[Recommended by Kyoto Insiders] 5 Must-Visit Restaurants (Reservations Required) | From Kaiseki Restaurants with a Strict Reservation Policy to Sukeroku Sushi, Where Lines Are Inevitable

When you visit Kyoto, you’ll want to treat yourself—or share a special meal with someone you care about—by savoring a unique dish. Kyoto is home to many popular restaurants that have gained a reputation among local foodies, Tabelog users, and food bloggers, and where reservations are often hard to come by.

In this article, our Kyoto-based staff have carefully selected five must-visit restaurants—all of which require reservations—based on up-to-date business information. Since reservations are required at all of these restaurants, be sure to check their hours of operation and reservation procedures before visiting.

Table of Contents

■ Kyoto, Kamigamo: Akiyama Restaurant

■ Ushinohone Restaurant (Main Branch)

■Yoshiya

■Marikoji Nakamuraya (Specialty Shop for Sukeroku Sushi)

■Edoro Edoro Hitoshina

■ Summary

■Kyoto, Kamigamo, Akiyama Restaurant

"Kyoto Kamigamo Goryori Akiyama," nestled in the quiet residential neighborhood of Kamigamo.
This restaurant has been renovated from an approximately 80-year-old traditional Japanese house—said to have been relocated to this site in Showa 11—and offers luxurious kaiseki cuisine in a nostalgic setting featuring an irori (traditional sunken hearth) and an okudo-san (kitchen hearth).

The chef is Naohiro Akiyama, the owner, who trained for 13 years at the renowned restaurants “Kyoto Kitcho” and “Hana Kitcho.”
Driven by the desire to “cook while facing our guests and conversing with them across the counter,” I struck out on my own and opened this restaurant in 2006. Featuring Kyoto vegetables from the Takamine area in Kita Ward and fish from Akashi, I serve dishes that showcase my unique sensibility in combining ingredients and using dashi. From white rice cooked in a clay pot and our specialty black rice porridge to the thin matcha tea enjoyed by the hearth after the meal, our hospitality—which cherishes the “once-in-a-lifetime” spirit of the tea ceremony—has earned us a stellar reputation.

It is known as one of the country’s most “impossible-to-book” restaurants, and operates on a strictly reservation-only basis. Telephone reservations open at 10:00 a.m. on the 1st of the month preceding the month you wish to visit (e.g., reservations for December open on November 1). If the 1st falls on a regular closing day, reservations will open on the following business day. While evening kaiseki meals are considered particularly difficult to book, there are reports that lunch seats and reservations for single diners tend to become available more easily; it seems possible to secure a seat at the last minute by joining the waitlist for cancellations.

○ Kyoto, Kamigamo, Akiyama Restaurant
Address: 58 Kamigamo Okamoto-cho, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Phone: 075-711-5136 (By appointment only)
Hours: 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Closed: Wednesdays and the last Thursday of the month
Estimated budget: Lunch: 6,000–7,999 yen; Dinner: 15,000–19,999 yen
Directions: About a 15-minute walk from Kitayama Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line

*Please note that reservation procedures and rates are subject to change, so we recommend calling in advance to confirm.

■Ushinohone Restaurant Main Store

Located in the Sanjo Station and Pontocho area, “Ushinohone Main Restaurant” is a Japanese-style izakaya where you can enjoy popular dishes that have remained unchanged since the restaurant’s founding, such as homemade tofu and the signature rich beef stew. The modern Japanese-style interior offers views of the Kamo River, and you can relax and enjoy your meal in the tatami-mat seating area.

With an extensive selection of sake and wine, the restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes, ranging from Kyoto-style specialties like shellfish and shrimp in tofu skin sauce to the famous beef bone stew. Especially during the summer, the “Noryo-yuka” open-air dining platforms along the Kamogawa River are open, offering a special experience where you can dine while taking in a quintessential Kyoto summer scene (since the Noryo-yuka is open only seasonally, we recommend checking in advance). As this is a popular restaurant, we recommend making a reservation in advance, especially on weekends and during the Noryo-yuka season.

○ Ushinohone Restaurant (Main Branch)
Address: 137-12 Wakamatsu-cho, Ponto-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Phone: 075-212-1023
Hours: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (last order), 5:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Closed: Irregular holidays
Directions: About a 5-minute walk from "Sanjo Station" on the Keihan Main Line, and about a 5-minute walk from "Sanjo Keihan Station" on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line
HP:https://www.ushinohone.com/

*Business hours vary depending on the season and day of the week, so we recommend checking them before your visit.

■Yoshiya

"Yoshiya" is located at the very end of a narrow alley in Ponto-cho.
Established in Showa 35 (1960), this traditional kappo restaurant has been in business for over 60 years. Second-generation owner Yukishige Kawanabe showcases his culinary skills, offering dishes centered on kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot) and à la carte items. Guests can enjoy dishes featuring the bounty of the mountains and seas, as well as Kyoto’s seasonal ingredients, served as an omakase meal, à la carte, or as a set course. From sesame-tossed eggplant to sashimi, Saikyo-yaki, duck loin, and vegetables in a thick sauce with fresh fu—each dish is simple yet renowned for its flavor that gently warms the heart.

Because it’s tucked away in a secluded location, it can be difficult to find using Google Maps alone, but that’s all part of the charm of Ponto-chō—and it’s something you can enjoy as part of the restaurant’s unique atmosphere. Reservations are accepted by phone only.

〇Yoshiya
Address: 188 Zaimokucho, down Pontocho-dori from Sanjo, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Phone: 075-221-5115
Hours: 5:00 PM–11:00 PM (Last order at 10:30 PM)
Closed: Mondays (may be closed on other days as well)
Directions: About a 5-minute walk from "Sanjo Station" on the Keihan Main Line, and about a 10-minute walk from "Kawaramachi Station" on the Hankyu Kyoto Line

■Marikoji Nakamuraya (Specialty Store for Sukeroku Sushi)

"Marikōji Nakamuraya" stands quietly in a peaceful alley in the Demachiyanagi and Hyakumanben areas of Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. It is a takeout-only Sukeroku sushi shop known for being the official supplier to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine office.

The shop’s signature items are inari sushi, shinko-maki, and cucumber rolls—all made using locally sourced Kyoto seasonings such as vinegar and soy sauce, and prepared exclusively with vegetarian ingredients, without any raw foods. The small, hand-pressed inari sushi is characterized by its subtle sweetness and mild vinegar flavor, making it a favorite among people of all ages. In addition to being available for takeout at the store, these items have long been cherished as “gifts for visits” to temples, shrines, the geisha districts, and the world of classical performing arts. Since the sign is inconspicuous and the exterior looks like an ordinary private home at first glance, it’s best to double-check the address before visiting for the first time.

Orders must be placed by the previous day; we operate on a strictly reservation-only basis and do not accept walk-in purchases on the day of your visit. Depending on our preparation schedule, we may not be able to accommodate your request, so we recommend making your reservation well in advance.

■Marikoji Nakamuraya
Address: Marikoji, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture (up the street from Imadegawa)
Phone: 075-781-4048 (If you can't get through, please call 075-702-0464)
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Irregular holidays
Directions: About a 5-minute walk from Keihan Demachiyanagi Station
HP:https://nakamurayasukeroku.com/

■Edoro Edoro Hitoshina

About a 5-minute walk from Shimizu-Gojo Station, “Girogiro Hitoshina,” located in a charming alley along the Takase River, has been a popular restaurant since its opening in September 2002. It is known as a pioneer of “kuzushi kappo”—a style of Japanese cuisine designed to be “everyday Japanese food.” With locations in Kyoto, Tokyo, Hawaii, and Paris, the restaurant enjoys strong support from international tourists, and English-speaking staff are sometimes on hand.

The restaurant offers only a set menu, which changes monthly. Guided by a commitment to never serving the same dish twice, guests can enjoy creative Japanese cuisine that highlights seasonal ingredients—such as whitefish tempura, egg tofu, and sashimi of firefly squid and cherry salmon—all served in elegant tableware. Because it offers authentic cuisine at reasonable prices, the restaurant has gained immense popularity not only among Japanese diners but also among tourists from around the world.

Since only set menus are available and seating is limited, reservations are required. Some restaurants may have a cancellation policy, so it’s a good idea to check when making your reservation.

〇Eda Ruru Hitoshina
Address: 420-7 Namba-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture (Nishikiyamachi-dori, Matsubara-sagaru)
Phone: 075-343-7070 Hours: 5:30 PM–11:00 PM (Last order around 9:30 PM)
Closed: The last Monday of every month
Directions: About a 5-minute walk from "Kiyomizu-Gojo Station" on the Keihan Main Line

■ Summary

The five restaurants featured here are all renowned establishments that are highly popular among Kyoto foodies and tourists alike—and reservations are a must. Reservation policies vary by restaurant: some operate on a strictly reservation-only basis with set booking dates (Goryori Akiyama); others may allow same-day reservations if you’re lucky (Eru Eru Hitoshina); and some are takeout-only shops that require reservations to be made by the day before (Nakamuraya).