6.3.2 Kassui-ken: A Tapestry of Sweet and Savory#

On December 21st, after concluding our tour of Himeji Castle, we headed straight to Koko-en Garden. Since it was getting late, we decided to have lunch first at “Kassui-ken,” a restaurant located inside the garden.

The biggest selling point here is the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, which allows diners to feast their eyes on the beautiful scenery of the “Oyashiki-no-niwa” (Lord’s Residence Garden) while they eat.

In addition to the lunch set, I ordered a Japanese dessert—"Zenzai" (Sweet Red Bean Soup with Mochi).

When it was brought to the table, alongside the red bean soup and white mochi balls, there was a small saucer containing some unassuming “black strips.” As mentioned earlier, I rarely have the habit of “letting the camera eat first.” The only reason this photo exists is because I didn’t know what those strips were, so I snapped a picture specifically to send to Gemini for analysis.

The AI’s Answer#

Gemini’s answer: It was “Shio-kombu” (Salted Kelp).

This is a standard accompaniment when Japanese people eat sweet red bean soup. Its function is “kuchi-naoshi” (a palate cleanser)—used to reset the taste buds.

I took a sip of the red bean soup, then picked up a strand of salted kelp and placed it in my mouth.

It was truly a shock to the palate! The savory, umami saltiness of the kelp did not clash with the sweetness of the red beans; instead, it instantly cut through any cloying richness, making the next spoonful of soup taste even clearer and smoother.

This wisdom of “using salt to enhance sweetness” is starkly different from the Cantonese custom of “Red Bean Soup with Aged Tangerine Peel.” That contrast between salty and sweet was both bold and harmonious—truly worthy of praise!