Ishikawa

Tsubajin

つば甚

A true piece of history. Located at the foot of Kanazawa Castle, Tsubajin is among the oldest ryotei restaurants in the region. The founding family came to the province about 400 years ago as craftsmen who specialized in traditional sword guard (tsuba) making. The details of the restaurant’s rich history are seen not only in the traditional kaiseki cuisine, but in its stunning architecture and artifacts. The seasonal dishes are simply exquisite and of the highest quality. The restaurant is a must visit to experience Kanazawa’s history.

Tsubajin was founded in 1752 by the third-generation ancestor of the Tsuba family. They opened a small restaurant to entertain acquaintances and friends who were visiting the graveyards in the nearby Bodaiji Temple. The restaurant’s sophisticated cuisine and excellent service quickly gained a great reputation among the feudal lords and statesmen.

Its fame continued to grow into the Meiji Era and the restaurant attracted honorable guests such as Japan’s first Prime Minister, Hirobumi Ito, and the artist, Kiyoshi Yamashita. It is also said that Basho hosted a gathering of haiku poets here.

Even after its restoration about 100 years ago, the architecture remains true to its original build and traditional craftsmanship. The majestic 3,500 sq. ft. banquet room is fitted with an intricate coffered ceiling. The ranma panels above the sliding doors feature motifs of folded cranes. The walls are traditional red, coated with bengara pigment, a common feature in old buildings in Kanazawa.

The restaurant is made up of individual rooms, including some with tables and chairs. There are 12 private rooms in total, including the Moon Room, which Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito adored, and Koharuan, where Basho hosted his poetry reading. The Crane Room is designed for large groups such as weddings and funerals. There is also a western-style room from the Taisho Period, which is popular for weddings and business meetings. The restaurant’s website has descriptions of the rooms so guests can request their preferences when they reserve.

The head chef, Koji Kawamura, is an Ishikawa native who joined Tsubajin right out of culinary school. He continued to polish his skills in the same kitchen over the years, and rightfully earned the head chef role in 1989.

“In my early days as the head chef, I used to try and come up with something different and tried all sorts of dishes,” he said. “Then I realized that what makes our guests happy is the traditional cuisine that has been passed down in this region for centuries.”

“My goal is to create dishes that are true to Tsubajin’s essence, while incorporating small changes at a time.”

Since 1752

Tsubajin’s cuisine is a celebration of delicacies from both the ocean and the mountains of the region. The seasonal omakase menu is made up of nine to ten plates that are built on historical local flavors. The meal begins with a sakitsuke (starter), followed by hassun (assortment of appetizers), soup, sashimi, grilled plate, vinegered dish, rice and soup and ends with a dessert. Every dish is simple, yet extravagant, luring every guest’s heart.

“In March, for example, I like to think of lovely dishes like chirashi that celebrate Girl's Day and the arrival of spring,” Kawamura says. “Like Children’s Day in May or Chrysanthemum Festival in September, I hope my dishes celebrate our traditional customs.”

A beautifully arranged hassun platter with skewers of Matsukaze chicken loaf, tiger prawns, and thick Japanese-style omelet, chilled cucumber with miso, fava beans, grilled squid with egg yolk, dried mullet roe, cherry blossom sushi, lily root chakin sushi. The lovely lantern on the plate is also edible, made of daikon radish, peeled using katsuramuki technique.

Mounted on a gorgeous kutani-yaki plate are fresh sashimi of ara sea bass, amaebi sweet shrimp wrapped in white battera seaweed, squid, sea urchin, topped with seaweed and sansho pepper. The day’s grill includes tilefish wrapped in oak leaves, bamboo shoots, Kaga lotus root chips, simmered taro potatoes, butterbur tempura, bachiko sea cucumber delicacy.

Jibu-ni, a seasonal stew, is an iconic dish of Kanazawa. The day’s flavor is made of duck, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms and butterfly carrots. The soup is topped with a thick dashi sauce and wasabi. The precious lacquered bowl, made by a craftsman in Wajima, has been used for many years with careful repairs.

Next is another warm dish, served inside a crab shell. Large and moist chunks of smooth crab meat is accompanied with sesame tofu, brussels sprouts and mushrooms, bathing in stock and white miso. The rich creamy sauce brings out the sweetness of the crab.

The beautiful chirashi is like a carpet of spring flowers, layered with colorful seasonal produce. The rice is mixed with boiled shiitake mushrooms and dried gourd and topped with eel, shrimp, salmon roe, abalone, taranome shoots, nanohana stalks, bamboo shoots, kogomi, Kaga lotus root, kinome leaves, eggs and carrots. The mix of flavors and textures is incredible and extremely balanced.

INGREDIENTS
Popular with tourists and visitors from overseas, the cuisine of Tsubajin is all about showcasing the best of Kanazawa. Some of the chef’s favorite local catches are sea bass, white shrimp and crabs. Traditional ingredients such as Kaga lotus root, kinjiso spinach and bamboo wheat gluten are often incorporated in the menu. They procure only the freshest seasonal ingredients from local farmers and fishermen that the restaurant has worked with for years with trust.

CHEF

Koji Kawamura

Koji Kawamura was born in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1970. He joined Tsubajin straight after culinary school when he was 18 years old. He received rigorous training from the former head chef and the okami (lady of the house), and earned his position as head chef at age 29.

VISION
For many years, Tsubajin has put their traditional cuisine at center stage. Looking ahead, they would like the guests to enjoy a more cultural experience by showcasing the architecture, traditions, craftsmanship remaining in this historic establishment. They are planning to start offering tours of the property so guests can see the beautiful artifacts and learn the local history.

HISTORY

As the name suggests, the Tsuba’s were a family of sword guard (tsuba) makers that served Lord Toshiie Maeda during the Edo Period. While they donated most of the sword guards to the government during WWII, they still have many artifacts they have preserved over the years.

Displayed in the Crane Room, there are some unique and rare tsubas, decorated with gold leaf and beautiful lacquer work. You can also see some family tsubas mounted into the floorboards. There are also old letters from the Edo Period pasted onto the sliding fusuma doors, furnished with silver and lacquer.

Here at Tsubajin, you can see a glimpse of the past and observe the splendor of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.