5 Delicious Restaurants to Visit in Gion: From Traditional Japanese Cuisine to Everyday Flavors | Kyoto Gion Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Reservation Guide-

Update-date: Oct 10 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

5 Delicious Restaurants to Visit in Gion: From Traditional Japanese Cuisine to Everyday Flavors | Kyoto Gion

In the bustling district of Gion, which is one of Kyoto's top attractions, a variety of restaurants compete, ranging from traditional kaiseki establishments where one can savor authentic Kyoto cuisine to izakayas offering delicious meals at reasonable prices. Visitors can enjoy the luxury unique to Gion at high-end restaurants or discover new charms of Gion at casual dining spots. Why not encounter the various faces of Gion?

See full listings of Japanese Cuisine restaurants found in and around Kyoto.

1. Japanese Cuisine [CAFE RESTAURANT Yayoi]

Enjoying chirimen sansho and Kyoto tsukudani with freshly cooked rice.

Located near Yasaka Shrine, CAFE RESTAURANT Yayoi is a specialty store for chirimen sansho and Kyoto tsukudani. The popular menu item is the 'Ochazuke Zen.' This set meal includes freshly cooked rice, prepared in a clay pot after the order is received, along with a selection of chirimen sansho, tsukudani, dashimaki tamago, and Kyoto side dishes that pair well with the rice. It is recommended to enjoy the first bowl as it is to savor the original flavor of the rice, and for the second bowl, to make ochazuke with the original dashi.

Inside the restaurant, which has a hidden atmosphere at the end of a stone-paved corridor, there are wooden table seats perfect for dining with special people. The tables are arranged with ample space in between, allowing tourists with luggage to use the space comfortably. Enjoy Japanese cuisine in a calm environment.

CAFE RESTAURANT Yayoi

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (L.O. 5:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from Gion Bus Stop of the Municipal Bus.
Address: 481, Gion Shimogawara Kiyoi-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto
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2. Kyoto French Cuisine [Gion Vitra]

A Special Moment of Kyoto French Cuisine for the Five Senses - [Gion Vitra]

Located just a 3-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, Gion Vitra offers a delightful experience of "Kyoto French," which incorporates French culinary techniques with Japanese elements. The dishes, focused on local production for local consumption and seasonal ingredients, can be enjoyed through a collaboration of aromas, cooking sounds, and beautiful tableware that engage all five senses. The popular "Roasted Black Wagyu Beef with Hojicha Smoke" allows guests to savor two types of black wagyu beef, roast and fillet, smoked with hojicha leaves. Additionally, each dish is paired with selections chosen by a sommelier, enhancing the flavors of the ingredients.

Inside the restaurant, there are counter seats with comfortable chairs and beautifully crafted, heavy tables. The space is filled with beautiful decor, including tableware and paintings, allowing guests to enjoy an extraordinary experience. How about spending a special moment with a loved one at this restaurant, where exquisite flavors, ambiance, and hospitality come together?

Gion Vitra

Open: Dinner 6:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 30,000 JPY
Access: About 3-minute walk from Gion-shijo Station on Keihan Electric Railway Keihan Main Line
Address: 2F, 4-4, Kawabata 4-jyo agaru Benzaiten-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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3. Curry [Coltrane Kyoto Branch]

Enjoy the ultimate Tonkatsu Curry with the sound of Jazz

Located just a 1-minute walk from Kyoto City Hall Station, "Coltrane" is a restaurant that serves unforgettable Tonkatsu Curry. The curry, based on the sweet and spicy Western-style curry from Osaka's curry culture, is arranged to match Tonkatsu. The Tonkatsu, made from thick-cut San-Yuan pork, offers a choice between fillet and loin.

The name "Coltrane" expresses the desire to become a curry restaurant that, like Jazz giant John Coltrane, who left many famous records as a tenor saxophonist, will remind you of the same taste and memories even after tomorrow, several months or years. Jazz flows in the restaurant, and you can enjoy the ultimate curry with the tones of Jazz. Once you visit, you will surely want to visit again.

Coltrane Kyoto Branch

Open: 11:30 am - 6:30 pm (L.O. 6:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on municipal subway, 5-minute walk from Sanjo Station on Keihan Line, and 10-minute walk from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station
Address: 502-2, Kamikoriki-cho, Kiyacho-dori Nijo-kudaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Map
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4. Dining Bar [GION Yamane-ko]

Enjoy Kyoto's local sake and craft beer in a 150-year-old former tea house.

Located a 7-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, GION Yamaneko is a dining bar with three sake sommeliers. It offers a wide selection of drinks, including seven types of craft beer and over 50 varieties of sake, as well as gin, whiskey, and umeshu, all focusing on Kyoto-produced beverages. The drink menu also includes a variety of non-alcoholic options, making it suitable for café use. The food items that pair well with the drinks are also worth checking out.

The restaurant is a former tea house located in a traditional Kyoto machiya. With a grand machiya that is 150 years old, lanterns hang down, exuding a typical Kyoto atmosphere. The first floor features a counter and table seating for a total of 23 seats, while the second floor offers sofa seating for up to 10 people. The modern interior, which blends Japanese and Western styles, is very stylish. The ambiance is comfortable and inviting, making it easy for solo visitors to stop by. It is recommended for quick drinks, daytime drinking, or when one wants to relax and enjoy a drink.

GION Yamaneko

Open: 1:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O.10:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY
Access: 502m from Gion-shijo Station
Address: 321-1, Kitagawa, Gion-machi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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5. French Kaiseki at Gion Okumura

The long-established 'French kaiseki' restaurant stimulates the five senses.

A long-established restaurant of "French kaiseki" that stimulates the five senses.

Located in Gion, Kyoto, [Gion Okumura] has been loved for over 40 years as a long-established restaurant that combines Kyoto kaiseki and French cuisine into a unique "French kaiseki". The highlight of this restaurant is the two types of "omakase French kaiseki" that can be enjoyed, and by pairing it with wine, guests can experience even more delightful flavors.

5 Delicious Restaurants to Visit in Gion: From Traditional Japanese Cuisine to Popular Local Flavors | Kyoto, Gion

The restaurant features a calm space that has been renovated from a traditional town house, offering five completely private rooms with different atmospheres. It is perfect for couples looking to enjoy a unique French or Japanese dining experience. This is a recommended place to fully savor dishes that embody the seasonal beauty and flavors.

Gion Okumura

Open: [Wednesday - Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (L.O. 1:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 7:30 pm)
Closed: Monday, Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 20,000 JPY / [Lunch] 12,000 JPY
Access: 5-minute walk from Exit 6 of Gion-shijo Station on the Keihan Main Line
Address: 570-6, Gionmachi-Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
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Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.