Enjoy the elegant cuisine of Kyoto while listening to the sound of the pure mountain stream
  Kibune River is home to ayu (sweetfish) and iwana (char), and in summer the air is full of Genji fireflies. The pure mountain waters of Kibune River run for about 3 kilometers, and the river is one of the sources of the Kamo and Yodo rivers. After a short walk through the natural landscape of Kibune, from the Eizan Railway Kibuneguchi Station towards Kifune Shrine, you will see about 20 restaurants lining the path. Escaping the heat of summer at such restaurants along the river is an established custom in Kyoto where, in a special season, the shops along the river open; called Noryoyuka, Noryodoko, or Kawayuka (Kawadoko in Kibune and Kurama, but normally Kawayuka for the Kamogawa River), in the natural setting at Kibune, the atmosphere is very special, and the Kyoto cuisine and nagashi somen are a delight (From May through September every year). You can't talk about Kyoto cuisine without mentioning hamo (pike conger, or pike eel) dishes. In Japan this is considered a choice meal, but before the advent of modern methods of transportation, the superior vitality of the pike conger assured its survival even on the long trip to Kyoto: it was considered especially valuable for that reason and so this dish became strongly associated with Kyoto. Pike conger has many small bones, and it cannot be eaten without due preparation. Delicate cuts are made in the surface of the eel, and the bones are removed, in a special technique known as honekiri (literally, bone cutting). Next, the meat of the eel is placed in hot and then cool water, a process known as yubiki, the meat of ume* is added and then it is ready to be served in one of a variety of ways; it is often split and broiled or cooked as tempura (deep-fried with batter). Pike conger has a delicate light taste, but it is rich in vitamin A and protein, a perfect recipe to prevent weariness due to the heat of summer.
* The Japanese ume is often referred to as a type of plum, but it is actually a Japanese apricot.
   
Kawadoko (Restaurant and inn, Hirobun)
Kawadoko (Restaurant and inn, Hirobun)
Kawadoko
(Restaurant and inn, Hirobun)
The pure stream at Kibune   Pike conger cuisine (Yubiki-style, using hot and then cold water to prepare the meal)   Nagashi somen (fine noodles floated down a bamboo chute)
The pure stream at Kibune   Pike conger cuisine (Yubiki-style, using hot and then cold water to prepare the meal)   Nagashi somen (fine noodles floated down a bamboo chute)
 
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