Tofu skin lifted from boiling soymilk, served as sashimi, rolled in dashi or wrapped around vegetables. A Kyoto Higashiyama specialty since the 1600s.

Yuba arrived in Kyoto from Song China in the 12th century with the same Buddhist monks who introduced matcha and shojin-ryori. The Higashiyama tofu houses around Nanzen-ji codified yuba-making, lifting the surface skin off heated soymilk one sheet at a time. The dish anchors every shojin-ryori menu in the city; fresh yuba sashimi (eaten with soy and a touch of wasabi) and yuba rolls in dashi are the two canonical preparations. Sohonke Yudofu Okutan has served yuba since 1635.

Where to eat Yuba in Kyoto

5 editor picks for Yuba in Kyoto, ranked by editorial score. All Kyoto signature dishes · Yuba across every city.

Make it at home

Serves 230 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 400ml unsweetened soymilk (the highest-quality you can find)
  • Wide shallow pan
  • Wooden chopsticks for lifting
  • Light soy sauce, wasabi, dashi for serving

Method

  1. Pour the soymilk into a wide, shallow pan; the pan should be wider than tall to maximise surface area.
  2. Heat the soymilk gently over low heat to 80C; do not let it boil.
  3. After 3-4 minutes a thin skin will form on the surface; lift one edge with chopsticks and drape the sheet across the pan rim.
  4. Continue for 6-8 more sheets, each forming in 2-3 minutes; collect in a stack.
  5. Serve fresh yuba sheets folded on a small plate as sashimi with soy and wasabi.
  6. For a hot dish, fold the yuba sheets into rolls and warm briefly in a kombu dashi with a splash of mirin and light soy.

Editor tip. The lower the heat, the better the skin; 80C is the sweet spot, boiling soymilk gives you a cloud, not a sheet.

Common allergens: Soy.