Update-date: Oct 10 2024
Known as the millennium capital and long considered the heart of Japan, Kyoto is also a cradle of various cultures, including Japanese cuisine. As the center of politics and religion, the foundations of Japanese cuisine were established here. Why not savor traditional Japanese dishes in Kyoto? Enjoy authentic flavors with dishes like eel, tempura, and sashimi.
1. Aged Sashimi and Fine Sake at Kyoto Hitoshio
Enjoy rare aged sashimi and local sake in a private space
Located just an 8-minute walk from Karasuma Station, Kyoto Hitoshio offers a rare delicacy in Kyoto, "aged sashimi." The fresh fish, delivered directly from fishermen in Maizuru and Ehime, is killed using a method known as "Tsumoto-style" which involves bleeding the fish, and then aged to enhance its rich and flavorful taste. Guests can enjoy these delicacies along with carefully selected local sake chosen by the restaurant owner. The restaurant also recommends "Kyoto-style obanzai," which features local Kyoto ingredients and a special broth.
Guests are welcomed by a space adorned in a modern Japanese style with jazz music playing in the background. The interior, decorated with traditional Japanese furnishings, feels like a hidden gem. There is also a quintessentially Kyoto-style courtyard, where one can indulge in the luxury of dining while appreciating the beauty of the garden. The counter seats facing the courtyard are perfect for those who prioritize privacy.
Aged Sashimi And Fine Sake at Kyoto Hitoshio
Open: [Monday, Wednesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:15 pm)
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY
Access: 8-minute walk from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line. It is located east of Rokkaku-dori Tominokoji-dori Street.
Address: 1F, Sylvoupre Bldg., 88, Daikoku-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY
Access: 8-minute walk from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line. It is located east of Rokkaku-dori Tominokoji-dori Street.
Address: 1F, Sylvoupre Bldg., 88, Daikoku-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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2. Eel and Sansho Gogyou
Enjoy the exceptional, carefully selected eel near Nijo Castle
The popular sweets shop, Kyoto Marumochiya, operates the eel specialty restaurant Unagi Sansho Gogyo, located just a 3-minute walk from Nijojo-mae Station. They offer eel dishes such as unadon and hitsumabushi, meticulously prepared with ingredients like Japanese eel that meets strict international standards, rice from the historic Kyoto rice dealer Yadaime Gihei, and premium grape sansho from Wakayama. A selection of sake from Kyoto's breweries is also available, and guests can enjoy comparing different types with the "Sake Tasting Set."
The interior of the restaurant features modern spaces filled with jazz music. Subdued lighting creates a calm atmosphere, making it hard to believe it's an eel restaurant, resembling more of a bar. Enjoy a voluminous serving of eel in this extraordinary setting. You can also taste the famous dessert from Kyoto Marumochiya, "Mizu Maru Mochi," where a toothpick poked into a balloon causes it to burst and pop out delightfully.
Unagi Sansho Gogyou
Open: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Access: 3-minute walk from Nijojo-mae Station on the Subway Tozai Line
Address: 1F, Oike Royal Mansion, 137-3, Shikiami-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Access: 3-minute walk from Nijojo-mae Station on the Subway Tozai Line
Address: 1F, Oike Royal Mansion, 137-3, Shikiami-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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3. Doi Katsu Unagi Kinkakuji Restaurant
Enjoy Kansai-style eel grilled over charcoal at a reasonable price
Just a one-minute walk from the Kinkakuji-michi bus stop, Doi Katsuo Unagi Kinkakuji Restaurant specializes in eel dishes. They fillet and skewer the eel on-site, then grill it over charcoal, offering high-quality eel at reasonable prices. The eel, grilled in the Kansai style, features crispy skin and fluffy flesh. Enjoy the "Supreme Whole Eel Box" where one can savor an entire eel, or the luxurious Kinkakuji Restaurant exclusive "Deluxe Gold Leaf Whole Eel Box" sprinkled with gold flakes.
Located near the World Heritage site Kinkaku-ji, this restaurant attracts numerous tourists from both domestic and international locations. The interior of the restaurant evokes the luxurious Japanese ambiance reminiscent of Kinkaku-ji itself. Guests can relax comfortably while savoring the aromatic grilled eel. Its convenient location makes it an easy stop for tourists, perfect for taking a break after a long walk.
Doikatsuman Kinkakuji Restaurant
Open: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm (L.O 7:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 4,500 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Kinkakuji-michi bus stop
Address: 2F, 13, Kinugasagaido-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 4,500 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Kinkakuji-michi bus stop
Address: 2F, 13, Kinugasagaido-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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4. Kyoto Cuisine Matsusho
Kyoto cuisine made with Kameoka vegetables, nurtured by beautiful waters and fertile land
Located just a 10-minute walk from Umahori Station, Matsusho is a Japanese restaurant that has been serving Kyoto cuisine for over 85 years. Blessed with abundant water and fertile land, Tamba-Kameoka produces seasonal ingredients that are featured in their Kyoto dishes. A signature dish that allows diners to fully appreciate the blessings of Kameoka is the "Grilled Kameoka Beef and Seasonal Tamba Vegetables." The dish features sirloin from Kuroge Wagyu, Kameoka beef, delicately grilled to perfection. It is served with a combination of fresh, seasonal local vegetables, making it a deeply flavorful dish.
Upon entering the traditional Japanese restaurant housed in a detached residence adorned with seasonal flowers in the garden, one finds themselves in a space filled with Japanese aesthetics. The restaurant features various types of private rooms, both large and small, including tatami rooms with sunken kotatsu, table seating, a tea room, and a large hall that can accommodate up to 50 guests. These spaces can be utilized depending on the number of people and the occasion. The room that offers a view of the cherry trees is so popular that reservations for spring start in the previous autumn.
Kyo Ryori Matsusyo
Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 6,000 JPY
Access: 10-minute walk from Umahori Station / 10-minute walk from Kameoka Station on the Sagano Kanko Railway trolley train
Address: 91-1, Shinokamikitaura, Shino-cho, Kameoka-shi, Kyoto
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Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 6,000 JPY
Access: 10-minute walk from Umahori Station / 10-minute walk from Kameoka Station on the Sagano Kanko Railway trolley train
Address: 91-1, Shinokamikitaura, Shino-cho, Kameoka-shi, Kyoto
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5. Tomikouji Tempura Matsui
Enjoy authentic Kyoto-style tempura of the season casually at the counter
Located just a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station, Tempura Matsui on Tomikoji Street offers a once-in-a-lifetime course experience at their tempura restaurant. Guests can enjoy Kyoto-style tempura made with fresh ingredients such as live shrimp freshly caught from the tank, local vegetables, and seasonal fish. The evening course includes sashimi and dessert, ensuring both your stomach and heart are satisfied. During lunchtime, guests can savor seasonal tempura at a reasonable price through accessible courses and tendon (tempura rice bowl).
The restaurant's interior, marked by a large counter, exudes a calm atmosphere with the warmth of wood and a sense of openness, allowing guests to relax comfortably. From the counter seats facing the kitchen, one can closely observe the chefs at work, making the wait for the food enjoyable. Enjoy seasonal sake from Kyoto, among others, while savoring tempura made from carefully selected ingredients of the day.
Tominokoji Tempura Matsui
Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: From Karasuma Oike Station, take Exit 5 and head east on Sanjo Street, then turn right at Tominokoji Street, and it's a one-minute walk.
Address: 1F, Tominokoji Mansion, 540, Asakura-cho, Sanjo-sagaru, Tominokoji, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: From Karasuma Oike Station, take Exit 5 and head east on Sanjo Street, then turn right at Tominokoji Street, and it's a one-minute walk.
Address: 1F, Tominokoji Mansion, 540, Asakura-cho, Sanjo-sagaru, Tominokoji, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.
