Oct 02, 2023 (Japan by Food) - Kawadoko dining is a unique Japanese dining experience that involves eating on a tatami mat next to or on top of a river in the summer months.
Join Shizuka as she travels to Hakone, a town in Kanagawa Prefecture known (and loved) for its range of art galleries, museums, nature, onsen, and kawadoko dining. Kawadoko is a quintessentially Japanese dining experience that involves dining beside or on top of a river. It celebrates nature, the seasons, and provides welcome respite from the summer heat.
Shizuka begins her Hakone adventure with a sweet stop at Hakone Teramisu, a new spot in town selling tiramisu desserts! She indulges her sweet tooth with some tiramisu soft serve and a brandy tiramisu before moving on to the next destination... Deli and Cafe Mitsuki. This charming cafe, located on the 3rd floor of a building beside Hakone Station, serves tofu shakes with a breathtaking river view! What will Shizuka try? Their specialty black sesame tofu shake!
After recharging, the journey must continue. Shizuka heads to Gyunabe Ukon, the first and only kawadoko-style restaurant in Hakone. This enchanting restaurant sources its kuroge wagyu beef from all over Japan and pairs it with locally grown vegetables. After a friendly staff member shows her to her riverside seat, Shizuka settles on a supersized sukiyaki course meal. She’s presented with a feast including a beef cutlet tortilla, a mouthwatering beef sushi set, and a simmering beef sukiyaki hot pot, the restaurant’s specialty. She ends her kawadoko dining experience with dessert (mizu manju) before bidding us adieu.
