Kanesho
- 155-2 Tokiwacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0079, Japan
- ¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The ‘Kinshi-don’, invented by this restaurant’s fourth-generation owner-chef, is the house speciality. This bowl of rice topped with unagi is enhanced with kinshi-tamago, ribbons of omelette that are essential in Kyoto dishes such as chirashi-zushi and steamed sushi. Kanesho’s unique approach is to cut the eel along its back, but otherwise to grill it Kansai-style, without steaming. If cut along the belly the ends will be too thin, causing it to cook unevenly.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Counter dining
+81 75-532-5830
Izuu
- 367 Kiyomotocho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0084, Japan
- ¥ · Sushi
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Founded in 1781, Izuu takes its name from its founder, Izumiya Uhee, from a time when lightly salted mackerel from Wakasa was becoming popular in Kyoto, and the custom of eating sabazushi at festivals and ceremonies became common. Seeing an opportunity, Uhee began delivering these treats to the city’s geisha districts. The business passed from generation to generation, and the current, eighth generation owner-chef preserves the tradition of whole-mackerel sushi to this day.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
Gombei
- 254 Giommachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0073, Japan
- ¥ · Soba
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The menu is called shitadai, an old-time word that seems somehow fitting. The nuance seems to be, ‘this is our way of welcoming you’. Soba dishes get top billing because Gombei was originally founded as a soba restaurant. Udon dishes, such as the ‘Shippoku’ with lashings of simmered vegetables and ‘Keiran’ with egg-drop and ankake sauce, are typical Kyoto fare. The oyakodon (a bowl of rice topped with chicken and eggs) is also famous. Gombei operates throughout the day, so it’s easy to drop in.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
Oito
- 253 Giommachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0073, Japan
- ¥¥ · Oden
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The building, in the style of a townhouse, stands on Kiritoshi Alley in Gion. Portraits of maiko adorn the walls, reinforcing the geisha-district ambience. ‘Lunch Oden’ is the only item on the menu. The owner-chef is mindful of retaining familiar and comforting flavours. Lunch consists of five items of the diner’s choice, accompanied by takikomi-gohan. The choice of oden is up to the customer, but if you choose the popular beef tendon, we recommend pairing it with the tofu or konnyaku.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Counter dining
Gion Yorozuya
- 555-1 Komatsucho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0811, Japan
- ¥ · Udon
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
For most customers, the draw is the restaurant’s signature ‘Negi Udon.’ Tender yet springy udon is topped with a generous helping of Kujo leek. ‘Kaho’ (udon with sour pickled ume and shredded kombu), ‘Momiji’ (udon with Pacific herring), and other dishes found their way onto the menu after celebrities requested their favourite ingredients. In summer, the restaurant is decorated with fans used by geisha and maiko, so really exudes the air of the Gion pleasure quarter.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
+81 75-551-3409
Choshoku Kishin
- 555 Komatsucho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0811, Japan
- ¥ · Japanese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Choshoku Kishin offers breakfast in the true style of Japan, where rice is the staple cereal. It’s cooked in a clay pot to bring out all of its inherent flavour, from the first plume of steam to the crispy grains at the bottom. Soups includes pork miso soup made with Kyoto white miso and a vegetable pot-au-feu. Round herring accompanies the rice, and you can add chirimen sansho and heshiko pickled mackerel in bran paste according to taste.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
Matakichi
- 570-120 Giommachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan
- ¥¥ · Japanese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The exclusive Gion Matayoshi kappo opened this restaurant where people can drop in casually. At lunchtime, an ochazuke set menu is available, served with small bowls of obanzai. In the evening, the selection of à la carte dining brings to mind home-cooked dinners, with staple fare that includes hiryuzu and seasonal croquettes. A well-known dish is shaved ice flavoured with syrup. The matcha flavour, sweetened with wasanbon (refined Japanese sugar), is quintessentially Kyoto.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
Hiiragitei
- 306-6 Ishibashicho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0066, Japan
- ¥¥ · Yakitori
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
It’s a family affair at this restaurant specialising in locally raised chicken and obanzai: the father prepares the à la carte dishes, the son the yakitori, and the mother attends to customers’ needs. Every morning the son visits a poultry farm in Shiga Prefecture to purchase and dress whole chickens by himself. The speciality of the house is the white liver, a rare part of the chicken, and back liver complemented with the bitter flavour of cacao nibs.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 75-748-1739
Washoku Horai
- 438 Rinkacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0062, Japan
- ¥¥ · Izakaya
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
This restaurant is located near Yasaka Shrine, which the locals fondly refer to as ‘Yasaka-san’. Seasonal à la carte dishes are available, so you can have a meal or just stop in for sake and snacks. The focus is on kappo technique utilising the natural flavours of the ingredients, so there are no flashy creations. The mackerel wrapped in kombu is a standard offering. This restaurant is convenient when sightseeing around Gion.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 75-561-2834
KORISU
- 101 Rokurocho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0813, Japan
- ¥¥ · Yoshoku
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
This yoshoku restaurant is run by a mother-and-two-daughters team. It is a charming scene, as the team works in sync as only a family can. Drawing on recipes that have been in the family for generations, each of them nonetheless adds their own distinctive interpretations. Pork steak, pork-and-blue-cheese cutlets and macaroni au gratin are served in generous portions. Order multiple items and divide them among your group. It’s no wonder reservations are hard to come by.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Particularly interesting wine list
+81 75-561-9281
Tan
- 106-13 Gokencho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0036, Japan
- ¥¥ · Japanese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
This Japanese restaurant is the work of Wakuden hospitality chain. It was opened to introduce people to the natural bounty of Kyoto prefecture’s Tango peninsula. The main ingredients in the menu are rice cultivated in-house and vegetables procured from nearby farmers. Breakfast includes plenty of vegetables, and lunch features rice bowls and other dishes, while dinner is of snacks and à la carte dishes. The ‘Heshiko’ is a regional dish can be a side dish for rice or to go with sake.
Gastronomy & Sustainability
“We engage in organic rice cultivation in Kyotango, which is where we were founded. We spread crab shells supplied by a ryotei over the paddy fields, thereby returning them to the earth as nutrients. The staff help out at rice planting and harvest times, with the harvested rice going to each of the restaurants. We engage in tree planting for forest regeneration, creating the Wakuden no Mori forest.”
Canton Shunsai Ikki
- 17-5 Tsukimicho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0829, Japan
- ¥¥ · Chinese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The draw here is Cantonese cooking that puts the umami of vegetables and seafood to work. Rice oil is used for a light, refreshing flavour. We recommend ordering à la carte to sample a variety of flavours on offer. The menu extends from beloved standards such as shumai (steamed meat dumplings) and sweet-and-sour pork to dishes created with seasonal ingredients. The braised dish of oysters and Kujo green onions is a seasonal masterpiece, as is the soup of steamed hamo and matsutake.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 75-744-1947
Hachiraku
- 428-5 Kamibentencho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0822, Japan
- ¥¥ · Chinese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The name combines the first character in ‘Yasaka’, where the restaurant is, and the character for ‘fun’, which is what the proprietors want you to have. With a temperament of a seasoned artisan, the owner-chef wields his wok in the kitchen while the proprietress, affectionately called okaasan (mother) by the geiko and maiko who dine here, attends to customers. The fare, a lightly seasoned version of Kyoto Chinese, eschews oil and garlic so that the smell won’t cling to kimonos.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Counter dining
+81 75-541-5898
Shibosai Sumiyoshi
- 420 Myohoimmaekawacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0932, Japan
- ¥¥ · Chinese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The chef is skilled in a wide range of culinary traditions, including Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine. Hong Kong grouper is an ingredient always on hand and can be prepared in a variety of ways, including steamed and fried; so, diners can enjoy a range of Chinese culinary styles. We recommend the Hong Kong-style homemade dim sum. Seasonings are homemade, making the flavours of Shibosai Sumiyoshi not merely the restaurant’s but those of the chef’s own home cooking.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
Kikunoi Mugesambo
- 524 Washiocho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0072, Japan
- ¥ · Japanese
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
This bento and coffee shop was opened to introduce people to the taste of Kikunoi. The menu was created mindful of the refreshments served at a tea ceremony. In addition to appetisers, tsukuri and nimono soup, there is a rich variety of side dishes in the bento box. At the end come seasonal vegetables and tai takikomi-gohan. Relax while gazing at the mossy garden. After lunch, it operates as a shop for modern-style Japanese sweets.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
Mishina
- 357 Masuyacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0826, Japan
- ¥ · Yoshoku
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Founded in Gion in 1948, this family-run restaurant is staffed by the third-generation owner-chef, heir to his grandfather’s recipes, along with his mother and older sister. The long-used Western crockery fosters a retro atmosphere, while the laid-out chopsticks give a Kyoto air. The most popular item is the combination platter of creamy crab croquettes and fried shrimp. To finish the meal with chazuke, instead of rice, is unique to this restaurant.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Counter dining
+81 75-551-5561