Kaiseki dining is something many families are keen to experience while in Japan and I’m sometimes asked about how to make it happen.
Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese multi-course meal – the meal is not only about the food but the presentation and, as it is designed to be a dining experience the food is brought out quickly slowly and in the order decided by the chef , by the seasonal ingredients and often the location of the restaurant.
As it is a slow, fine dining experience, this is not an easy feat with small children.
The EASIEST way is to experience Kaiseki at a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, ( and I say easiest but not the cheapest) where the meal will be served in-house – often in your room. So, as it is in your own private “quarters,” small children can wander around a bit, even fall asleep in the middle of the meal if needed etc..
At a ryokan the cost of the food is almost always included in with the price of the accommodation.
Why is Kaiseki often difficult with small children?
If you are looking to have a kaiseki meal with small children – here are the reasons it can be trickier than other forms of dining….
– Kaiseki is considered to be fine dining so other customers will most likely be dining for a special occasion or an important business meeting. For this reason, children are often not allowed to dine at many Kaiseki restaurants and – if they are – children can not move around the restaurant or get out of their seats or make a lot of noise (that being said a quiet activity like colouring wouldn’t be out of place.)
-Kaiseki comes out in lots of little mini courses (it ends up being a LOT of food) and, therefore, takes a long time to take part in a kaiseki experience. This means that, for some kids, the meal will feel very long.
– Kaiseki is a seasonal menu based on ingredients so, unless you have come across a particular restaurant which caters to dietary requirements, it is highly unlikely the restaurant will be able to be flexible with ingredients and make menu changes accordingly ( and 100% not be able to do it on the day without prior notice.)
So what ARE some child-friendly Kaiseki options ?
The Umenohana restaurants (located all over Japan) welcome children who are old enough to sit quietly at the table. This restaurant is a traditional Japanese restaurant where most of the meals are based around tofu ( it is not a vegetarian restaurant so you will need to ask ahead if they can remove the egg and/ or meat dishes.)
Lunch is around 4000 yen per person.
Dinner is around 8000 yen per person.
Uchiyama in Ginza welcomes families at lunch time only but ask you to make a reservation in advance if you will be bringing children. They will also sit families with children in a seperate private room (which is good as it takes the pressure off for kids to sit still the whole meal.) They do have a kids menu. They accept most major credit cards. Diners are asked not to wear any perfume or cologne.
Lunch is approximately 5000 yen per person (+10% service charge)
Dinner is approximately 25,000 yen per person (+15% service charge) Children not allowed at dinner time.
Ryotei Kinsui at the Hotel Chinzanso in Tokyo welcome children ( although do expect them to sit quietly, of course).
It is also possible to rent a private room at an additional charge if your worried about your children staying still or eating quietly. Please note that their restaurant doesn’t allow for yukata, shorts or sandals.
Guests are served in the garden and is approximately 13,ooo yen per person for lunch or 21,000 yen at dinnertime.
Yakatabune
One option to make a formal Japanese kaiseki meal feel slightly more casual is to experience it on a yakatabune with kids . Yakatabune is a boat with a roof and a tatami floor used for dining and entertainment ( like a traditional Japanese version of a “booze cruise”, I guess. This would give children more space to walk around the boat and look out the windows during the meal etc. Here is good example of a yakatabune cruise with kids. Prices are around 13,000 yen per adult for a 3 hour , 10 course cruise, all you can drink alcohol for adults.
A gluten free Kaiseki option in Hakone….
Although it is not in Tokyo– if you are looking for gluten free kaiseki breakfast AND dinner, I recommend staying at Hotel Kanansui in Gora, Hakone. They can cater for coeliac guests for a traditional kaiseki dinner AND breakfast daily. They also use local ingredients. This is a very simple hotel but has lovely food options and lovely green views. The staff here will collect you from the station. The food is the highlight but also some of their rooms can accommodate as many as 9 people.
Take a look at Kaiseki with kids in Kyoto or Kaiseki with kids in Nara for additional suggestions.
