Kazuyuki Miyamoto

Yakuzen is the ancient Japanese-Chinese practice of using food as medicine, with roots in Tang-dynasty Chinese medicine. Miyamoto applies this philosophy to Nara's extraordinary botanical landscape — wild mountain vegetables, medicinal herbs from the Yoshino mountains — creating Chinese-Japanese cuisine with therapeutic intent.

Kazuyuki Miyamoto leads Chugoku-sai Naramachi Kuko in Nara's historic Naramachi district, earning 1 Michelin Star and 1 Green Star. His cuisine blends Cantonese and Sichuan traditions with yakuzen (medicinal food philosophy), using Nara's organic and wild ingredients. The restaurant's name references the wolfberry (kuko) — a medicinal ingredient central to his cooking.

Japan — trained in Chinese culinary traditions (Cantonese and Sichuan); developed yakuzen medicinal food philosophy

Career

• Chef at Chinese restaurants in Japan, Kansai, Japan (1990s–2010s)
• Chef-Owner at Chugoku-sai Naramachi Kuko, Naramachi, Nara (2010s–present)

Mentored by Chinese culinary tradition (Cantonese/Sichuan).