Cooking Garden Charanke Restaurant

There is nothing better in summer than hitting the beach for a swim in the ocean, but what if you're stuck in the city? Kyoto is one of the hottest cities in the Kansai area, being situated far from the sea and surrounded by mountains: Higashiyama, Kitayama and Arashiyama. With the sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters of Okinawa so far away, we can still imagine the Okinawan lifestyle right here in Kyoto.

Cooking Garden Charanke Restaurant (楽園料理チャランケ​), located at the Jamhouse Homestay, represents Okinawan culture and cuisine. It is located near Nijo Castle and Horikawa River, which lend a serene mood not unlike that of a tropical island. The whole restaurant is open to the elements. From starters to main courses, there are lots of authentic Okinawa dishes for you to choose from. The signature dish is goya chanpuru, a stir-fried concoction of goya, egg, tofu, pork, noodles and plenty of vegetables.

Accompanied by Orion, the Okinawa brewed beer, you can definitely start to imagine a proper summer breeze.

Located in Nakagyo-ku, I found my way here using my LTE Pocket Wi-Fi device - there is great coverage around Kyoto and not to mention around the rest of Japan.