Kajitsu - "Fine Day"

Kajitsu means "fine day", or "day of celebration" in Japanese. We have chosen the name Kajitsu hoping that a visit here will always be a special occasion for our guests.

Shojin Cuisine

Shojin cuisine refers to a type of vegetarian cooking that originates in Zen Buddhism. Even though it does not use meat or fish, shojin is regarded as the foundation of all Japanese cuisine, especially kaiseki, the Japanese version of haute cuisine. In its present form kaiseki is a multi-course meal in which fresh, seasonal ingredients are prepared in ways that enhance the flavor of each component, with the finished dishes beautifully arranged on plates. All of these characteristics come from shojin cuisine, which is still prepared in Buddhist temples throughout Japan.

Masato Nishihara

Chef Nishihara worked for ten years at Kitcho, one of Kyotos most well regarded kaiseki restaurants, where he gained extensive knowledge of the techniques and traditions of Japanese cuisine. Training in kaiseki cuisine, he developed a deep respect for the seasonal qualities of ingredients and the importance of antique Japanese dishware in presentation. While working at Kitcho, he was trained in the Japanese arts of tea ceremony and flower arrangement, both of which are integral parts of kaiseki cuisine, in which tranquility, beauty and hospitality merge to enhance the food.

After his work at Kitcho, Chef Nishihara took the executive chef position at Tohma, a soba kaiseki restaurant in Nagano, Japan. Soba kaiseki is a form of multi-course kaiseki cuisine that includes hand made buckwheat soba noodles. He was at Tohma for two years before coming to New York to head the kitchen at Kajitsu.