Portrait of Harutoshi Kitsukawa
i. Biography
Before Harutoshi Kitsukawa opened Washoku Haru in Kyoto, the work began in training at Wakuden, where rigor and technique set the basis for his cooking. That lineage shows in the finished restaurant: instead of pushing toward high-end dining, he chose a very casual izakaya and shaped the menu around food he would want to eat freely. The result is a plainspoken standard of care—precision without stiffness, discipline without display.
The Path
Harutoshi Kitsukawa trained at Wakuden, laying the foundation for a career shaped by precision and discipline. Today, Harutoshi is chef of Washoku Haru (since 2015). The restaurant stands as a clear expression of that path: not a theatrical leap away from tradition, but a quietly confident continuation of it, filtered through the relaxed energy of a place where the food is meant to be enjoyed with ease.
The Work Today
Today, Kitsukawa’s work is centered on casual washoku and izakaya fare. The cooking stays close to everyday Japanese food, then introduces small, well-judged turns that shift the dish without burdening it. That balance is the point at Washoku Haru: familiar forms handled with restraint, so comfort and attention can sit in the same plate. The potato salad shows that method clearly. Instead of being mashed, the potatoes are kept whole and fluffy, then dressed in a creamy sauce that reframes the dish without overcomplicating it. The idea is not to disguise the form, but to make a familiar plate feel freshly observed. It lands with the quiet satisfaction of a dish that respects memory while nudging it slightly off course. Sabazushi carries the same discipline in another register. The thick mackerel pressed sushi roll is presented simply and executed with precision, depending on proportion, restraint, and the confidence to let the preparation read cleanly. Its strength lies in clarity: the kind of dish that does not need embellishment to feel complete, because the structure itself has been so carefully considered. Together, those dishes explain why the restaurant’s casualness is not casual carelessness. Washoku Haru’s ease is earned, not improvised; its relaxed atmosphere rests on the kind of culinary judgment that knows when to stop, when to preserve a texture, and when a small departure can make a familiar dish feel newly alive.
Career - Chef — Washoku Haru, Kyoto, Japan (2015–present) Education: Wakuden
Signature
Harutoshi's signature dishes include potato salad and sabazushi.
In Their Words “I wanted to open a restaurant where I could eat as much as I want of what I want.”
FAQ What is Harutoshi Kitsukawa's current role? As of 2026, Harutoshi Kitsukawa is Chef and Owner. Where did Harutoshi Kitsukawa train or study? Harutoshi Kitsukawa trained at Wakuden. What recognition has Harutoshi Kitsukawa received? MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand (2024).
The Sunday letter
Get new profiles like Harutoshi Kitsukawa every Sunday.
One email a week with the chefs, winemakers and artisans we have just profiled, and the places they run.
One email a week. Unsubscribe from any issue.
The Sunday letter
Get the next Made By profile in your inbox.
We send one email every Sunday morning with the people we profiled that week.
One email a week. Unsubscribe from any issue.