In an edgy neighborhood, Sakyo Ward known as a “makai” (hell or demon world in Japanese), cyberpunk izakaya Muraya is killing it with surprisingly authentic Japanese comfort food.
“Akira (1988) Legendary Trailer”
Sakyo Ward (Sakyo-ku) in Kyoto City has been somehow edgy. It’s mainly because of Kyoto University (one of two Japan’s Ivy League-level universities) whose dormitory is said to be somehow affiliated with Japan’s radicals (Revolutionary Communist League, National Committee) and is occasionally raided by the police.
Plus, there are habitants of young artists in Sakyo Ward thanks to Kyoto Seika University which became the first university to have a manga faculty in Japan and to name Japan’s first African university president, Oussouby Sacko.
Sakyo Ward is educated and arty. It is my personal wild opinion, which I assume many Kyoto people don’t disagree with right off the bat. At least, I don’t disagree when Sakyo Ward is described as a parallel world or a “makai” (hell or demon world in Japanese). I would call it “da hood” with love and respect.
A bike parking at Muraya.
So, a funky establishment like Muraya seems just about right in the neighborhood. Muraya is one of the legendary izakayas in Kyoto and the cyberpunk-est izakaya in Kyoto by far to my Kyoto-made Japanese eyes. There are some cyberpunk-“oriented” restaurants in Japan. Unlike them, Muraya seems to be the real deal. Thanks to the alumni of Kyoto Seika University that run Muraya, it brings out the vibe of a traditional art festival, “geisai” (an art university version of a school festival, “bunkasai” run by students).
The storefront of Muraya.
The interior of Muraya.
I walked into Muraya packed with presumably customers (they could be waiters. Who knows). Nobody greeted me. I wandered (like 4-5 steps), secured my interim seat, and tried to pause as cool as possible for nearly 10 minutes. All I could do was just studied Muraya’s menu, figured out what to order, and tried to actually order which took another 5 minutes. Finally, I made the right eye contact with the right person: a real waiter.
My view until being found.
A regular menu.
Handwritten specials on blackboards above a bathroom door.
A drink menu (sake, alcohols, and non-alcoholic drinks).
The first arrivals: a sake (in a beer glass), a potato salad, and a lamb tongue.
The potato salad was light in flavor and texture of mayonnaise and had pleasantly crunchy bits of Japanese pickles. It was surprisingly unpretentious, honest, and delicious. It proved the quality of Muraya as an authentic izakaya.
The potato salad with a sheet of a Japanese shiso/oba-basil.
The lamb tongue with coriander leaves.
The lamb tongue had a pleasantly chewy gizzard-like texture.
The lamb tongue was my first experience with a lamb tongue (a lamb tongue is a very rare occasion in Japan). It was tossed with lemony negishio dressing with bits of scallions and reminded of a beef tongue at a yakiniku (a Japanese Korean BBQ) restaurant. The coriander leaves added a non-Japanese kick to the dish and hinted Muraya’s discreet orientation toward Southeast Asia.
A smoked flying fish with a sheet of Japanese shiso/oba-basil.
A dashimaki.
The phenomenal was the dashimaki (a Japanese rolled omelet). It was fluffy and custardy with a subtle dashi (broth) flavor. A grated daikon soaked in soy sauce on top added the desirable amount of salt and bitterness to the dish. It was da Japanese dashimaki.
A yakisoba noodle.
The fun stayed uninterrupted until (and beyond) the last dish: a yakisoba noodle (a Japanese stir-fried noodle with a Worcestershire sauce). A yakisoba noodle is the king of street food in Japan. It’s one of the dishes that it’s so simple to cook but near-impossible to recreate at home because of kitchen equipment (I assume). The yakisoba noodle at Murata was da king.
The center of Muraya occupies an open kitchen with a wrap-around standing bar.
The food at Muraya were flawless. They were authentic Japanese comfort food (sometimes with a kick and twist) and budget-friendly. The atmosphere was exhilaratingly vibrant. Muraya seemed to be loved and packed with regulars. The place was certainly edgy but healthy and reminded me of the cyberpunk animation movie, Akira.
The legendary technique “Akira Slide” seen in so many animation movies.
P.S. Try a Japanese machiya-style bathroom at Muraya. And feel Thai (music). Then go back to the dining room and immerse back in Japanese 70’s classics.
A solid stone sink in the unisex communal bathroom.
Overlooking a urinal pot from the sink.
In a stall left to the urinal pot. The Thai music came from here.
Now, wash hands and get back n da hood.
Muraya | 25-7 Yoshidaushinomiyacho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto 〒606-8302, Japan
Sake: ¥550 / $4.20 / £3.40 / €3.90
Potato salad: ¥300 / $2.30 / £1.80 / € 2.10
Lamb tongue: ¥450 / $3.40 / £2.80 / €3.20
Smoked flying fish: ¥300 / $2.30 / £1.80 / €2.10
Dashimaki: ¥350 / $2.70 / £2.20 / €2.50
Yakisoba noodle: ¥500 / $3.80 / £3.10 / €3.60
Muraya | 25-7 Yoshidaushinomiyacho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto 〒606-8302, Japan
