The Hyatt Regency Kyoto is located in Higashiyama Shichijo, Kyoto, where the lush bamboo forest at the entrance of the hotel is eye-catching. Located on the first basement floor, the Japanese restaurant Higashiyama offers kaiseki courses and a la carte dishes that take advantage of the flavors of the four seasons, along with Japanese sake. The sake most ordered by guests from Japan and abroad is "Assemblage Club: Taro'. We will now take a closer look at the reason why it is so well-loved, especially by guests from overseas, who have given it rave reviews.
Sake Media site Sake World operator Reef Publications, Inc. has developed and marketed a new sake called "Assemblage Club: Taro'. The new type of sake, created through an assemblage (blending) method in collaboration with three Kyoto sake breweries, has been well received at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto's restaurants. We interviewed F&B Manager Gen Yamada to find out why.
We spoke to this person.
Since joining the company in 2018, he has been the Team Leader of Higashiyama; since 2023, he has been the F&B Manager of the Food & Beverage Department. He has been aware of the importance of sake since the beginning and makes the selections himself. His favorite sake is fruity and Junmai Daiginjo.
Table of Contents
- 1. luxury hotel with a variety of restaurants
- 2. sake with a story to tell
- 3. good compatibility with Japanese beef fits overseas customers
- 4. Assemblage Club to complement the food: Taro'.
- 5. to support new sake initiatives
1. luxury hotel with a variety of restaurants
The Hyatt Regency Kyoto is a luxury hotel located in the lush greenery of Higashiyama Shichijo. The hotel offers convenient access to the adjacent Sanjusangendo Hall, the Kyoto National Museum, and various other famous and historic sites. The hotel's contemporary Japanese-themed architecture, with an eye-catching bamboo grove at the entrance, is relaxing and highly rated, especially by overseas visitors.
The restaurant offers Japanese, Italian, and café-style all-day dining, and the Japanese restaurant [Higashiyama] in particular offers seasonal kaiseki courses and a la carte dishes to be enjoyed with Japanese sake.
Opened in 2006 as the first foreign-affiliated hotel in Kyoto. Since then, the hotel has matured over time, and its service is reassuring and friendly, and it is no wonder that many repeat guests come back again and again.
2. sake with a story to tell
-First of all, please tell us why you chose "Assemblage Club: Taro'".
Mr. Yamada: "We are a foreign-affiliated hotel, and many of our guests come from overseas. When we were introduced to the "Assemblage Club: Taro'" sake, I thought it would be a hit with our guests because it is a one-of-a-kind sake, a rarity not available anywhere else. In particular, the collaboration of three famous sake breweries in Kyoto and the "assemblage" method, which is common in wine, will give foreign customers a special impression of the sake. From a marketing perspective, it's about scarcity and storytelling. It's a way to commemorate that they drank such premium sake here.
-Oh, yes, how is the actual response?
Yamada said, "When I tell them the story and background of the sake, most of them order this one. We serve four types of sake by the glass at the restaurant, including sake from Kyoto and Shiga, and we especially recommend the "Assemblage Club: Taro'. The price is set higher than others, but the premium quality of the sake seems to attract customers' attention. For our domestic customers as well, those who come from Tokyo usually drink sake that is famous in other countries, so they are interested in this sake because it is rare.
3. good compatibility with Japanese beef fits overseas customers
-What do our international customers think about the taste?
Mr. Yamada said, "They say it tastes so good, really good. I had a chance to drink it myself, and it was really delicious. The concept is to pair it with wagyu beef, but you can also drink it by itself. When I tell them that it is not sold anywhere else, many of our overseas customers buy another bottle as a souvenir.
-I see that you are all quite interested in sake.
Mr. Yamada said, "It seems that everyone wants to experience sushi, wagyu beef, and sake, so last year we started a course at Higashiyama where you can enjoy both wagyu beef and sushi. This has been very well received, and when we recommend 'Assemblage Club: Taro' to our guests, they are very pleased.
4. Assemblage Club to complement the food: Taro'.
First, an assortment of sake tasting with seasonal appetizers. Japanese roast beef with sesame sauce, cold summer vegetables in a refreshing vinegar soup (young corn, tomato, okra, and octopus with plum paste), boiled rice (potherb mustard and dried shrimp), and chimaki sushi. *Contents vary depending on the season.
Sirloin steak and Taro', which boosts the umami of Wagyu beef, are a perfect pairing. The ginjo aroma is kept to a minimum so that you can feel the aroma of the fat peculiar to Wagyu beef. We want our guests to taste the ingredients themselves, so we simply use wasabi and natural salt instead of sauces. The accompaniments are deep-fried carrots in a thin batter, tomatoes, and watercress with Japanese dressing.
5. to support new sake initiatives
Yamada: "Like the Assemblage Club, we would like to be a part of the new initiatives being undertaken by various sake breweries.
-How about Hyatt Regency Kyoto's original sake assemblage?
Mr. Yamada: "Good, I think such value-added projects are the best. In the end, it is best if the customers are happy with the taste and good quality. I would be happy to discuss it with you again."
I was surprised to hear again that sake has attracted so much attention from foreigners visiting Japan. I am also happy to hear that Assemblage Club: Taro' has been chosen by such a highly interested group and that it is very tasty and appreciated.
We would like to promote sake more to the world, and the Assemblage Club would like to be a part of this effort.
Writer and sake taster Eriko Fujita
He was introduced to a wide variety of sake and sake breweries by a sake specialty store in Osaka that expanded his world. His favorite sake is Akirika and Ohroku, and his other hobbies include collecting minerals and keeping swallowtail butterflies.
Touzan/Hyatt Regency Kyoto
address (e.g. of house) 644-2 Sanjusangendo Mawari, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
TEL 0755413201 (direct line to Higashiyama)
home page this way (direction close to the speaker or towards the speaker) Check the
Business Hours Lunch Wednesday-Friday 11:30-15:00, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 11:30-14:00, Dinner Wednesday-Sunday and holidays 17:30-21:00
