5 restaurants to enjoy sushi in Kyoto 京都のすしを食べる5軒のレストラン
Incredible sushi, maki and sashimi!
An emblematic culinary specialty of Japan, sushi can be enjoyed in many restaurants in Kyoto, but how do choose a place? Japan Experience offers 5 excellent places for you to choose from!
Sushi, national pride
How can you think of visit Japan without tasting the succulent sushi? If it is easy to find them in France, discovering them on the spot constitutes a culinary experience not to be missed. Contrary to popular belief, sushi is rather considered by the Japanese as a festive dish, who do not eat it mornings and evenings. Sushi can therefore fetch a certain price, especially if it is prepared in front of you by an itamae, a sushi master.
However, some restaurants could be described as sushi "fast food", such as the Genki Sushi establishments with rotating trays, the best known of which is perhaps Uobei in Shibuya. Between the two, restaurants at intermediate prices allow you to discover the best Japanese fish.
As a reminder, the term "sushi" encompasses a whole range of specialties. The nigiri zushi is the classic sushi that we know well in the west, while the maki zushi is wrapped in a sheet of nori, and the temaki zushi takes a cone shape. In Japan, gunkan maki (a maki topped with dice or fish roe) is also very popular.
- To go further: Short guide: the different types of sushi
If the city of Kyoto is not specifically famous for its sushi, mainly because of its distance from the coast, it is still home to beautiful establishments working with quality products. If the desire for sushi suddenly takes you to Kyoto, discover our selection of 5 restaurnats not to be missed in the city of 1000 temples.
Sushi Tetsu
An excellent sushi restaurant, offering unbeatable value for money. The menu is huge and offers original specialties, as well as a very large fish menu. The pair of sushi starts at 216 yen ($2/1.50€).
You can choose between several dining areas, at the bar in front of the chefs, at a table in front of the windows overlooking the Kamo River, or even at a more intimate table on the ground.
Be careful though, you will have to wait a while before you can settle in if you arrive at the restaurant between 7 pm and 9 pm. We, therefore, advise you to go there at the beginning or end of the evening, the restaurant being open from 5 pm to midnight.
Address: 133-1 Ishiyacho, Pontocho Sanjodori Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, 604-8002 Kyoto
The dining room
Sushi Tetsu
Onigirizushi at Sushi Tetsu
Hayakusouki
Musashi Sushi
Musashi Sushi is a kaitenzushi, that is to say, a restaurant with rotating trays, within the reach of small budgets.
Located in the heart of Kyoto's shopping district, the establishment is organized on two floors and hides some beautiful culinary surprises. Very practical if you want to eat quickly, all you have to do is sit on one of the stools in front of the chefs.
Then it's up to you! Simply grab a plate that appeals to you as it passes you, most being charged at 146 yen ($1.25/1€). When you leave, an employee will count the number of plates consumed to provide you with the bill.
- Address: 440 Ebisucho, Nakagyo-ku, 604-8005 Kyoto
Musashi's Main Hall
Flickr Chris Gladis
Gion Matsudaya
In a refined and exclusive setting, this restaurant offers only 6 seatings at a time and the chef provides a unique and personable experience not to be forgotten!
You will be able to see the sushi master preparing each dish, with very high-quality ingredients for tasty sushi. It is therefore not surprising that the establishment has been awarded a Michelin star.
An exceptional experience, so much so that you will need to count at least 20,000 yen ($$175/165€) per person for the full meal. The number of places is limited, we advise you to book a little in advance.
- Address: 507-123 Giommachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0074
- Phone: +81 90-3721-3338
The dining room
Concierge pocket
Sushi at Matsudaya
Concierge pocket
- To read: How to taste your sushi?
Kappa Sushi
A traditionally decorated restaurant in the picturesque Pontocho Alley. Here, the seasonal varieties of fish are honored and you will find only a few variants of maki.
Indeed, at Kappa Sushi, the onigiri zushi is king and offered at moderate prices for the quality of the products: between 100 and 700 yen per piece.
You will also find sushi or sashimi sets, and complete menus. The chefs, who speak English, will be happy to explain each sushi to you.
- Address: Shiori Building, 1-2F, Pontocho Shijonoboru, Matsumoto-Cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
The dining room
sharing-kyoto
Sushi set at Kappa Sushi
sharing-kyoto
Izuju
This restaurant, more than a century old, cultivates its legendary know-how with its wood-fired cuisine and a menu that has remained virtually unchanged since its creation.
The specialty of the chef, who has taken over the family business, is mackerel sushi. The establishment is also famous for its inari zushi, a deep-fried pocket of tofu topped with vinegared rice and vegetables.
The very small room with its stone floor and paneled walls will make you feel right at home...
- Address : 292-1 Kitagawa, Gion machi, Higashiyamaku, Kyoto
Sushi platter at Izuju restaurant, Kyoto
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Entrance to Izuju Restaurant.
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Finally, for those who wish to taste sushi (and other Japanese specialties) in an exceptional setting, we recommend the Kyoto Garden Washoku restaurant which allows you to dine in front of a splendid Japanese garden...
