5 Recommended Kaiseki Restaurants to Visit When Touring Kyoto Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Reservation Guide-

Update-date: May 12 2025

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Kaiseki Tempura Japanese Cuisine Kyoto

Kyoto, which served as the capital for over 1,000 years, is considered the center of Japanese culinary culture, with many restaurants offering exquisite dishes characterized by delicate flavors and meticulous presentation. Among these, kaiseki cuisine, a multi-course meal featuring refined Japanese dishes, is a must-try experience for understanding Japan's food culture. It is recommended to enjoy kaiseki cuisine leisurely in Kyoto.

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

Kyoto Gion Kawamura Ryorihei Gion North Side Restaurant

Located a 6-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, Kyoto Gion Kawamura Ryorihei Gion North Side Restaurant specializes in kaiseki cuisine that highlights seasonal ingredients. The menu changes monthly, featuring the freshest ingredients at their peak. The lunch-only "Seasonal Set Meal" offers a colorful presentation with seasonal simmered dishes, grilled items, and desserts. In the evening, kaiseki courses are available to suit various budgets.

5 Recommended Kaiseki Restaurants to Visit When Touring Kyoto

The interior of the restaurant, renovated from a traditional Kyoto townhouse, offers an authentic Kyoto atmosphere. Counter seats are convenient for solo travelers and couples, and private rooms are available for groups. If requested by the day before, the restaurant can prepare a children's meal called 'Okosama Gozen' tailored to the child's age, making it a comfortable choice for families. English support is also available.

Kyoto Gion Kawamuraryorihei

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,500 JPY
Access: 6-minute walk from Keihan main Line [Gion-Shijo Station] No.7 exit / 9-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line [Kawaramachi Station] 1-A exit
Address: 347-96 Gionmachi-kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto city, Kyoto

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Yuba Cuisine Higashiyama Yuzu

Higashiyama Yuzu, a yuba cuisine restaurant located an 8-minute walk from Gion Shijo Station, specializes in yuba dishes made from carefully selected high-quality soybeans. The yuba, made only from Kyoto-grown soybeans and water, features the original flavor of the beans and a natural sweetness. Guests can enjoy a variety of dishes, including tempura using dried yuba as batter, a tasting comparison with black yuba made from black soybeans from Tanba, dishes using Kyoto Miyama chicken, and seasonal Kyoto vegetables.

The interior of the restaurant, like a hidden gem in Gion, features a clean Japanese style that creates a calm and refined atmosphere. During lunchtime, specialty dishes such as 'Yuba-meshi' (rice with yuba) and 'Yuba-nabe' (yuba hot pot) are served, while authentic kaiseki cuisine is offered in the evening. A wide variety of drinks, including wine, are also available.

Yuba Higashiyamayuuzu

Open: [Fridays-Sundays] Lunch 11:00 pm - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: 7 minute walk from Gion Shijo station on the Keihan main line.
Address: 570-218 Gionmachiminamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

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Gion Owatari

Located a 10-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, Gion Owatari is a restaurant where guests can enjoy carefully crafted Kyoto cuisine developed through original research. The menu consists solely of an omakase course. Among the dishes, the "Crab Shinjo Soup" features live snow crab caught in Hamasaka, Hyogo Prefecture, which is boiled in salted water and quickly cooled to enhance the crab's natural umami and sweetness.

The interior of the restaurant, housed in an old private residence in Gion, exudes a traditional Kyoto atmosphere. It is an elegant space with only eight seats arranged along a magnificent single-slab counter. The dishes used for serving range from antiques approximately 400 years old to works by contemporary artists, enhancing the cuisine that reflects the owner's vision. The sake, personally selected by the owner, includes renowned brands from Kyoto as well as various regions across Japan.

Gion Owatari

Open: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 15,000 JPY
Access: Keihan Main Line, 10 minutes from Gion-Shijo Station (if you're coming by car, it's very close to the Higashiyama-Yasui traffic light)
Address: 570-265 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto *Reservations only acceptable from your hotel concierge.

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Kyosei

Kyosei, located a 4-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, is a tempura restaurant run by three generations. The menu consists solely of a 17 to 18 item course, offering delicate tempura that highlights the natural flavors of the ingredients. The visually stunning "Wakasagi" is a dish that appears as if the fish are swimming. Guests can enjoy tempura prepared using techniques passed down through generations, including egg-free batter and a uniquely blended salt.

The restaurant has only 10 counter seats, and the owner is particular about always leaving one seat empty between each group. This spacing allows customers to focus on the tempura without worrying about those around them. Despite being a historic and renowned establishment, it offers a casual atmosphere where even first-time visitors can feel relaxed.

Kyoboshi

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY
Access: 384 meters from Gionshijo Station
Address: 1F, Futaba Bldg., Hanamikoji-Sueyoshicyo-Higashiiru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

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Ajifukushima

Ajifukushima, located a 5-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, is a kaiseki restaurant operated by a teahouse in the Gion entertainment district. Guests can enjoy the "Omakase Course," which allows them to experience the four seasons of Kyoto through delicately seasoned dishes that highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients. The restaurant offers an exquisite dining experience, with meticulous attention given to everything from ingredient sourcing and cooking techniques to the timing of each serving, maximizing the flavors of the ingredients.

The interior of the restaurant, designed in the Sukiya style, is a high-quality space rich in wood. Guests can sit at the counter made from a single slab of solid cypress wood and appreciate the beauty of traditional Japanese architecture. From the authentic Japanese-style private rooms, where the refreshing scent of tatami mats fills the air, guests can enjoy views of the courtyard decorated with lanterns, experiencing a genuine sense of Japanese culture.

Aji Fukushima

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Holidays, Days before holidays] Lunch 11:30-13:00 Customers can enter until 13:00/Dinner 17:00-20:00 To enter after 20:00, please call beforehand.
Closed: Sundays, Last Monday of every month
Average price: [Dinner] 19,000 JPY / [Lunch] 7,000 JPY
Access: Keihan Main Line, 5 minutes walk from Gion-Shijo Station.
Address: Gionmachi Minamigawa 570, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

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This article was written by AI Translation.

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.