Akashi City Gastronomy Event

On Saturday, November 16 and Sunday, November 17, a special candlelight gastronomy event will take place in view of the illuminated stone walls and ancient turrets of Akashi Castle. When Naoaki Matsudaira was appointed the eighth feudal lord of the Akashi Domain, he provided a special Honzen Ryori meal to those in attendance, and this meal will be recreated with a modern twist, for just two nights, for a select audience!

Honzen Ryori is a formal and highly ritualized type of Japanese cuisine served at important ceremonial occasions where prescribed dishes are carefully arranged and served on legged trays.

Guests will be welcomed by the enchanting sounds of live Koto music as they enjoy a welcome drink in the garden beside an elegant wooden teahouse. Shrine maidens will then escort them to tables positioned to offer stunning castle views. As guests settle in, under the crisp autumn night sky, a captivating gagaku performance will set the tone for an unforgettable dining experience. With elegant live music on display, the evening begins with locally brewed Akashi sake, blessed by a Shinto priest, followed by modern-style Japanese dishes, faithfully recreated to match the historical records of Matsudaira’s actual meal.

The next course will be a culinary masterpiece crafted by Yasushi Karato, the esteemed owner-chef of Lumiere. Trained in France and recognized for his exceptional talent, Karato’s restaurant achieved top rankings in the Zagat Survey during its inaugural year and has earned a coveted Michelin star for the past twelve consecutive years.

Beyond his role as a celebrated chef, Karato is a prominent Osaka business leader and CEO. He oversees multiple restaurants and is a passionate advocate for local food culture. His influence extends internationally, through participation in prestigious cooking competitions, epicurean gatherings, and collaborative culinary events such as this one.

This exclusive dinner will also showcase the differences between a stainless steel knife and a Japanese carbon steel one, called Wabocho. Japan has long been renowned for its high-quality knives. Compared to a stainless steel knife, Wabocho’s distinguishing feature is its ability to create exceptionally smooth and precise cross-sections while cutting—reflecting Japanese cuisine’s emphasis on both presentation and flavor. During the dinner, guests will have the opportunity to try sea bream sliced with each of the knives and experience the difference themselves.

Akashi is located near the narrow Akashi Strait where rapid tidal currents bring nutrients from deep within the sea up to the surface. Crustaceans, fish, and other sea creatures are fed by these nutrients (and by eating each other), providing the local fish market with an abundance of top-quality marine products. Much of the cuisine served to Matsudaira consisted of seafood caught directly off the coast and will be featured again in this unique ‘Umi-no-Sachi’ gastronomy event.

Seafood-loving participants will partake in a full course meal that includes Akashi octopus served with mustard greens, grilled Spanish Mackerel marinated in miso, and Taimeshi - Akashi Sea Bream, cooked in a flavorful broth, served atop delicious locally grown rice. One very special historic dish involves soup seasoned with ginger, with shitake mushrooms and meatballs made from Japanese cormorant! The seafood course will be accented by a wide variety of locally grown vegetables, tasty pickles, and free-flowing drinks.

This unique gastronomical dining event with live music will take place from 6pm to 9pm on November 16th and 17th. The per person fee is 50,000 yen.

In an effort to share the magnificent cuisine, history, and culture of Akashi, multiple gastronomic events have been planned in the city. Keep an eye out for upcoming gastronomy walking tours or join the bar-hopping event that takes place on the other side of Akashi Station, in and around Uonotana Shotengai. This famous covered arcade offers a vast array of shops and eateries, most of which sell delicious seafood from the city’s special fish market. Six establishments in the area are offering special bar-hopping sets that feature a combination of food and drink for only 2,000 yen or 5,000 yen. Check out our in-depth bar-hopping article if you're interested in attending.

Akashi is a small port city in Hyogo Prefecture. The dining experience takes place just a few minutes’ walk from Akashi Station, which is only 12 minutes from Kobe, 40 minutes from Osaka, and 70 minutes from Kyoto. It can also be a stop along the Golden Route as it sits between the cities listed above and Hiroshima.