Located along Takatsujidori, near Fukukoji Temple, is Kanzan. The owner, Yagi-san, trained under Ishihara-san at Kyoto Kichotei (Arashiyama), worked at Granvia, then moved to Hiiragiya, and this year finally opened his own restaurant. Despite being on the first floor of a building, the restaurant has a certain charm that sets it apart from the urban feel. Upon entering, you are greeted by a hanging scroll with the words "Tensei". The interior features a spacious L-shaped counter, adorned with celebratory flowers. We opted for the ¥15,000 course, which includes a variety of dishes such as sashimi, steamed sea urchin, simmered flounder, homemade karasumi, roast beef, and more. One notable aspect of the cuisine here is the emphasis on the potential of vegetables, which are sourced from a farm within the grounds of Shugakuin Imperial Villa. These vegetables are like thoroughbreds, showcasing their flavors in each dish meticulously crafted by Yagi-san. The presentation of each dish, from the sashimi to the horikawa burdock eel, is exquisite. The balance of flavors in the broth is delicate yet flavorful. Overall, the quality of the cuisine is top-notch, especially in how the vegetables are handled. Yagi-san's style of serving customers face-to-face may be new to him, but he adapts quickly and shares interesting anecdotes with guests. Despite the growing media attention, Yagi-san continues to maintain the high quality of his work.

Upon the recommendation of a friend, we chose this restaurant from among the many in Kyoto. The young head chef who trained at Kyoto Kikunoi and Miza was delightful! There were 8 counter seats, and we shared the space with another couple. At first, it was quiet, but by the end, we were having a great time chatting with the other customers and the chef, and enjoying wonderful food. The chef was very friendly and down-to-earth, and even recommended some other great restaurants in Kyoto. The dishes featured unique Kyoto vegetables, and the appetizer platter was beautifully presented, with the highlight being the plum soy sauce with wasabi - absolutely delicious! I couldn't resist buying 3 to take home as souvenirs. I will definitely revisit when I'm in Kyoto again!

Gion Festival 2023 Yoiyama. A friend in Kyoto made a reservation for us at a restaurant. The head chef comes from a family of craftsmen who make pottery, and with each dish served, we were amazed by the quality. We enjoyed multiple preparations of conger eel and sashimi dipped in plum sauce mixed with wasabi, which was a fantastic highlight. ✨

I chose the middle course out of the three courses available, which consisted of 9 dishes including desserts. - Appetizer: Conger eel with Shugakuin eggplant, Yamashina green bean sesame dressing, and marinated shrimp in a beautiful basket. - Sashimi: Awaji pike conger eel, Wakayama bigfin reef squid, Shimane bluefin tuna (forgot the origin). Served in a chilled bowl with beautifully arranged vegetables. - Soup: I think it was sea bream with somen noodles and surprisingly, tomatoes. The broth was delicious as expected. - Side dish: Beautifully decorated with a river motif, featuring various ingredients including shrimp on a summer mat, a boat-like container with fig compote, and mackerel sushi wrapped in bamboo leaves in the shape of a Kyoto-style chumaki sushi. - Grilled dish: Dried sweetfish. Rich and flavorful, better than salt-grilled. The fried head and tail were also delicious. - Meat dish: Kumamoto beef shabu-shabu. The sweet potatoes were so delicious that I couldn't stop eating them. - Rice dish: Burdock and whitebait mixed rice. The burdock was delicious with a nice touch of Japanese pepper. I asked to have the leftovers packed. - Dessert: Fruits and raw chocolate. I wish they sold this chocolate. Also had Blancmange and Mizu-no-tsuki style dessert. - Alcohol: I drank quite a bit so I forgot. The vegetables were exceptionally delicious. The quality of the ingredients was top-notch, and the skilled chef's touch elevated the flavors of the dishes. Thank you for the feast.

All the dishes were delicate, especially the special plum soy sauce which I loved! The deliciousness made me want to pour it over not just sashimi, but also rice. It was a weekday afternoon, so there was only one other group of customers besides us, creating a quiet and relaxing atmosphere where we could enjoy our time.

The decor was stylish. The dishes were visually appealing and enjoyable. The Kyoto vegetable Japanese cuisine was consistently delicious. The sashimi itself didn't seem extremely fresh, but the plum sauce was delicious and addictive. It was a bit spicy when too much wasabi was added, but overall the dishes were light and good for the body. Even the dessert was delicious!

Visited on July 1, 2022. Popular No. 1 lunch/dinner course for 13,860 yen (tax and service charge included). Reservations not available for the day before or the same day. Enjoy seasonal kaiseki cuisine with carefully selected fresh ingredients in a sophisticated adult atmosphere. The course includes 8 dishes: Appetizer, Soup, Sashimi (4 varieties), Hassun (7 varieties), Grilled dish, Simmered dish, Seasonal rice, Dessert (3 varieties including fruits, seasonal blancmange, and Japanese sweets). Had a delightful evening enjoying kaiseki cuisine in an adult setting the night before Tanabata. A precious connection made in Okinawa led to a reunion in Kyoto. It was a delicious and enjoyable night. #KaisekiCuisine #GojoGourmet #KyotoGourmet #DriedAyufish #Kanzan

The simmered rice with spicy cod roe is cooked in a clay pot and any leftovers are neatly packed for takeout. The restaurant pays attention to the dishes, serving sake in favorite sake cups. The meticulous and elegant dishes allowed me to feel the season.

I wish I had known about this place sooner, that's what I thought. The food, the dishes, the atmosphere, everything is great. This time, I enjoyed the most affordable course. - Appetizer: Vinegared Shimaji from Nagasaki, Square Potato, Matsutake Ash, Mushroom - Soup: Matsutake Steamed in a Pot, Last Matsutake of the Year - Sashimi: Bonito, Shugakuin Onion, Conger Eel, Saury. The vivid yellow vegetables were delicious with the homemade plum paste. It was recommended to dissolve wasabi and it was indeed delicious as advised. - Hassun: Fushimi Mackerel Sushi (mixed with mochi rice), Shugakuin Sweet Potato and Karasumi, Homemade Salmon Roe. The salmon roe can be enjoyed by drinking it directly. There was also autumn salmon sandwiched with Zunda. I forgot the filling of the fried food that was served in a biwa-shaped dish, but it was delicious with a sweet and spicy flavor. - Grilled Dish: Grilled Ayu and Shugakuin Vegetables in Hoba Leaf. The visual impact was quite impressive. - Simmered Dish: Chrysanthemum, Sea Bream? Eggplant paste was tasty. - Rice Dish: Mushroom mixed rice with dried young sardines, pickles. I wanted to eat more, but I resisted. The rest was wrapped up for me to take home. - Dessert: Homemade Chocolate, Pear, Persimmon. Is this from a chocolatier? It's delicious. Drinks: Draft Beer / About 2 cups of Sake. There were various sake cups, which was fun. It's a lovely restaurant with few reviews, perhaps because some people choose not to review it or because it's frequented by locals. I look forward to trying a different course next time. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a restaurant where the chef trained at "Kyoto Kikunoi Arashiyama Honten" and "Hiiragiya Ryokan". They mainly use vegetables from a farm in Shugakuin for their dishes. The chef personally goes to the farm to harvest, which is why they only have limited lunch hours. The lunch options are priced at ¥5000, ¥8000, ¥12000, and ¥15000. This time, I opted for the ¥8000 course. - Aperitif - Emerald eggplant, saury, aiko fish, asparagus, and shiitake mushroom appetizer. The Kyoto vegetables were fresh and delicious. - Soup: Grilled pike conger with matsutake mushroom. The broth was light with a rich flavor from the grilled pike conger. The matsutake mushroom aroma was subtle. - Sashimi: Pike conger, sea bream, soy sauce-marinated salmon roe, and bonito. The pike conger and salmon roe were particularly impressive. - Appetizer plate: Pickled pike conger, fried autumn salmon, mackerel sushi, watercress and matsutake mushroom appetizer, pike conger roe, and Nanjing steamed bun. The mackerel sushi and Nanjing steamed bun were highlights. - Grilled dish: Grilled autumn salmon with miso, Tanaka chili pepper, ginkgo nuts, vinegar-pickled myoga ginger, and dance mushroom. The salmon was moist and flavorful. - Steamed dish: Kyoto Joyo taro, Fushimi Man'nenji chili pepper, chrysanthemum, yuba, and matsutake mushroom sauce. The savory sauce was delicious. - Main course: Mukago and sweetfish rice. The rice, with 20% mochi rice, had a perfect texture and a hint of sansho pepper. The sweetfish bone senbei, pickles, and red miso soup were served on the side. - Dessert: Muscat blancmange, red wine-stewed fig, golden kiwi, Nagano purple, and red wine jelly. The muscat-flavored blancmange was light and delightful. The dishes were not too heavy and had a nice balance of flavors. The quality for ¥8000 was excellent. The service was also friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a great dining experience.

I stayed in Kyoto for one night and visited this restaurant for lunch the next day. I had made a reservation in advance, but I regretted eating too much breakfast and arriving with a very full stomach. The restaurant was a bit difficult to find as the map provided was in English and the Japanese version did not have street names. I ended up getting a bit lost, even stopping by Nishiki Market on the way. The restaurant was located in a residential area with well-organized blocks, making it hard to distinguish one place from another. Luckily, a kind local helped me find my way. The restaurant had a few counter seats, but the space was well-utilized and didn't feel cramped. I opted for the lunch menu priced at 5000 yen and skipped special drinks due to driving later. I was greeted with a light drink as a gesture of welcome. The meal included saba sushi, ikura, autumn salmon, Nanjing bun, and another dish that I forgot. The standout was the inaho saba sushi, which was covered with oboro and left a lasting impression. The container for the appetizers was handmade by the owner, who soaked the material in water at home to soften it before weaving. The dinner course containers were slightly larger and more generous, making for enjoyable conversations. I've noticed a deep appreciation for tableware among kaiseki chefs, as seen in the antique dishes used at Gion Asada where I dined the previous night. Similarly, this restaurant showcased antique dishes from the Edo period, sourced from the owner's family's antique shop. This revelation made the tableware even more exquisite. The traditional dishes served in these exquisite old dishes create a beautiful illusion of past and present. The meal included matsutake mushroom chawanmushi with conger eel, sashimi of returning bonito from Miyagi, and grilled natural sea bream from Akashi. The conger eel during this season was exceptionally delicious. The meal ended with a delightful simmered dish served in a chrysanthemum-shaped container, featuring autumn eggplant, Akashi sea bream, and chrysanthemum broth. The shimeji rice, pickles, and red miso soup were cooked in a clay pot and tasted wonderful even when reheated at home. The flavor of the cooked-in rice was unforgettable. For dessert, I enjoyed Wakayama persimmon with chestnut sauce in a beautiful dish that complemented the delicious food. The marriage of tableware and cuisine was exceptional. The tea changed multiple times throughout the meal, with each serving presented in lovely, meaningful vessels. The attention to detail in the tea service and the unique gourd-shaped tea cups added to the special experience, highlighting the depth of Kyoto's kaiseki cuisine.

Born and raised in Kyoto, the husband of the reviewer grew up in an environment surrounded by antiques as his family runs an antique shop. The restaurant, located near Bukkoji Temple, has a bright and clean interior typical of a traditional Japanese restaurant. On this day, the reviewer was invited by a friend for an 8000 yen lunch course. The meal included various dishes such as saury with autumn vegetables, conger eel tempura with fried matsutake mushrooms, Awaji sea eel sashimi, and more. Each dish was delicious and beautifully presented, evoking a sense of warmth and comfort. The reviewer particularly enjoyed the mackerel sushi and the herring roe, which had a unique texture. The meal ended with a satisfying dessert featuring muscat blancmange, Nagano purple kyuui fig, and wine jelly. Overall, the reviewer was very pleased with the quality and value of the meal and looks forward to visiting the restaurant for dinner in the future.

It seems like they use fish from all over the country, and the sashimi is excellent! Highly recommended for treating your parents. The owner also talks to you, making the meal enjoyable!

I visited a stylish hidden gem-like restaurant for lunch. It was a beautiful place with only a sleek counter.

- Crab vinegar with boiled Rikyu-style wheat gluten, pickled Moroccan eggplant, shredded hairy crab, pickled green stem taro, and sliced tomato topped with Tosazu vinegar jelly and minced ginger. - Seared Karasumi with grated soy sauce and Karasumi soy sauce dressing. - Assorted sashimi plate with spiny lobster, swordtip squid, baby conger eel, smoked bonito, sea bream, and squid salted innards. Served with condiments like soy sauce, umeboshi, and wasabi. - Grilled conger eel on a white fan-shaped plate with umeboshi and boiled fresh burdock topped with yuzu zest. - Eight-piece assortment including fried kisu fish with vinegar, pickled okra, simmered octopus and azuki beans, mackerel dumpling, simmered fig, jelly with boiled gelatin and yam, boiled young ayu sweetfish with sansho pepper, grilled conger eel from Hakata, and fried Nanjing-style chicken with fuki miso. - Grilled kinmedai fish with sea urchin and bamboo shoot tossed in Tosazu dressing and topped with wood sorrel. - Abalone and its liver with yuzu miso dressing, topped with yuzu zest and sautéed zucchini and eggplant. - Aged soba noodles with quail egg yolk, fried shrimp, fried scallions, and fried kabocha squash. - Tai-meshi (sea bream rice) with wood sorrel. - Pickled vegetables with chopped kombu, enoki mushrooms, and bonito flakes, red and yellow bell peppers, daikon radish with yuzu zest. - Three-leaf red miso soup. - Melon-based blancmange with watermelon and golden kiwi, topped with wine-based jelly, mint leaves, sweet red bean paste with matcha-flavored rice cake, and egg white-based topping.