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![[Beyond Oishii: From Flavor to Hitotoki
A Candlelit Feast of Washoku and Court Music for All the Senses]
Modern Ryokan kishi-ke in Kamakura is launching a new dining program as global interest in
washoku, Japan’s traditional culinary culture, enters a more mature phase. The program seeks to
go beyond the pursuit of oishii (“delicious”) embodied by elements such as umami, sushi, and
wagyu. By recreating an ancient style of banquet in which fine cuisine and gagaku (imperial court
music) were experienced together, it invites guests to experience hitotoki—being fully immersed
in the moment through all five senses. The bamboo shō, a hauntingly beautiful wind instrument,
is at the heart of the experience. Its serene, resonant tones are said to echo the voice of the
immortal phoenix. Together, the music and the cuisine gently awaken the palate and the senses,
creating an unforgettable journey.
#kamakura #ryokan #gagaku
Why We Created This Experience
Beyond oishii lies hitotoki—beyond deliciousness lies a singular moment of complete presence.
While washoku has captivated gourmets around the world for its exquisite flavors, flavor alone
does not represent the full essence of washoku. As in banquets of yore, integrating the concept
of hitotoki encourages guests to focus on the present moment: the ingredients, the season, the
surrounding sounds and music, and the companionship. When these elements come together,
the experience of washoku becomes complete. kishi-ke seeks to bring this long-forgotten way of
experiencing food back into the present.
Instrumentalist Fumiya Otonashi
Performer Fumiya Otonashi is a shō and gagaku musician. His work extends beyond gagaku,
bridging tradition and modernity through a wide range of activities, including musical
participation to the Emmy Award-winning series Shōgun. He studied the shō, ancient vocal
music (kodai kayō), court zither (gakusō), and Right Dance (U-no-mai) under Hideaki Bunno,
former Grand Master of the Ceremonies of the Music Department of the Imperial Household
Agency’s Board of Ceremonies.
The Bunno family (formerly the Toyohara family) is a hereditary family of gagaku musicians
dedicated to preserving court music and by @otonashifumiya](https://scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/831103104_18486162583128439_4189875967993284699_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s640x640_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=PbY2x1m7PpkQ7kNvwGUwDEl&_nc_oc=AdpF9FRJT6aqlWnQWgDeG3Wu7Pc4fVnwIbV-wOSpal9nzJnG-6-i9Y34U9ZqH6QlDBy-lUGFilHKOqosEfilVIxT&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=aycpgfItA5iQnwipPMJHCw&_nc_ss=70580&oh=00_AQS4b1xFzwJXaZa75jh7kOVVhqmINw4Db4w2T6MYJqp9ug&oe=6AF202FA)
