Itosen (糸仙) in Japan’s oldest geisha district Kamishichiken (上七軒) offers Kyoto Chinese Japanese cuisine (KMC / Kyoto machi chuka) at its best.
In Japan, Chinese cuisine optimized for the Japanese is called “machi-chuka (町中華 / neighborhood Chinese).” Machi chuka, Japanese Chinese cuisine, is Japanese cuisine (in my opinion). It’s like Tex-Mex in the US or any sandwich in the Anglosphere.
Now, Kyoto Japanese Chinese cuisine or KMC (Kyoto machi chuka / 京都町中華, kyo chuka / 京中華, kyofu chuka / 京風中華) is machi chuka evolved in Kyoto. Kyoto’s first Chinese restaurant Hamamura (支那料理ハマムラ)’s head chef Kakichi Ko (高華吉) is considered the god and the Bible of KMC.
KMC egg rolls.
So what’s special about KMC? To explain in 3 phrases, it should be “less oily and garlicky,” “dashi-broth substituted,” and “dainty.” These adjustments were made primarily for geishas in a geisha district Gion (祇園) where Hamamura was located.
Among five geisha districts still existing in Kyoto, the oldest Kamishichiken (上七軒) is where Itosen has been proving the criterion of KMC since 1981.
A lantern at the entrance of Itosen says “Itosen (糸仙)” in Japanese.
The entrance of Itosen.
My table at Itosen.
Itosen might as well serve a Japanese traditional multi-course dinner Kaiseki (懐石料理) but it doesn’t. Itosen’s food menu says “Cantonese cuisine Bill of Fare” which is certainly more KMC than Kaiseki.
Itosen’s food menu. All the items are written in Japanese.
Century egg. 550 yen / $3.90.
Stir-Fried Choy Sum. 770 yen / $5.50.
Itosen’s signature vegetable egg rolls. 880 yen / $6.30.
Stir-Fried Choy Sum could be a soulless universal dish at a Chinese restaurant but not at Itosen. The dish incorporated Japanese dashi broth and tasted like a Kyoto cuisine “obanzai.” Definitely KMC. The egg rolls were crispy and light. Finely shredded bamboo shoots inside were not soggy. I savored the craftsmanship.
Pork shumai. 440 yen / $3.10.
Noodle soup with pork char siu. 660 yen / $4.70.
Mapo tofu. 880 yen / $6.30.
Noodle soup looked to be Itosen’s rendition of Japanese ramen. Handmade noodles and pork char siu in a rich-yet-light chicken soup somehow reminded me of Kyoto’s famous Tenkaippin ramen. Unsweetened, mildly spicy Mapo tofu came with Japanese sansho pepper which made total sense as KMC.
Signature dessert Annin tofu. 385 yen / $2.80.
Itosen looks like it can charge 10,000 yen ($71) per head but the fact is far from it: the prices range from 165 yen ($1.20) to 1,045 yen ($7.50) per item. I would say that’s jaw-droppingly cheap for an eatery like Itosen. “Keep calm and eat Chinese food” seems like a real good deal here.
Itosen (糸仙) | 729−16 Shinseicho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 〒602-8381, Japan
Century egg: ¥550 / $3.90 / £3.40 / €3.90
Stir-Fried Choy Sum: ¥770 / $5.50 / £4.80 / €5.50
Egg rolls: ¥880 / $6.30 / £5.50 / €6.30
Pork shumai: ¥440 / $3.10 / £2.80 / €3.10
Noodle soup: ¥660 / $4.70 / £4.10 / €4.70
Mapo tofu: ¥880 / $6.30 / £5.50 / €6.30
Annin tofu: ¥385 / $2.80 / £2.40 / €2.80
Itosen (糸仙) | 729−16 Shinseicho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 〒602-8381, Japan
