Before our kitchen team arrived in Kyoto to create the menu, our researchers travelled the length and breadth of Japan in search of natural wines and specialist sake brewers, master fermenters, knives by generations of artisans, tableware created by potters and cutlers, rare seaweeds and fresh produce from the cycle ofJapanese micro-seasons. We developed an extensive network of craftspeople, artisans, chefs, farmers, foragers. We hiked with monks, fished for seaweed, scoured flea markets for decor details, collectively driven by our hunger for discovery. And always, we ate and ate and ate.

The results of our adventures are the beating heart of this magazine, and the foundation for this guide to Kyoto and beyond. The information in NOMA IN KYOTO, everything our team saw, learned, loved, and did, would be difficult to access unless you were a local or a Japanese speaker. We explored every corner of Kyoto from mountains and temples to wineries, miso factories, noodle shops, Michelin-starred restaurants, art, ramen, and coffee.

At a minimum, these pages will help you find deliciousness when you visit. But the greater hope is that they will inspire a few readers who are new to the subject to build a sustained relationship with Japan.