Kyoto Foodie: Where and what to eat in Kyoto

Rakanmochi: Wasanbon Sugar Sesame Mochi (羅漢餅)

Rakanmochi is sesame flavored mochi encased in a firm but dry and crumbly block of Japanese wasanbon sugar and requires a slight bit of excavation in order to enjoy.

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Wagashi Series: Ryuen Rakuseki and Maccha Rakuseki (柳苑: 楽石・抹茶楽石)

Ryuen specializes in a simple and elegant wagashi that combines a center of candied kuri (chestnut) embedded in koshian (sweet azuki bean paste) with a coating of sugar and kuzu (arrow root starch), some with the addition of sugary green tea powder (maccha).
Ryuen’s wagashi is decidedly [...]

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Uichiro: Kamo Nanban, Kisetsu-no-gozen, Soba Kanten Jelly (宇一朗 へぎそば・越前そば)

Paku and I were invited to Uichiro, an elegant handmade soba and udon restaurant yesterday by one of Paku’s foodie friends. Uichiro is in a beautiful old machiya (traditional Kyoto house), has excellent food, great atmosphere and very friendly service.
I had kamo nanban (鴨南蛮そば), [...]

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Toriyasu: Kyoto-style Chicken Donburi Shop (とり安 丼・鳥料理)

Toriyasu serves several donburi (ricebowl) dishes that are unbeatable. This tiny and charming restaurant with about 50 years of history is an offshoot of the 120 year old poulterer just next door.
Toriyasu serves three classic donburi dishes and the most famous of which is karaagedon.

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(Japanese New Year’s Celebration) Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year (初詣)

Hatsumode is usually thought of as January 1st, although it can be a few days later. People visit a shrine or sometimes temple and pray for comfort and health in the new year. It is very common to see women [...]

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Owariya — 540 Year Old Soba Restaurant 本家尾張屋

Owariya, a purveyor to the Imperial Household, has a history that goes back over five hundred and forty years. It is the oldest noodle shop in Kyoto.
Over the centuries, Owariya has served emperors and shoguns as well as the monks of many of the temples of Kyoto.
Owariya is [...]

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Yakiniku (Japanese (Korean) style grilled beef) 京の焼き肉

Foodies everywhere seem to be very interested in Japanese beef, the fabled wagyu (和牛) these days. Kyoto, the ancient capital is actually not much of a ‘beef’ or ‘Japanese steakhouse’ town, but Kyoto does have several ‘old’ and famous beef establishments, for example Mishima-tei (三嶋亭).
Omigyu (近江牛) from Shiga Prefecture, [...]

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Nishiki Market - Kyoto-no-Daidokoro (Kyoto’s Kitchen) 錦市場商店街

At Nishiki Market there are many old ‘shinese‘ shops selling everything from Japanese pickles (tsukemono) to the finest Japanese cutlery, as well as a number newer and novel shops, such as tofu doughnuts. Shinise come in the form of an old shop renovated and transformed into a vegetable [...]

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Gion Koishi — Kakigori (shaved ice) in Gion (祇園小石)
Hard to believe that ’shaved ice’ could be elegant and sophisticated, so Kyoto!

Gion Koshi, ameya (candy shop) is surely the best known place in Gion, and probably Kyoto for kakigori (shaved ice). Shaved ice in Japan actually has a very long history, dating back more than a [...]

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Issen Yoshoku (壹銭洋食)
The Origins of Western Food in Japan

Issen Yoshoku is located in Gion and serves a variation of the popular dish, okonomiyaki. Issen Yoshiku combines a comical interior with a one dish menu. It is a popular destination for locals and tourists. While somewhat kitschy, at Issen Yoshoku you can taste what is said [...]

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