Wakayama Zone: Food
Food: Partake of the Forest
A deep and timeless forest, steeped in centuries of history.
Crisp, refreshing waters.
The sacred Kitsumoto Shrine, connected to the origin of confectionery, the Citrus Tachibana.
The roots of soy sauce, essential to Japanese cuisine.
Wakayama, a land that has nurtured a generous and vibrant culinary culture.
In this enchanting region, artisans—keepers of tradition and skill—carefully craft each item, inspired by the primal essence of the forest. Through a rich and sensory dining experience, we invite you to gaze upon the future of the forests and satoyama.
Taste the forest.
Through each flavour, awaken your curiosity and discover the budding beauty of Wakayama’s charm.
Mineko Kato
With a deep interest in design, fine arts, contemporary art, and craftsmanship, She chose the world of bread and pastry as her path in the culinary field. She honed her skills as a pastry chef at prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, including Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, Il Marchesino, Mandarin Oriental Milan, and Osteria Francescana.
Since 2018, She has been serving as the Executive Pastry Chef at FARO, where she creates desserts that leave a lasting impression, much like a journey. Her work at FARO reflects a deep respect for Japan’s natural landscape and traditional herbs, offering a unique and memorable experience. She is dedicated to sourcing the finest ingredients and developing innovative menus.
Her achievements have been widely recognized, earning her the Best Pastry Chef Award from Gault&Millau 2022, the Top Pastry Chef Award at the LA LISTE JAPANESE AWARDS 2024, and the prestigious title of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024.
Believing in the potential of a plant-based lifestyle for sustainability and peace, She actively pursues ways to enjoy a fulfilling and joyful life while protecting the beauty of our planet and society through an environmentally and animal-friendly diet.
The Gifts of Wakayama Forest Pairing Set
- Paulownia wood tableware produced by Kagunoazuma Inc.(Kinokawa City)（External Link）
Click here to make reservations for food and drink in the Wakayama Zone.
The Fragrant Blooming Forest | Fresh Confectionery
The sacred forest of Kumano. Amongst the dense, verdant foliage, the fragrance of the hinoki (Japanese cypress) creates a profound sense of holiness, as if one is returning to a place of birth and rebirth. The white kidney bean nerikiri, adorned with the essence of noble flowers and tranquil scents, offers an experience of tasting the very air and elegance of the forest with each bite. The beauty and delicate melt of the confection, born of the artisan’s mastery, leads one deep into the heart of the forest.
Producer:Fukudaya (Shingū, Wakayama) （External Link)
<Nerikiri Paste> white beans (Hokkaido), beet sugar, rice flour, lime zest, rose water/ beetroot powder, blue spirulina powder, gardenia (natural colour)
<Core Filling> white beans (Hokkaido), beet sugar, raspberry powder, rose water/ hinoki water (Kumano, Wakayama), beetroot powder
Producer:Usukawa Manju Gihei (Kushimoto, Wakayama) （External Link)
<Nerikiri Paste> white beans (Hokkaido), beet sugar, rice flour, lime zest, japanese yam, syrup, rose water/ beetroot powder, blue spirulina powder, gardenia (natural colour)
<Core Filling> white beans (Hokkaido), beet sugar, raspberry powder, syrup, rose water/ hinoki water (Kumano, Wakayama), beetroot powder
Allergen Information: japanese yam
Fragments of Morning Dew | Kingyokukan (Japanese Jewel Jelly)
The refreshing and vibrant taste of Kishu’s tender peas evokes the image of fresh green leaves in the season’s bloom. Like morning dew, the delicate sweetness is a fleeting freshness that must be cherished before it matures. The artisan, deeply familiar with the land, has painstakingly crafted this paste, gently infusing it with the fragrance of kuromoji twigs, Wakayama lime, and wild sansho leaves. Each bite is an evocation of a morning walk along the paths of the satoyama, the cultivated hillsides.
Producer: Kyōdo Meika-dokoro Fukuda (Gobo, Wakayama)（External Link)
Ingredients: Beet sugar (domestic), tender peas (Wakayama), agar, sansho (Wakayama), hinoki extract (Kumano, Wakayama), lime (Wakayama), elderflower syrup, mint, egg whites, syrup, kuromoji water (Kumano, Wakayama) / trehalose
Allergen Information: Egg
The Fruit of Hidden Realms | Gyūhi Mochi
In an untouched, secret forest, mysterious crimson fruits hang, ripening with a juicy abundance. The taste, akin to a forbidden fruit, is both sweet and tart, beautiful and profound. These mountain peaches and plums are combined with white bean paste and gently enveloped in gyūhi mochi. The distant scent of kuromoji from the forest adds a final note, creating a flavour that brings to mind the wild fruits rarely experienced.
Producer: Usukawa Manju Gihei (Kushimoto, Wakayama)（External Link)
Ingredients: white beans (Hokkaido), beet sugar, glutinous rice, plums (Wakayama), mountain peaches (Wakayama), lime juice, rose water, agar/ beetroot powder, kuromoji water, hinoki extract (Kumano, Wakayama), gold leaf
Allergen Information: None
Lotus Tofu | Sesame Tofu
A precious source of nutrition in Kōyasan’s Buddhist cuisine, sesame tofu is crafted using traditional methods, now enhanced with the addition of almond paste for deeper flavour and richness. The final touch is the addition of Kōyasan’s hinoki wood and a sauce made from red shiso and rose. Surrounded by the sacred peaks of Kōyasan, whose slopes have been woven with millennia of history, this dish evokes the sacred forests of the ancient mountain.
Producer: Kadohama Goma Tofu (Kōya, Wakayama)（External Link)
Ingredients: Sesame, Yoshino kudzu (Wakayama), beet sugar, almond paste, salt
<Sauce>: Red shiso juice (Wakayama), rose water, hinoki (Kōyasan, Wakayama)
Allergen Information: Sesame, almond
The Breeze of the Land and Soil | Potato Kinuta-maki
The rich earth is both fragrant and fertile. Wrapped in the delicate skin of traditional Nunohiki daikon, potatoes grown through natural farming methods are infused with the aromas of Japanese mint and sansho berries. This kinutamaki vinegared dish, a delicacy of refined Japanese culinary craftsmanship, carries a translucent, refreshing flavour that evokes the pure, crisp air of Wakayama’s great outdoors.
Producer: Shiki no Aji Chihiro (Wakayama City)（External Link)
Ingredients: Potatoes, daikon (Wakayama), rice vinegar, beet sugar, sansho (Wakayama), Japanese peppermint
Allergen Information: None
The Awakening Valley | Lily Root Kinton
Embraced by the fragrance of young leaves, the lily root, with its refined texture and smooth sweetness, carries the essence of sophisticated acidity and the scent of the earth. Infused with ginger and the salt of the Kuroshio Current, harvested from Wakayama’s sandy soil, the traditional soy sauce gently evokes the passage of time. From the forest to the sea, this dish, presented like a wagashi, expresses the unbroken cycle of nature’s rhythms.
Producer: Shiki no Aji Chihiro (Wakayama City)（External Link)
Ingredients: Lily root, beet sugar, salt (Kumano’s Kuroshio, Wakayama) , matcha, soy sauce (Wakayama), ginger (Wakayama)
Allergen Information: None
Dew of the Young Seedling | Sencha and Citrus Drink
At the foot of the forest, where the vibrant green of the leaves rises in waves, raindrops gently bounce off the tender tea leaves, which shimmer under the morning sun. These beautiful droplets quietly descend, blending with the forest’s fragrance before settling onto the earth. The cultivation of Kawa-zōe tea began around the year 1600, flourishing alongside the culture of Kishu. Using the finest new buds of first flush tea, harvested from the misty, temperature-differentiated mountain slopes, this drink is infused with the fresh aromas of lime, basil, and rosemary. It evokes the lush beauty of Wakayama’s satoyama in a refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail.
Producer: Kannon-yama Fruit Garden (Kinokawa, Wakayama)（External Link)
Ingredients: Lime juice (Wakayama), tea leaves (sencha, Wakayama), lime peel (Wakayama), rosemary (Wakayama), basil (Wakayama) / gardenia (natural colour)
Allergen Information: None
The Forest of Peach Blossom Springs | Peach and Hinoki Drink
As you stroll slowly through the deep forest, guided by the sweet aromas, you find yourself in a beautiful satoyama bathed in sunlight. Along the winding paths, an elegant, sweet fragrance rises. The fruits, heavy with ripeness, sway in the breeze as if dancing to the rhythm of the forest. This non-alcoholic sparkling cocktail combines the rich fragrance of peach skin, fig leaves, rose distillate, hinoki wood, and fig leaves, evoking the beauty and serenity of this peaceful woodland.
Producer: Kannon-yama Fruit Garden (Kinokawa, Wakayama)（External Link)
Ingredients: Granulated beet sugar (domestic), rose water, elderflower syrup, lime juice (Wakayama), lemon juice (Wakayama), peach skin (Wakayama), color powder, fig leaves (Wakayama), lime zest (Wakayama), hinoki (Wakayama, Kumano) / soda, citric acid, flavorings, concentrated sweet potato (natural colour), concentrated radish (natural colour), concentrated cherry (natural colour), concentrated apple (natural colour)
Allergen Information: Apple
※Please note that the shape of the confections may vary depending on the season.
Please choose one of the drinks.
All menu items are vegan and gluten-free.