Shishin samurai cafe and bar

If only all reviews were as easy to write as this one. Even if you don’t speak Japanese, a quick look through the above video will give you a good idea of what to expect at Shishin. Traditional is the first word that comes to mind, but while it is located in an old machiya townhouse, ambient and organic are probably better descriptions – a feeling that increases in the evening, when the space is warmed by mellow lighting, extending to the backlit indoor/outdoor garden.

The whole effect is enhanced by the samurai decorations and if time permits, Hamamura san, the owner and tour leader in the video, is happy to explain the various items. The samurai idea may be a little difficult to catch onto at first – Hamamura san says he has people turn up expecting something like a maid cafe (think cute girlies in revealing “maid” outfits) – but he has in fact set up the cafe to promote the way of peace, rather than war (or girlies in samurai gear).

With food scarcity increasingly becoming a trigger for conflict, Hamamura san is trying to promote the efficient use of sustainable, locally grown foods – an idea he has also linked to the preservation of traditional customs. This includes donating five percent of Shishin’s sales to homeless people and orphans. If you would like more details, Hamamura san actually completed an MA in related studies at the University of Bradford in the UK and can give you the lowdown.

Affogato with espresso, chestnuts

Salad with sesame, seaweed, soy

Okinawan-style braised pork

If you are simply out for an evening of fine food, this need only be background detail, but naturally it does influence the menu. It is probably fair to describe most items as being representative of traditional or home-style cooking but with a little something extra. For example, the large green salad also includes sesame, seaweed and roast soy beans (surprisingly good), while the pork cutlet has plum and apple-flavored miso sauce. Many of the dishes are also linked to famous samurai or samurai customs.

Also, as Shishin is essentially a cafe, there is a good selection of Japanese sweets as well as beverages like wheat-flavored coffee, in addition to some very good sake and shochu, etc. All in all, it is a fairly eclectic menu that varies with the season, and with Shishin only being open for a few months at the time of writing, you can expect it to expand in the future. Hopefully to include some of Japan’s fine local beers.

On our visit, we had the Shishin salad mentioned above, along with various other items including the katsuo tataki (bonito cooked on the outer surface only), large rice balls wrapped in grilled pork and two brimming bowls of dark miso soup with fresh water clams. We finished off with some vanilla and black bean ice cream and a couple of good sakes recommended by Hamamura san, who serves you himself. The menu is a fraction meat-heavy but there are still options for vegetarians.

Other details
Web: Shishin home page and main English page. Use the icons in the top white panel for navigation. The site also has French and Spanish pages.
Access: From the northwest corner of the Karasuma Oike intersection (exit 2 from the subway), head west and take the third right. Shishin is roughly just after half-way along the second block heading north toward the mountains.
Extra images and info: The second video at the bottom right of Shishin’s home page is a recent piece done by Kyoto Television. It is fairly amusing if you understand a little Japanese.