Kyoto On Your Tastebuds

Discover Japan's cultural capital anew with an insider's gourmet journey through its age-old institutions.

- Mavis Teo

I am surrounded by an explosion of russet, amber and golden hues. This splendid autumn foliage glistening in the late afternoon sun is reflected in the shimmering pond of an 800-year-old garden that once belonged to a samurai.

Named Shakusui-en, this pond garden now sits within the grounds of the Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, which opened in 2016. The property has preserved this tranquil oasis and incorporated it into its estate, such that guests get prime views of one of the ancient city's most famous attractions - its fall colours, from all around.

Whether enjoyed from one of the many floor-to-ceiling windows in the hotel's main building, or from the standalone lounge and teahouse set away from the accommodation, the views around the pond are so legendary that they have been immortalised in a poem from the 12th century.

From Fuju lounge, I move on to the adjoining Shakusui-tei, an intimate wooden teahouse made of cypress and cedar wood that can seat no more than five. Here I get my introduction to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony - not my first, but the most enjoyable one so far.

Helming the experience is certified tea master Kristyna Cislerova from the Czech Republic. Clad in a silk kimono, she is one of three the hotel works with. Having majored in Japanology at university, Cislerova has dedicated more than 15 years in the country to studying the art of Japanese tea ceremony, although she says her education is far from complete. She also happens to be married to a Japanese Zen monk.

Guests, including myself, are more than satisfied that Cislerova is sufficiently competent to provide an immersive introduction to this popular topic. Her fluency in English also means that I am able to understand the tea culture better. Besides the ritual itself, I learn how to appreciate the type of tea that she is serving together with a traditional confection. Both of these change with the seasons.