CONTACTABOUT OBANZAI
This term refers to everyday dishes that are eaten daily in Kyoto.
Since ancient times, people living in the central part of the city of Kyoto have called their usual everyday dishes, made with dried ingredients , such as dried daikon and hijiki ,bean curd lees, and seasonal vegetables by variety of terms, including ”ozoya”, ”zoyomon” and “omawari”.
“Obanzai” is a generic term encompassing all of these everyday dishes.
Although it was once difficult to obtain fresh seafood in Kyoto , a cuisine based on picked items, dried items, tofu, as well as seasonal and wild vegetables developed under the influence of Zen Buddhism.
Characteristic obanzai consists of a preparation of expensive, seasonal vegetables and dried items flavored with the taste of kelp and dried bonito extracts.