Kyoto Machichuka Club: Nishijin Roman Chapter

Behind the well-known "Kyoto flavors" of obanzai and kaiseki cuisine, there lies the traditional Kyoto *machi-chūka* (local Chinese restaurants) that have long thrived among the common people. This book, "Kyoto Machi-Chūka Club," was created with the aim of archiving these *machi-chūka*, which are gradually disappearing with the changing times, while also tracing Kyoto's history.
The commemorative inaugural issue features the "Nishijin" area. It includes a silent manga over 60 pages long, depicting memories of "Nishijin-tei," which closed in 2020, as well as essays and columns that trace the history of "Nishijin" back to the Ōnin War and the origins of textiles. Additionally, it is packed with niche yet useful articles such as "Chinese Restaurant Classification," an attempt to categorize and introduce Kyoto's Chinese restaurants by genre (from high-end Chinese to China, machi-China, machi-chūka, large-scale machi-chūka, and chain Chinese restaurants), and "Yakisoba Classification," which categorizes yakisoba from Chinese restaurants whose flavors and perceptions vary by establishment and region. Conceived three years ago and launched two and a half years ago, this popular work has gained a wide readership thanks to the creators' passion, selling out multiple print runs at an exceptional speed for a little press. Please enjoy the "flavor" unique to independent publishing, such as additions in later editions and subtly different paper qualities.