Kajitsu - About

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.

Shojin Cuisine

Shiro Tsujimura

The shapes "" were sketched by the Zen monk Sengai Osho (1750-1837), to illustrate one of the most essential principals of Zen: the journey to bring meaning out of something that seems to have none. At Kajitsu we use this symbol to show our respect for Zen philosophy and the traditions of shojin cuisine.

Pottery

In traditional Japanese cuisine the dishware is an integral part of the meal. The dishes used at Kajitsu were specially selected for this space, and include pieces created by master Japanese potters over 200 years ago as well as works by modern ceramic artists. Since the unique color and quality of these pieces cannot be reproduced, dishes are carefully repaired if they are chipped or damaged. You may notice small patches on some of the dishes used at Kajitsu; this is an indication of our deep respect for the work of old masters, and for the shojin tradition of frugality and respect.

Ryota Ueshima

Executive Chef Ueshima was born and raised in Kyoto, the epicenter of Kaiseki Cuisine. At the age of 18, while attending a culinary school, he started working at Hyotei, one of Kyoto's top Kaiseki restaurants, which received 3 Michelin stars. Working at Hyotei for 10 years, he fully acquired the culinary knowledge and techniques of traditional Japanese cuisine. In 2000 Chef Ueshima joined Wakuden Group that operated several Kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto and other cities in Japan.
In 2005 he was promoted to become Executive Chef at Wakuden in Nagoya. Until he came to the United States in March 2012,

As he takes the executive chef position at Kajitsu, Chef Ueshima looks forward to demonstrating how he utilizes local vegetables and creates dishes with traditional Japanese culinary techniques and allowing the guests to discover different flavors and tastes of the familiar ingredients. In Kaiseki Cuisine, a multi-course meal, he believes no single dish should outplay other dishes, but all integrate with one another and create harmony as a whole.

"Kaiseki is the pinnacle of modern Japanese cuisine, developed from the tradition of cha-kaiseki, a cuisine served at tea ceremony events. Cha-kaiseki itself evolved from shojin cuisine. For this reason, I believe that shojin cuisine embodies the spirit and the origin of all Japanese culinary categories while dealing with the constraints of not using foods of animal origin, of striving to get the very best out of each ingredient, and of using one's creative ingenuity to entertain the customers. I hope all these elements will incorporate into my cooking."

"I entered the culinary world by practicing Kaiseki cuisine, using various kinds of ingredients, including meat and fish. I am not an expert on Buddhism or vegetarianism, but my goal as a chef is to open up new frontiers in shojin cuisine by utilizing Japanese culinary skills while incorporating many ingredients unconventional in traditional shojin cooking."