Located in the Gion shopping street along Shijo Street leading to Yasaka Shrine in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, is the popular dango shop "Miyoshiya" with long queues. A three-generation family-run shop specializing in "mitarashi dango" that is grilled over charcoal in the traditional way. This shop has a unique operating hours, typically opening around 8-9 PM, which piqued my curiosity as a dango shop. Although I often visit Kyoto for day trips, I usually head back after having dinner around that time, so I hadn't had the chance to visit until now. On this particular Friday, I arrived at the shop around 8:20 PM. I was a bit anxious about whether they were open that day, but seeing the staff preparing for opening put my mind at ease. Since it seemed like they were just starting preparations at that point, I decided to pass the time by going to eat gyoza in the Gion area. Even at that time, there were already three people in line. When I returned before 9 PM, the line had grown to 13 people, but the charcoal fire hadn't been lit yet, so it seemed like it would take a bit more time for them to be ready. I decided to wait in line, and from there, the line quickly grew longer. By the time the shop opened around 9:15 PM, the line had extended far back, probably with over 40 people. It's scary to think what would have happened if I had been a bit later. The dango is priced at 120 yen (tax included) per skewer, and while waiting in line, the staff go around asking for the number of skewers you want. The shop does not allow photography, there is no seating area for dining in, and eating while walking is also not allowed, so it's strictly for takeout. The dango are grilled near the charcoal fire to the point where they almost seem to touch it directly, spreading a fragrant aroma in the vicinity that whets your appetite. I decided to buy 6 skewers this time. Some people were buying as many as 10 skewers alone, and it took me about 30 minutes to make my purchase. The dango skewers consist of four small dango each, with a type where the ends are slightly separated, similar to what I had at "Kamo Mitarashi Chaya" near Shimogamo Shrine. Although they had already cooled down a bit, they still had a pleasantly chewy texture with a moderate firmness. Despite having a charred, black surface, they surprisingly didn't taste bitter, and the prominent fragrance made them incredibly delicious. The thick mitarashi sauce clings to the dango with a jelly-like texture, with a mild soy sauce flavor and a strong sweetness, creating a very mellow taste. The kinako powder adds a rich aroma and pairs perfectly with the dango. While the mitarashi sauce alone is delicious, it became even tastier when mixed with the kinako powder. This exceptional flavor justifies the long wait in line, and it was my favorite mitarashi dango I've had recently. I definitely want to go back again. Thank you for the meal!

When I arrived around 8:30 pm, the place was not crowded yet but there was already a line forming. We had to wait for about 5 groups ahead of us, as the people in front of us bought a huge amount of dumplings, so we were able to purchase them around 9 pm. These Mitarashi dumplings cost 120 yen each and are only available at this mysterious shop with no fixed opening hours or days off. They had been closed temporarily before, so I was finally able to try them. The small dumplings come in a skewer with 4 pieces, generously coated in sauce. I chose mine with kinako powder. It was my first time trying Mitarashi dumplings and they melted in my mouth instantly. I thought I only needed to try them once, but the unique taste that can only be experienced here made it a very popular shop.

Kyoto at night is the best! Last time it was closed, but today I came back for revenge and it was open! I've always wanted to eat mitarashi dango while looking at Kyoto's night view, but it was crowded with tourists, so I ate it at home. It was delicious! Even when it cooled down, it was still delicious!

I moved to Gion for the second time and surprisingly there was a small line, so I bought it for the first time in a while. I like the taste here. I was the only Japanese person buying at this time... Today, the mother was kind. I wonder when I will buy it again next time.

Opposite Kyoto Minami-za, in the evening Gion, operating hours uncertain? Sold out, immediate closure, mitarashi dango. Without thinking, happened to pass by at the opening time and suddenly noticed a line forming. Watching the line getting longer and longer, without understanding anything, decided to line up. Asked by the old lady, "How many?" and reflexively answered, "5 pieces!" Then, the dango were grilled over charcoal. In the meantime, searched online about this shop. Oh, but just had dinner, maybe ordering 5 pieces was too much~ thought. Brought them back to the hotel and tried them right away. Still warm. Light. Delicious. What is this, different from what I've had before. Could've gone for 20. Regret not buying more. The dango, small and even lighter. The mitarashi sauce, lightly refreshing, sprinkled with kinako. Light, pleasantly tasty. Satisfaction like watching a small, skillful boxer's match? It's been a long time since they've been around. Spent 4 years in Kyoto for university but knew nothing about it. Reflecting on myself who just drank alcohol around Kiyamachi. Delicious. Thank you. It was a feast.

I had a meal at a nearby eel restaurant. When I walked out onto the street, I noticed that a shop was open! I had never bought anything there before, but I knew they only operated at night. An old man was starting a fire. At that moment, it looked delicious. I asked if I should buy some. "Let's eat!" was the reply. "How many should we get?" In the back, "Two," he said. "Alright, then I'll have three." I hadn't seen them before, but I assumed the dumplings from this kind of shop were small. When the old man was told five, he said it would take a little longer, around 15 minutes. "Let's wait then!" I didn't realize, but two ladies were waiting ahead of us. We followed after them. Well, did we wait that long? At one point, a female staff member asked us the exact number we wanted. When they said they were going to grill them, it was more like searing. They started grilling quickly, giving it a slight char, dipping it in sweet sauce, putting it in a bag, sprinkling with soybean flour, and it was done. It was easy to carry, and the packaging was cute. It took about an hour from receiving them until opening, and they were still warm. They were indeed small, priced at 120 yen each, so one dumpling the size of a pinball was 30 yen. Expensive! Eating them with plenty of sweet sauce and soybean flour was delicious. In the back, after the dumplings were gone, they were skewering and coating them with sweet sauce and soybean flour. A bit stingy, but I thought probably all girls who like sweet things would do the same. Thank you very much.

Opening hours vary by day, and the restaurant closes once items are sold out. On June 4, 2023, received at 20:27 and 20:36. Ordered dishes: - Mitarashi dango (3 pieces) for ¥120 each (tax included) - Mitarashi dango (6 pieces) for ¥120 each (tax included) - Traditional charcoal-grilled mitarashi dango

Takeout: Mitarashi dango ¥120 (tax included) This shop suddenly opens at night. "Opening hours will be as soon as preparations are ready at night." Walking on Shijo-dori in Gion, in front of Yasaka Shrine, you'll find a notice like this. Curious, I looked into it and found out it's a shop that only operates at night selling Mitarashi dango. I revisited around 21:30, more than 4 hours after finding the notice at 17:00, and there was already a long line in front of the shop. Surprisingly, most of the people waiting were foreigners. While queuing, a woman who seemed to be the owner was barking at the foreign tourists to line up properly along the edge of the road, which was quite amusing. When it was my turn, the woman asked how many dango I wanted. It seems you can order as many as you like. I asked for 5 dango. They were quickly wrapped and handed to me. Apparently, they usually open around 21:00. It's a mystery why there are so many foreigners here. Photography inside the shop is prohibited, so be aware. I enjoyed the dango when I returned to my hotel. The ones from this shop are Mitarashi dango coated with kinako (soybean flour). They are small in size, with 4 small dango lined up. The sticky, high-viscosity sweet sauce clings to the dango, and then kinako is sprinkled on top, making it undeniably delicious. It's not overly sweet, and the balance is just right. A perfect shop for enjoying Mitarashi dango at night. Next time, I definitely want to try them freshly grilled. Mitarashi dango lovers, don't miss this place.

On this day, the restaurant opened after 10 p.m., and I was able to purchase as the second group after waiting in line for about 10 minutes. Each skewer comes with four small dumplings that are bite-sized and easy to eat in one go. The sauce is so deliciously melty, and the texture is indescribably chewy, making it possible to eat as many skewers as you want. It's recommended to generously coat them with plenty of kinako (roasted soybean flour) and sauce, and enjoy them while they're warm. As they cool down, the dumplings become more elastic, and the sauce starts to harden. The staff at the restaurant are quite strict; no photography is allowed, and it's more satisfying to make a quick payment altogether for a pleasant purchase experience.

In Kyoto's main area, there are at least two restaurants that draw long lines late at night. One is the original Ramen shop Ichiasahi near Kyoto Station. The other is the dumpling shop Miyoshiya along Shijo Street. After having dinner in Gion, I finally decided to visit Miyoshiya, a place I had been wanting to try for years. It was around 9 p.m., and already about 10 people were waiting in the cold Kyoto night for the sales to start, forming a line. I thought I might be able to buy early since they were already preparing, but the first person received their dumplings almost exactly as announced at around 10:10 p.m. By that time, the line had grown to over 40 people. I had heard about it, but it was really impressive. Before starting the sales, the staff asked how many each person wanted and requested those waiting not to eat while walking. Now it was my turn. I ordered two Mitarashi dumplings (¥120 each). The skewer had one dumpling about 1.5 centimeters in diameter at the front, followed by three with a little space before the last one, for a total of four (not five, though the reason for this is unclear - perhaps a trademark issue?). The dumplings were grilled over charcoal to create a nice char, and they were topped with a slightly sweet Mitarashi sauce with a sprinkle of kinako. This Mitarashi sauce was really delicious. I wish I had bought more. Depending on the timing, you may end up waiting in line only to find the dumplings sold out, and risk missing the last train to Nagoya, but I'll try to make another opportunity to have them again.

This is a famous dumpling shop in Gion Shijo. Surprisingly, the shop opens around 10 p.m. Gion's unique charm, right? It seems like they cater to those who want to buy souvenirs. Moreover, the opening time slightly varies every day. When I went there around 8:30 p.m., there was no line. The shop opened around 10:30 p.m. People started lining up about 20 minutes before opening, and I hurried to join the line. You have to line up in a single file along the road. In no time, there were 30-40 people in line. Looking at past reviews, depending on the pace of orders, if you're around the 40th person in line, you might miss out on buying. You need to join the line quickly to get your hands on the dumplings. Also, taking photos and eating while walking is not allowed. It's better to bring small change for payment. I participated in this harsh (?) competition to get the dumplings. They offered two types: mitarashi and kinako. Each dumpling costs 120 yen and is quite small. When you take the freshly baked dumplings back to your hotel, they are still warm. I tried them right away and found the mitarashi sauce to be quite strong, maybe for heat retention. Surprisingly, it's not as sweet as I expected. Perhaps they made it less sweet considering people buying them after drinking. On the other hand, the kinako flavor is quite sweet. It's so easy to eat that one person could probably finish 10 of them. They are indeed delicious and perfect as a souvenir after drinking. Ideally, it would be nice to buy them without waiting in line, but due to their rarity from late-night opening to being sold out, they probably sell out instantly after opening... Thank you for the meal.

Opening around 10 PM, this shop sells mitarashi dango on a take-out basis only. Once ready, they open for business, with no reservations and always a long line. The perfect blend of charred edges, soy sauce, and kinako makes their 10-piece course a must-try. Overall, it was a delightful experience.

I visited this place over 10 years ago and have a faint memory of it being delicious. The atmosphere and the kind lady running the place left a good impression back then. However, now it seems to have turned into a shop just handling the overflow of tourists. When I arrived, there were already more than 10 groups waiting in line. I was surprised to see such a long line. As I was waiting in line, a plump staff member suddenly pushed me and said, "Don't step out of the line." I didn't realize I was stepping out, but apparently, we had to stand perfectly in a single file without obstructing the sidewalk. Maybe my bright-colored coat made it noticeable that my shoulder was slightly out of line. It seems even a slight shoulder out of line is not allowed. The impact of being suddenly pushed by the plump staff member was quite strong. I wished they had asked me to move a bit instead of pushing me. Maybe because there are many overseas customers who don't understand the language, they tend to use physical gestures before words. When the food was almost ready, the staff asked, "How many orders?" Everyone placed their orders, and the food was handed out in order. They made sure to remind everyone not to eat it here. They scolded a foreigner who tried to take a photo right away. It's understandable, but they seem quite busy. Anyway, I bought some nostalgic rice cakes and headed back to my accommodation. The wrapping paper felt dull, and inside, it had changed to plastic. The rice cakes were hard and not tasty. They lacked the chewiness. Maybe it's because it's winter? Or maybe they were prepared too far in advance? The rice cakes were rubbery and not delicious, and they didn't go well with the sweet soy sauce. I guess it would have been better to keep the good old memories as they were. I left feeling a bit disappointed after visiting.

There was a sign saying that they would be open later than usual, so I arrived about 30 minutes before that time and found around 20 people already lined up. They started selling a bit earlier, but they seemed to close in about 30-40 minutes. There was a call saying they were running out of skewers even though it was only about 3 servings in. An older lady mentioned that you might not be able to buy anything if you were behind in line. It's so delicious that you would want to eat it even late at night. I like the taste of mitarashi and kinako.

When I passed by, there was a long line, so I decided to wait in line. The line quickly got longer. After waiting for over an hour, I bought three rice cakes and returned to the hotel, but I didn't feel any special deliciousness. I couldn't tell much difference compared to the rice cakes I had on the approach to Kifune Shrine.

On a weekday Friday, the restaurant is said to open around 10 PM, but by 9 PM, there were already about 5 people lining up. More people started to gather around 9:30 PM, and by the time it opened at 10 PM, there was a long line. Each dumpling costs 120 yen, so it's best to have exact change ready to avoid getting a lot of coins back. The dumplings are small, about 1 centimeter, so they can be eaten quickly. They are served on a plate, so it's not easy to dip them in sauce.

I visited the restaurant around 10 PM and there were already about 5-6 groups ahead of me. I waited for about 15 minutes. I had heard that they open around 10 PM, so I was skeptical, but it was true. The couple running the place were very friendly and welcoming. I tried the mitarashi dango for 120 yen each and it was worth the time and effort put into making them. They were soft and warm, with a delicious sweet and salty taste, and the kinako powder added a nice touch. The dango were not too chewy, so you could easily enjoy them. I only bought as much as I could eat fresh because they are best when freshly made. I would love to visit again if I have the chance.

Located on Shijo Street in Kyoto, this popular dumpling shop has quite a high hurdle to get in. The shop is only open for about 1 to 2 hours at night, with opening times ranging from 8:00 to a little after 9:00. On this day, they were preparing to open around 9:00, and I was able to make a purchase around 10:30. The dumplings, priced at 120 yen each, were grilled over charcoal and had a chewy texture, making them quite delicious. It was worth waiting in line for them!

This is a famous shop that sells mitarashi dango, operating in a space barely big enough to stand. The night hostess will be delighted if you bring it as a souvenir, and your wife will forgive you if you bring it home - that's mitarashi dango for you. The question is, how much is the rent here? The mitarashi dango is delicious, but overall it's just okay. I don't feel like coming back again.