Kappo Counter

Dining at the kappo counter in our Yamazato restaurant is a culinary experience that allows guests to engage with the very best of Japanese gastronomy: superb seasonal ingredients, inventiveness, and the expertise of master chefs. Ever-changing menus at the kappo counter are personally designed by our head chef using the freshest, most high-quality ingredients available on any given day. The chef's instincts and inspiration do the rest. The result is a course of ten or more small dishes to delight and surprise guests during a culinary journey led by their chef.

This dining style also provides an opportunity to see chefs at work in the small open kitchen right in front of the counter, and to ask questions about the ingredients and cooking methods. A deep, richly layered experience that celebrates Japanese cuisine.

Kappo dining is thought to have originated in Osaka and is a variation of kaiseki dining, which originated in nearby Kyoto. Kaiseki meals involve multiple courses that explore many flavors, colors, and textures. Kappo meals have the added benefit of being prepared right in front of diners, providing an opportunity to watch chefs at work. Indeed, the dining style may have begun due to a desire from customers to be less removed from aloof, elite chefs. It introduced a less rigid and more creative way of cooking.

The English translation of "kappo" is "to cut and to cook" - perhaps a simplification of the chef skills you'll observe, but an indication that the kappo experience is about techniques as much as it is about food. "This style of dining is also known as omakase, meaning "I leave the details to you."