄米餅の茶碗蒸し – Savory egg custard with Organic Hatsuga Genmai Mochi, which is a rice cake made by steaming and pounding brown rice that has been allowed to sprout slightly)
– Tomato (トマト)
– Shiitake (椎茸 – Shiitake mushrooms)
COURSE 8 – MAIN (メイン):
FOR HIM:
* Tosa Akaushi Steak (土佐赤牛ステーキ – Akaushi Steak from Tosa, the former name of Kochi Prefecture. Only 500-600 Akaushi cows are sold each year for consumption)
FOR HER:
* Hachikin Jidori no Wafu Grill (はちきん地鶏の和風グリル – Grilled Hachikin Jidori chicken)
COURSE 9 – KOUNOMONO (香物 – Pickled Vegetables):
* Jikasei no Nukazuke, Daikon, Ninjin (自家製のぬか漬け、大根、ニンジン – Homemade pickled cucumbers, Daikon radish & Carrots)
COURSE 10 – JIKASEI DESSERT (自家製デザート – Homemade Dessert):
* Kabocha cake (南瓜ケーキ)
– Kiwi (キウィ)
– Orange (オレンジ)