🍜 Nikko Yuba Maki - ZEN

Located on the Nikko Street near the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, this modern Japanese restaurant is a renovated old residence. The star of the menu is the Nikko Yuba (tofu skin), a specialty of Nikko City in Tochigi Prefecture, which wraps around rice and local ingredients to create Nikko Yuba Maki. The young chef, Naoki Saito, who has honed his skills in both French and Japanese cuisine, personally selects ingredients such as the premium Nikko Highland Wagyu, Tochigi Wagyu, and seasonal local vegetables with a discerning eye, crafting dishes that beautifully integrate with the Nikko Yuba. There are three types of Yuba Maki, including the "Wagyu and Wasabi Yuba Maki" with Tochigi Wagyu and wasabi leaves, a Yuba Maki with sea bream and mitsuba, and a Yuba Maki with wild vegetables and seasonal produce. For lunch, the recommended dish is the Nikko Yuba Maki Set, featuring the popular Tochigi Wagyu and wasabi leaf Yuba Maki, accompanied by side dishes, soup, and homemade soy sauce pickles. In addition to the savory dishes, the dessert "Nama Yuba Mizu Dou" crafted by the chef is also extremely delicious. This dessert features a sauce based on soy milk, combined with sweetened black beans, matcha agar, shiratama (rice dumplings), and fresh Nikko Yuba, creating a uniquely styled Yuba dessert.

Nikko Yuba Maki is a new specialty of Nikko that can only be tasted at this restaurant. It features local ingredients such as Wagyu beef and seasonal vegetables, combined with Nikko Yuba to create a unique dish. The dessert, "Nama Yuba Mizu Dou," is a creatively styled Yuba dessert that offers a fresh take.