Aman Kyoto (Kita-ku, Kyoto; General Manager Yasuo Mizobuchi) is serving autumn lunch and dinner courses at The Living Pavilion by Aman from Wednesday, September 16 through Tuesday, November 17, 2026. An afternoon tea reflecting the fruitful autumn season is also being held through Saturday, October 31, 2026. Guests can savor the limited-time courses while taking in the forest garden as its colors begin to change, with smoking, fermentation, and charcoal-grilling techniques carefully drawing out the flavor of each ingredient.
Autumn Lunch & Dinner Courses
The autumn lunch course is offered as seven or five dishes. The appetizer is kensaki squid lightly scented with smoke, paired with the mellow richness of avocado and the fresh tartness of pomegranate, with refreshing white celery and a rich squid-ink sauce adding depth. In-season sanma (Pacific saury) is marinated with autumn eggplant and fragrant red shiso from Ohara. Next comes a fritter of black maitake mushroom, served with a tabbouleh of tsurunoko soybeans and pearl barley for autumn flavor and texture.
The fish course is a confit of kue (longtooth grouper), prized for its rich fat and delicate texture, cooked slowly at a low temperature. A sauce built on the umami of shiitake mushrooms and richly flavored fermented butter accompanies the dish, with lotus root adding a pleasant texture.
For the main course, Nanatani duck raised amid the rich nature of Kameoka, Kyoto, is grilled over charcoal until fragrant. Its fine-grained meat and rich fat are layered with the toasty aroma of buckwheat, the aged umami of Kinzanji miso, and a black pepper–spiced sauce that further draws out the ingredient's flavor.
Dessert is a mille-feuille made with Tamba chestnuts, a signature flavor of autumn. Delicately layered pastry and the rich flavor of the chestnuts are given a light accent by the tartness of cassis, finished with Tamba chestnut ice cream for a dish that deepens the lingering taste of autumn.
A wellness menu is also available, featuring dishes such as a kitarra spaghetti made with multigrain rice and seasonal vegetables, offering the bounty of Kyoto's seasonal ingredients while providing a sense of connection to nature and helping guests find balance in body and mind.
The eight-course autumn dinner draws on the bounty of Kyoto's season alongside the chef's technique, carefully bringing out the character of each ingredient. The meal opens with a smooth crema made from pumpkin, its natural sweetness drawn out through fermentation, followed by a richly flavored ravioli carbonara made with guanciale from Kyoto's 中勢以 and Kyoto-grown eggs, among other dishes that incorporate fermentation and aging techniques.
The fish course features seasonal fresh fish grilled over charcoal, paired with autumn eggplant, fish sauce, and fresh cedar shoots gathered from Aman Kyoto's own forest garden, for a dish that carries the breath of the forest. The main course is sustainably raised Kuroge Wagyu beef grilled over an open wood fire, served with a hummus made from Kyoto-grown edamame, letting guests enjoy the robust aroma of the wood fire alongside the ingredient's natural umami.
The course closes with a dessert of in-season figs wrapped in a chocolate crêpe, served with toasty hazelnuts and a slightly bitter chocolate ice cream. Guests can savor the flavors of autumn at a leisurely pace while taking in the forest garden as its colors begin to change.
Period: September 16 (Wed) – November 17 (Tue), 2026
Price:
- Wellness Menu (four-course lunch): ¥12,000
- Chef's Recommended Menu (five-course lunch): ¥15,000
- Tasting Menu (seven-course lunch): ¥18,000
- Dining in the Forest (eight-course dinner): ¥24,000
Website: https://www.aman.com/ja-jp/resorts/aman-kyoto/dining/seasonal-dining-living-pavilion-aman
Afternoon Tea Reflecting the Fruitful Autumn
The welcome drink is a refreshing housemade ginger ale, served alongside kurikinton made with sweet, mellow Tamba chestnuts, setting the tone for a moment that captures the arrival of a bountiful autumn.
The first tier box features savory bites by Executive Chef Tatsuya Ozawa that reflect the season and the land. Highlights include a flan that captures the flavor of Tamba shimeji mushrooms with a smooth, cappuccino-style finish, and a terrine that balances the deep flavor of sanma smoked over Kitayama cedar grown at Aman Kyoto with the mellow sweetness of Kitaakari potatoes, both elegant expressions of autumn flavor.
The second tier features sweets by Executive Pastry Chef Hiroyuki Matsuo that reflect the fruitful autumn. Highlights include an adorable sweet styled after Izutsu namayatsuhashi shaped like cosmos flowers, a butter sandwich pairing ripe, tender Kyoto-grown figs with a slightly bitter caramel sauce, and a mille-feuille layering the gentle sweetness of Fuyu persimmon with the toasty aroma of pastry, for a charming, colorful selection woven with seasonal ingredients and Japanese touches.
The finale, finished tableside, is housemade warabi mochi in September and a specialty monaka original to Aman Kyoto in October.
Guests can enjoy an elegant afternoon alongside a selection of 20 kinds of tea, taking in the forest garden as it begins to show the first signs of autumn.
Period: Through October 31 (Sat), 2026
Time: From 3:00 PM
Price: ¥12,000, includes a glass of champagne
Website: https://www.aman.com/ja-jp/resorts/aman-kyoto/dining/seasonal-afternoon-tea-aman-kyoto
Tatsuya Ozawa, Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage, Aman Kyoto
Ozawa moved to Italy at age 23 and trained under top chefs at restaurants including a two-Michelin-starred establishment. In 2015, he placed in one of Japan's largest culinary competitions dedicated to discovering new-generation talent. From 2017, he served as head chef of an Italian restaurant at a Kyoto luxury hotel, then joined Aman Kyoto as head chef in 2020 before being named executive chef in 2023. "At Aman Kyoto, surrounded by beautiful nature, I want to focus on locally sourced ingredients and deliver a dining experience that's simple yet profound — dishes that could only come from this place," he says.
Hiroyuki Matsuo, Executive Pastry Chef
Matsuo trained at luxury hotels in the Kansai region, drawing on more than 40 years of technique and sensibility to create numerous original desserts. He has also devoted himself to mentoring the next generation, and many of his students now work across Japan. As a confectionery artisan, he is also recognized for his work in sugar and pastry display and craft, with a number of awards to his name. Aman Kyoto's signature afternoon tea — Western-style sweets as delicate and lovely as traditional wagashi, reflecting the season — offers guests a beautiful experience for the eyes as well as the palate.
