Tofu and Yuba: Kyoto's Gentle Soy Cuisine and Its Temple Roots

Lower a block of tofu into a pot of warm water with a strip of kombu (dried kelp), wait a few minutes, and lift it out so soft and quivering that it barely holds its shape. Dip it in a soy based sauce with a little scallion and bonito flakes, and you have yudofu, one of the simplest and most admired dishes in Kyoto. There is almost nothing to it, which is exactly the point.

Tofu is among the most familiar foods in Japan, and its close relative yuba (tofu skin) is a quieter specialty with a long link to Buddhist temple cooking. This guide explains how both are made, how they arrived in Japan, why Kyoto became the center of tofu culture, and how to find the best examples when you visit.

How Tofu Is Made

Tofu begins as soy milk, made by soaking, grinding and straining soybeans. The soy milk is then coagulated into curds, which are pressed into blocks. Different coagulants give different results. Nigari, a magnesium chloride powder that Japan makes from seawater, is the classic choice. Calcium sulfate (gypsum) gives a smooth, tender texture, and glucono delta-lactone, a gentle coagulant, makes very fine silken tofu that can set in its own container.

Two basic types appear everywhere. Kinugoshi-dofu (silk-filtered tofu) is soft and unpressed, with a smooth, custard-like texture. Momen-dofu (cotton tofu) is firmer, drained and pressed, and holds its shape well enough to pick up with chopsticks. Tofu is about 90 percent water, which is one reason the quality of the water used in making it matters so much.

From China to the Japanese Table

Tofu came to Japan from China, probably during the Nara period (710 to 794), though clear records of the arrival are missing. Buddhist monks are credited with bringing it, and for a while it was known as a kind of Chinese curd. The earliest Japanese document about tofu describes it as an offering at Kasuga Shrine in Nara in 1183.

Through the following centuries it spread from temples to the wider population, becoming much more widely popular from the fourteenth century. By the Edo period tofu was a staple of city life. In 1782 a book called Tofu Hyakuchin ("One Hundred Tofu Dishes") was published, listing 100 recipes. That a whole cookbook could be devoted to a single ingredient shows how creative cooks had become with this humble block.

Kyoto and Its Soft Water

Kyoto is often considered the best source of tofu in Japan, and the main reason is its water. The area around the city is green and mountainous, with high quality soft water, and since tofu is mostly water, the difference shows in the taste. Kyoto also has many temples, and tofu became an essential ingredient in shojin ryori (devotional vegetarian temple cuisine), which helped build a diverse and complex tofu culture in the city.

Kyoto has many tofu shops, some established over a century ago. Some serve tofu dengaku, skewered tofu coated in kinome miso, which is miso mixed with sansho pepper sprouts, and slowly grilled over charcoal. Niken-jaya, two tea houses at the gates of Yasaka Shrine, were best known for this dish, and one still serves visitors today. Kikkoman's cultural writing says it has done so for over 400 years.

Yudofu and the Many Faces of Tofu

Yudofu is the dish most closely linked with Kyoto in winter. Kombu is placed in a pot of water, and cut blocks of tofu are heated gently in it. The warm tofu is served with a soy sauce based dip topped with Japanese long onion and katsuobushi (shaved dried bonito). A restaurant on the grounds of Nanzen-ji temple is especially famous for the dish, and the Nanzen-ji area is a classic place to eat it.

Tofu appears in many other forms. Aburaage is thin, deep-fried soft tofu, used in dishes such as inarizushi (rice in sweet tofu pockets) and kitsune udon. Atsuage is thicker fried tofu, and yaki-dofu is grilled. Hirousu, also called ganmodoki, is a fritter made from tofu mixed with carrot, ginkgo nut and lily root. Koya-dofu is freeze-dried tofu from Mount Koya, a center of shojin ryori, which is simmered before eating.

Everyday Tofu in Japanese Homes

Away from Kyoto, tofu is an everyday ingredient that shows up in nearly every kind of meal. Cubes of soft tofu float in miso soup, cold blocks are served in summer as hiyayakko with ginger, scallion and soy sauce, and firm tofu is stir-fried, simmered or crumbled into side dishes. Neighborhood tofu shops in some towns still make fresh blocks each morning, and supermarkets stock a wide range of packs, from silken to extra firm.

Tofu is also valued as a light, protein-rich food that fits into many dietary habits. Fried versions add richness, while chilled versions keep a meal refreshing in hot weather. This flexibility explains why a food that began in temples can now be found in izakaya menus, home kitchens and convenience store salads across the country.

What Is Yuba?

Yuba is the delicate film that forms on the surface when soy milk is heated, typically to about 80 to 90 degrees Celsius in a shallow pan. It is lifted off and eaten fresh or dried into sheets. Because no coagulant is used, it is not technically tofu. Fresh yuba is creamy yellow with a nutty, milky flavor, while dried yuba is rehydrated before use. The Japanese name is thought to come from a Chinese phrase read in Japan as tofu no uba, where uba means "old woman" or "wet nurse."

According to reference works, the earliest Japanese mention is in a tea ceremony diary from 1587, though some stories link yuba to the monk Saicho, founder of Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei, and to the monk Ganjin. Most scholars believe the technique came from China with Buddhist monks, who valued yuba as a vegetarian protein. In Kyoto it developed into Kyo-yuba, an elegant ingredient of shojin ryori and kaiseki (multi-course) dining. Similar yuba delicacies arose in other regions, including Nikko.

Temple Cuisine and Shojin Ryori

Shojin ryori is vegetarian cooking developed in Buddhist temples, where preparing a meal is seen as a spiritual practice that nourishes the body for study and meditation. Soto Zen founder Eihei Dogen wrote Tenzo kyokun ("Instructions for the Zen Cook"), in which he urges cooks to respect every ingredient, coarse or fine, and notes that a rich soup is no better than one made from wild herbs.

Tofu and yuba suit this approach naturally, since they provide plant protein and a soft, satisfying texture without meat or fish. Temples in Kyoto commonly serve shojin ryori, and some restaurants near them offer similar menus. Meals typically feature tofu in several forms, seasonal vegetables, pickles and rice, arranged simply and served in a calm setting that encourages slow eating.

Plan Your Tofu Journey

For the classic experience, visit Kyoto and book a yudofu meal near Nanzen-ji, especially on a cool day when the warm pot is welcome. Many restaurants offer set courses that include yuba, tofu dengaku and seasonal vegetables. Reservations are advisable for popular places and for temple meals, and hours can change, so check the restaurant's official site before you go.

Yuba can be tasted in several styles. Nama yuba (fresh yuba) is stacked, cut into bite-sized pieces and served sashimi style with soy sauce and wasabi or ponzu. Age yuba is deep-fried to a texture like puff pastry. Vegetarians and vegans should note that some broths and dipping sauces are made with fish stock, so ask about the dashi (broth) when ordering.