Travel
Kyoto’s 5 Best-Known Cherry Blossom Spots by Locals (Hanami)
In Spring (March and April), it’s a tradition for Japanese people to go see cherry blossoms (sakura / […]
Kyoto
Travel
Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods and 7 temples enshrining them in Kyoto
Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods, also known as “Shichifukujin (七福神)”, consist of Ebisu (えびす),Daikokuten (大黒天), Bishamonten (毘沙門天), Benzaiten (弁才天), […]
Restaurant Review
Bisan: Kyoto’s first Palestinian restaurant
Opened in November 2024, Bisan is a Kyoto branch of Tokyo’s foremost Palestinian restaurant Bisan. It seems like […]
Restaurant Review
Kijisoba Kijiya, Kyoto, Japan: Pheasant meat ramen near Kinkaku-ji
0.1 mile (200 meters) away from Kyoto’s top tourist spot Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) is Kijisoba Kijiya (きじそば 雉弥) […]
Travel
Japan Oni Exchange Museum, Fukuchiyama, Kyoto
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train As Japan’s Demon Slayer (鬼滅の刃) movie broke box […]
Restaurant Review
Football Diner at Sanga Stadium by KYOCERA, Kameoka, Kyoto
The theme song for Kyoto Sanga F.C. ‘ヒートウェイブ京都サンガ’. In Kyoto, one may or may not have heard the […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 3 best izakayas of all time
As a local/native in Kyoto, I’ve been in search of the best izakaya (居酒屋: Japanese tavern) for as […]
Restaurant Review
Ura Stand, Kyoto: Chicken sashimi and kushiage at hip retro izakaya
Chicken sashimi (raw chicken) sounds impossible to eat. So does it in Japan in general. But some know […]
Restaurant Review
Hokodo Coffee: Japan’s oldest cafe’s Kyoto branch at Imperial Palace
Hokodo (放香堂) is a Kyoto-based tea company that opened Japan’s first cafe Hokodo Coffee (放香堂加琲) in Kobe, Hyogo […]
Restaurant Review
Musashi Sushi Honten: Kyoto’s best revolving sushi chain downtown
Founded in 1977 in Kyoto, Musashi Sushi Honten (寿しのむさし 三条本店) is probably the most famous sushi chain in […]
Restaurant Review
kitchen Bisshon, Kyoto: tachinomi izakaya pizzeria in an alleyway
Tachinomi izakaya(立ち飲み居酒屋) means a Japanese casual standing food bar. So tachinomi pizzeria, kitchen Bisshon, clearly took advantage of […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 6 best izakaya houses (kaikans)
Izakaya house (kaikan / 会館) is a machiya townhouse (machiya / 町屋) or a retro building that is […]
Restaurant Review
Caramel Mama, Kyoto: Japanese diva Yumi Matsutoya fandom bar
Yumi Matsutoya (松任谷由実) a.k.a. Yuming (ユーミン) is one of the most successful female singer-songwriters in Japan. She is […]
Restaurant Review
Kushihachi Honten: Unrivaled, Kyoto-based kushikatsu izakaya chain
Background music at Kushihachi Honten. Kushihachi (串八) is a Kyoto-based, kushikatsu (串かつ: deep-fried skewers)-focused Japanese izakaya chain. Its […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s only Subway at Aeon Mall KYOTO
Kyoto’s only Subway (サブウェイ イオンモールKYOTO店) is located in a food court on the 4th floor of Kyoto’s second […]
Restaurant Review
TEL AVIV: Kyoto’s Israeli izakaya restaurant downtown
TEL AVIV (テルアビブ / TEL AVIV ISRAELI STREET FOOD BAR) opened on December 1st, 2023 in Downtown Kyoto […]
Restaurant Review
Hachimonjiya, Kyoto: Legendary dive bar downtown
Hachimonjiya (八文字屋) looks like an old atelier operated by Kyoto-born award-winning photographer Fusayoshi Kai / the bar’s owner. […]
Restaurant Review
Bar Kisaragi, Kyoto: Pop diva Miyuki Nakajima fan hangout
Miyuki Nakajima (中島みゆき) is one of the most sold Japanese singer-songwriters of all time. Her energy is more […]
Restaurant Review
Rokuzaemon, Kyoto: Speakeasy John Wick izakaya downtown
So John Wick izakaya means a Japanese izakaya (居酒屋: tavern) that looks like it could appear in the […]
Restaurant Review
Gnome, Kyoto: Cozy left-wing Irish pub
Going to an Irish (or British) pub is sort of like a cool foreign thing to do in […]
Restaurant Review
Kushitatsu: Kyoto’s only whale meat restaurant in Arashiyama
As the controversy of Japan’s whale-eating culture catches international attention, there are certainly some Japanese restaurants that serve […]
Restaurant Review
Ishimaru Shoten, Kyoto: Tiki bar in the alley in Pontocho
Pontocho (先斗町) is one of the five most popular neighborhoods in Downtown Kyoto. Bars and restaurants are crammed […]
Restaurant Review
ha ra, Kyoto: Au naturel cafe by Kamo River
ha ra is famous for two things. One is that the cafe is operated by an ex-manager of […]
Travel
Free manga library at Daimaru Kyoto (Manga No Kabe)
Daimaru Kyoto Daimaru Kyoto(大丸京都店) is a Kyoto location of a Japanese department chain Daimaru (大丸) founded in Fushimi, […]
Travel
Daimaru Kyoto’s 8th floor: Restaurants, rooftop, and manga library
Daimaru Kyoto (大丸京都店) is a Kyoto location of a Japanese department chain Daimaru (大丸) founded in Fushimi, Kyoto […]
Restaurant Review
Pig & Whistle: Kyoto’s most famous British pub
Except for Japan’s mighty British pub chain ‘HUB’, it should be Pig & Whistle that’s the most famous […]
Restaurant Review
Kafu, Kyoto: Retro hip Okinawan tavern
On a historical street market/commercial district ‘Sanjo-kai Shotengai (三条会商店街)’ is a retro hip Okinawan tavern ‘Kafu (かふー)’. It’s […]
Restaurant Review
Dublin, Kyoto: Clearly an Irish pub
Interestingly, in Japan, the word “pub (パブ)” indicates Philippine thanks to “Philippine pubs (フィリピンパブ)” where Japanese male sleazeballs […]
Restaurant Review
DE FRITES STAAN, Kyoto: Dutch french fries specialty bistro
It looked like a handsome Japanese bakery or a bistro to my Japanese eyes when I first saw […]
Restaurant Review
TORIKI BURGER, Kyoto: Chicken sandwich shop by Japan’s top yakitori chain
Japan’s top yakitori chain ‘Torikizoku (鳥貴族)’ opened the first Kyoto location of its chicken sandwich chain ‘TORIKI BURGER […]
Restaurant Review
Din Tai Fung, Kyoto: Upscale Taiwanese dim sum chain
Din Tai Fung – once rated as one of the top 10 gourmet restaurants in the world by […]
Restaurant Review
Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima: Kyoto’s only gyoza specialty sauna
Here’s what Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima Donguri-ten / Gyoza-yu(京都 夷川餃子 なかじま 団栗店 / ぎょうざ湯) looks like. Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima […]
Restaurant Review
Matsukawa Liquor Store: Kyoto’s most famous kaku-uchi izakaya
Izakaya is a Japanese tavern. Among the three kinds of izakaya, kaku-uchi (角打ち) izakaya is considered the dopest. […]
Restaurant Review
Watte Chai: Kyoto’s only Indian tea stall
In Uji (宇治), the mecca for Japanese green tea ‘Uji tea (宇治茶)’, tea shops and cafes are everywhere. […]
Restaurant Review
Burisho, Kyoto: THE yellowtail specialty restaurant
Opened in 2022, Burisho (魚師匠) has been gaining attention as Kyoto’s only yellowtail specialty restaurant / the master […]
Restaurant Review
Rub A Dub: Kyoto’s oldest Jamaican reggae bar
In Downtown Kyoto is Kyoto’s oldest/first reggae bar ‘Rub A Dub(ラバダブ)’ which opened in 1986. Or it’s Jamaica’s […]
Restaurant Review
1G, Kyoto: Ruin bar in abandoned kamaboko factory
One might have heard of Naruto. It’s a Japanese manga series about ninja students / its protagonist’s name. […]
Restaurant Review
Suba, Kyoto: THE contemporary soba shop
Soba shops (or buckwheat noodle bars) are as popular as ramen shops in Japan. One of a few […]
Restaurant Review
DIG THE LINE, Kyoto: European beer bar at ShinPuhKan
DIG THE LINE (or DIG THE LINE BOTTLE & BAR) is a stylish European beer bar at Kyoto’s […]
Restaurant Review
Rutubo, Kyoto, Japan: Smoked food bar in Gion
Downtown Kyoto’s prominent Gion (祇園) neighborhood is where Rutubo is at. Past the antique store-ish facade of Rutubo […]
Restaurant Review
Daidokoro Tenya, Kyoto, Japan: Downright cozy izakaya
A discreet alley behind Kyoto’s poshest shopping mall ‘BAL’ is where a cozy izakaya ‘Daidokoro Tenya (台所 てんや […]
Restaurant Review
Imai Shokudo, Kyoto: Legendary simmered fish shop
Simmered fish (煮魚/nizakana or 魚の煮付け/sakana no nitsuke) is a quintessential seafood dish in Japan. Especially with mackerel (鯖の煮付け/saba […]
Restaurant Review
Ki: Kyoto’s only Lebanese bistro
Ki (汽) is such a sophisticated, fast casual bistro in chic Gojo in Kyoto City. It’s impossible to […]
Event
The Big 3 of Kyoto festivals
Here are highlights and basics of the Big 3 of Kyoto’s festivals: Gion Matsuri (祇園祭), Jidai Matsuri (時代祭), […]
Restaurant Review
Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto: THAT teamLab ramen shop
Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto is sort of understood as a teamLab ramen shop. teamLab is a Japanese company […]
Restaurant Review
Falafel Garden: Kyoto’s only Israeli restaurant
At Demachiyanagi Station (出町柳駅), one of the Kyoto-est stations, it’s a signboard of Falafel Garden that first welcomes […]
Event
KYOTO RAINBOW PRIDE: Gayest day in Kyoto
Here’s what Kyoto Rainbow Pride (京都レインボープライド・パレードフェス) and Pride Month (プライド月間) in Kyoto City look like. A map of […]
Restaurant Review
Best restaurants at Ace Hotel Kyoto
Ace Hotel Kyoto is the first Asian location of an American hotel chain “Ace Hotel.” Here’s a list […]