Hirosawa

The story

Hirosawa in Kyoto – Contemporary Chinese Cuisine in a 100-Year-Old Townhouse

A Quiet Opening in Central Kyoto

In a restored 100-year-old townhouse on Karasuma-Oike, Hirosawa brings a refined perspective to Chinese cuisine. The narrow approach leads past a tranquil courtyard garden – a pocket of stillness in the busy city. Inside, a ten-seat counter faces the open kitchen, where the cooking unfolds without excessive noise or theatre. A private room upstairs seats up to six for celebratory dinners.

Chef Masaya Hirosawa, born in Aichi in 1988, trained at Tokyo’s Akasaka Rikyu, then honed his skills at Chinese restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka, with additional stages at a kaiseki establishment, a French restaurant, and a six-month stint in Hong Kong. In 2023 he opened Hirosawa, and within a year it was recognised by the Michelin Guide.

A Philosophy of Restraint

The kitchen describes its approach as muku – innocence. “Add nothing, draw out flavour. No adornment, yet sincerity shines,” the restaurant writes. The monthly omakase course follows this principle: seasonal ingredients sourced from across Japan are prepared with minimal interference, letting their natural qualities speak. The cooking blends contemporary Chinese techniques with French and Japanese influences, but the result is distinctly its own.

The Signature Char Siu

Baked twice in a custom-built oven, the char siu is Hirosawa’s calling card. Chef Hirosawa uses Shimanto pork from Kochi, prized for its rich flavour, and avoids heavy seasoning. The exterior is caramelised and fragrant, the interior tender and juicy. It has become so popular that the restaurant now offers it for takeaway, alongside a chutney-like spicy miso char siu and XO sauce, and a jasmine tea pudding.

The plating is considered: vessels change with the season, as do the dishes. The counter seats allow guests to watch the chefs work with hand-forged spoons and spatulas that Chef Hirosawa brought back from Hong Kong. Warmth and precision run through every detail.