About a 10-minute walk from Gion Shijo and Sanjo, across the street from the approach to Chion-in. A Bib Gourmand-winning restaurant exudes elegance and a hint of sexiness from its entrance. The beautifully hand-written menu, without prices for à la carte dishes, adds to the charm. I ordered omakase without hesitation, starting with a flavorful dashi and then the mesmerizing Koppie crab dish, layered with egg, meat, and miso. Each bite, accompanied by crab vinegar, was a delight. The dishes continued at a perfect pace, offering exactly what I craved. Everything was delicious, but the standout dishes for me were the (Sichuan pepper-infused) oyster fry and tomato ohitashi with sesame sauce and karasumi. With a few drinks, the bill for 9 dishes came to 23,000 yen for two people. Quite reasonable for the quality. A must-visit spot in Kyoto, it's the kind of place that makes you want to visit Kyoto just for it.

Kyoto Food Part 2: August 5, 2023 (Saturday) 23:00 - Second visit in 2 months. Tabelog rating 3.65. Last night's dinner was here! It's been 2 months since my last visit. With last order at 25:00, it's a valuable place where you can dine even late after work. I visited at 23:00 yesterday. The menu is à la carte only, but they serve for one person. <Menu>: 1. Tomato Somen (appetizer) 2. Hair Crab 3. Tender Octopus Stew 4. Assorted Sashimi 5. Abalone, Matsutake Mushroom, and Taro Stem Soup 6. Deep-Fried Spiny Lobster and Corn 7. Udo Shoots 8. Meat Croquette 9. Grilled Wagyu Beef 10. Mackerel Sushi. It was delicious this time too. #WashokuHourai #KyotoGourmet #Kyoto #TabelogHighRating #HardToReserveRestaurant #Kaiseki #JapaneseCuisine #JapaneseFood #KyotoCuisine #Gourmet #GourmetLover #GourmetTravel #ConnectingWithGourmetLovers #GourmetInstagram #FoodInstagram #GourmetWanderlust #ConnectingWithFoodLovers #Foodie #Foodies #Foodiegram #FoodPorn #FoodStagram.

Visited after a month and a half on Friday, June 9, 2023, from 12:30 AM. The restaurant had a Tabelog rating of 3.64. Last order is at 1 AM, making it a valuable spot for late-night dining after work. I arrived at 12:30 AM yesterday. The menu is à la carte only, with individual service. The dishes included: 1. Jade tofu with mountain vegetables sauce (appetizer) 2. Female snow crab with rice underneath 3. White clam simmered 4. Tender octopus simmered 5. Lotus root manju 6. Sashimi - eel, mackerel sushi, horse mackerel 7. Corn and shrimp tempura 8. Udo (mountain vegetable) tempura 9. Meat croquette 10. Oyster fry with mushroom stuffed inside 11. Grilled small sweetfish from Lake Biwa 12. Conger eel sushi and mackerel sushi. Since I visited close to the last order time, the restaurant was almost empty. I spent less than an hour there. It was delicious as always. #WashokuHourai #KyotoGourmet #Kyoto #TabelogHighRating #HardToReserveRestaurant #Kaiseki #JapaneseCuisine #Washoku #KyotoCuisine #JapaneseFood #Gourmet #GourmetLover #GourmetTravel #GourmetConnection #GourmetInstagram #FoodInstagram #FineDining #Foodie #FoodieGram #FoodPorn #FoodStagram

Continuing with my Kyoto log. I really went there every month last year. Hosrai is a Japanese restaurant that was selected for the Bib Gourmand. A genius who elevates seasonal ingredients with simple cooking methods ✨ And here, the dashi broth is truly amazing! Whether it's the ankake sauce or the dipping broth for somen noodles, the dashi in every dish is fantastic. Also, the bottled beer was surprisingly delicious. A cold Asahi Super Dry served in a thin glass. A common combination, but there was something special about it here... It tasted better than draft beer. Kyoto's counter-style traditional Japanese restaurants are just too charming! Washoku Hosrai‍♂️ 7 minutes on foot from Higashiyama Station #Kyoto #KyotoGourmet #Gourmet #KyotoTraditionalJapaneseRestaurant #JapaneseCuisine #WashokuHosrai #CantoneseCuisine #KyotoDinner #KyotoSightseeing #KyotoStation #KyotoNaturalWine #KyotoStroll #WineBar #Wine #WineInstagram #KyotoDateDinner #KyotoSoloDining

Visited after a month on Friday, April 21, 2023, at 10:30 PM. With a Tabelog rating of 3.64 and last order at 1:00 AM, it's a precious spot where you can dine even late after work. Today, I arrived at 10:30 PM. The menu is à la carte only, with individual service. <Menu>: 1. Chrysanthemum Greens and Komatsuna Ohitashi (appetizer) 2. Hairy Crab 3. White Bai Clam 4. Lotus Root Manju 5. Sashimi/Sushi (Mackerel, Yellowtail, Red Clam, Pike Conger, Striped Jack) 6. Meat Croquette 7. Grilled Blowfish Milt 8. Bamboo Shoot Tempura 9. Firefly Squid and Udo Tempura 10. Small Sweetfish Tempura 11. Japanese Beef Tataki 12. Mackerel Sushi. Once again, the meal was delicious and satisfying. #Washoku Hourai #Kyoto Gourmet #Kyoto #Tabelog High Rating #Hard-to-Book Restaurant #Kaiseki #Japanese Cuisine #Japanese Food #Kyoto Cuisine #Gourmet #Gourmet Lover #Gourmet Travel #Want to Connect with Gourmet Lovers #Gourmet Instagram #Foodie #Foodiegram #Food Porn #Foodstagram

Kyoto Higashiyama - #Washoku Horai (4/7) Budget: 12,000 yen and up. Rated 3.64 on Tabelog @washoku_horai.kyoto. ⭐️ Great for solo diners, a la carte options, and late-night dining. This time in Kyoto, enjoyed plenty of sweets like cakes and French toast. #Sweets #Cake #FrenchToast #KyotoLunch #Lunch #Gourmet #Food #FoodPorn #Foodie #Foodstagram #KyotoGourmet #ConnectWithSakeLovers #ConnectWithFoodLovers #ConnectWithGourmetLovers #ConnectWithKyotoLovers #DifficultToReserve #RepeatCustomer #APlaceToVisitEveryTimeInKyoto

Visited after a month on Friday, March 24, 2023, at 11:30 PM. With a Tabelog rating of 3.64 and last order at 1:00 AM, it's a valuable place where you can dine even late after work. Today, I arrived at 11:30 PM. The menu is à la carte only, with each dish served per person. The dishes were served according to my eating pace, and the total stay was about 50 minutes. Convenient! From start to finish, the food was delicious. #Washoku Hourai #Kyoto Gourmet #Kyoto #Tabelog Highly Rated #Hard-to-Book Restaurant #Kaiseki #Japanese Cuisine #Japanese Food #Kyoto Cuisine #Foodie #Foodiegram #Food Porn #Foodstagram

I visited for the first time around September last year, and the mackerel sushi was delicious, so I wanted to revisit. The mackerel sushi and sashimi were still delicious. However, the amount of hairy crab seems to have decreased compared to last time (replaced with seaweed, etc.). The seasonal tempura was surprisingly delicious last time, but this time the fried food seemed like something you could get anywhere and lacked a special touch in the dishes. If they are going to lower the quality of the food, they should just raise the prices. When you visit, be sure to try the mackerel sushi and the sea urchin mochi, as they are delicious.

In front of Chion-in Temple, it's quite easy to find, but you might overlook the restaurant. The dishes are à la carte, so you can have as much as you like of your favorites. They have a wide selection of sake, wine, and drinks. Of course, they also have non-alcoholic options on the menu.

Located in the Gion area of Kyoto, Washoku Hourai is a reasonably priced Japanese restaurant that has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand. It is a cozy place where you can enjoy delicious meals and a wide variety of Japanese sake, known as "sake thieves." Although the cost of ¥20,000 for 19 dishes and 8 cups of sake (with oddly large servings) may seem excessive, the pricing is a bit off. I visited Kyoto just for this place, and it was definitely worth it. Here is a list of the dishes I ordered (I may have missed some as I didn't take notes): - Chrysanthemum and komatsuna ohitashi - Ankimo (monkfish liver) simmered in sauce - Hair crab sashimi with crab vinegar - Firefly squid and udo tempura - Yellowtail and sea bream sashimi - Tangy black sesame mochi - Pufferfish milt grilled dish - Moroko grilled dish - Tangy black sesame dish - Meat croquette - Fried oysters - Clam soup - Grilled sea bream head - Vinegared dish - Boiled white clam - Sweetfish tempura

It has been one year and three months since our last visit. We dined in a private room for four people. Everything we ordered a la carte was the best in Kyoto style. Today, both the counter and table seats were fully booked. The flavors were satisfying. Thank you for the delicious meal. I will upload photos of all the dishes.

Visited for the first time on February 22, 2023 (Wednesday) at 10:30 PM. Found this place online that was still open even at a late hour after work. The menu is à la carte only, but they serve one person at a time. The dishes were all delicious, and it was a delightful encounter with a wonderful restaurant on my way home. #Washoku Takarai #Kyoto Gourmet #Kyoto #Kyoto #Tabelog High Evaluation #Difficult Reservation Restaurant #Kappo #Kaiseki #Japanese Cuisine #Japanese Food #Kyoto Cuisine #Japanesefood #Washoku #Kaiseki #Gourmet #Gourmet Lover #Want to Connect with Gourmet Lovers #Want to Connect with Gourmet People #Gourmet Instagram #Food Instagram #Food Strolling #Fine Dining #Gourmet Travel #Foodie #Foodies #Foodiegram #Food Porn #Foodstagram

At the beginning of August, I visited Kyoto alone for a geisha's birthday dinner and photo session, but the extraordinary heat made me exhausted and unable to keep up with my energy. My husband and I usually visit Kyoto together during the Obon holiday, but this time I felt like I would just end up staying in the hotel besides having meals because of the heat, so I decided to skip it and spend a relaxing time at home. However, my husband seemed very dissatisfied with this. "When is the next Kyoto trip (together)?" he asked. I answered, "Hmm... maybe at the end of October." He exclaimed, "What?! Then I won't be able to go for over 3 months!" and got upset, saying, "It might be fine for you since you went in August!" So, we hastily decided to visit in September. I openly declare my love for Kyoto on the homepage, but the truth is, my husband loves Kyoto even more than I do. So, when it comes to going somewhere together, there is hardly any choice other than Kyoto in our house (lol). However, my husband is busy with work at the beginning of every month and can't take time off, but he doesn't like staying overnight. So, we ended up taking the Tohoku and Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto after finishing work on Friday, arriving at Kyoto Station at 10 p.m. @@ I searched for a restaurant that would accept customers even after 10 p.m. and found this place, Takarai-san. I called and informed them that I would like to sit at the counter and order a la carte. I took a taxi straight to the restaurant from Kyoto Station with my luggage. The restaurant we arrived at was located along Higashioji Street, right in front of Chion-in Temple. There was one couple at the counter and a group of four women at a table. We started with beer and oolong tea! While enjoying the cold noodles and mackerel sushi as the first appetizers, we looked at the menu and placed our orders. We ordered simmered octopus, rolled ayu fish with sushi rice in dashi, salt-grilled ayu fish, black sesame mochi, corn tempura, cold noodles, coffee bean pudding. Since it was late, we shared one serving each and enjoyed it together. Inside the counter, the chef and another man were running the show, while a woman was in charge of the floor. Everyone seemed to be in their 30s? They were warm and made us feel comfortable. By the time we left the restaurant, it was past 11 p.m., and we were the only customers left ^^; When I apologized for staying so late, the staff said, "No, no, we close at 1 a.m., and more customers are coming in now." I think it's quite rare to be able to have a meal late at night (after 10 p.m.) at a restaurant, so I thought it was a valuable place. Thank you for the meal~!

In Kyoto, my favorite Japanese restaurant "Washoku Hourai" - this was my second visit, this time with friends after golf. Even though it's always full, I can't help but want to keep it a secret. What I love about it is the perfectly seasoned dishes with delightful aromas. The lively atmosphere, the relaxed vibe, and the wonderful food make dining with friends a great experience. If only there was such a fantastic restaurant in Osaka, I'd go there every week. Thank you for the delicious meal.

【Washoku Hourai】When I decided to visit Kyoto, I made a reservation based on the enthusiastic recommendation from a friend on Instagram! Just looking at the menu got me excited ❤️ The sesame-flavored cold noodles served as an appetizer were delicious! The meal included hairy crab, udo tempura, assorted sashimi, sweetfish, deep-fried corn, karasumi mochi, and mackerel sushi. The sweetness of the hairy crab miso filling my mouth as I savored it was truly luxurious ✨ The sashimi, especially the pike conger, was amazing~ The sweetfish was delicious on its own and even better dipped in vinegar! I was really looking forward to the karasumi mochi and mackerel sushi, and they did not disappoint. Sake went down so smoothly, it was pure bliss to enjoy my favorite dishes à la carte with a glass of sake in hand! The staff were very friendly and made the experience even more pleasant ❤️

I visited the restaurant "Washoku Hourai" that I had been hearing rumors about for a while with a friend after playing golf. When it comes to Japanese cuisine in Kyoto, there is an image of it being expensive, but this place is very reasonable, delicious, and has a nice atmosphere with attentive staff including the head chef. I thought it's no wonder it's popular. Next time, I will visit with my wife. It was really delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I may have posted this out of order since it was uploaded in March and I may have forgotten some details. It's been 13 months since I last visited Washoku Takara. I am looking forward to the omakase experience, but it's also fun to ponder over the menu items while looking at them. The first drink was a soda mix with Yakushima sweet potato shochu from Sangaku. The appetizers were chicken meatballs in white miso soup, chicken meatballs, Nameko mushrooms, and burdock root. The first cold sake was a super dry junmai sake from Hidamari in Miyagi Prefecture, paired with udon noodles, udo (mountain asparagus), and red clam with vinegar miso dressing. The next cold sake was a lightly cloudy junmai sake from Hidamari in Miyagi Prefecture, served with sabaki zushi. The final cold sake was a special junmai sake called Hananama from Zao Inspiration in Miyagi Prefecture, paired with overnight dried chicken and soft simmered koya tofu. The next dish was tempura of fava beans and sweet potatoes, wrapped in squid ink mochi and seaweed. The meal was accompanied by warm sake. The warm sake was a dreamy fragrance red clam liver and cucumber hand-rolled sushi with Kuni Koken junmai sake from Fukushima Prefecture. The final warm sake was a Fukumari Hana Wasabi sesame salad with Takebayashi junmai sake from Okayama Prefecture. The main course was a hot and flavorful clam udon noodle soup. Thank you for the feast.

Sparkling wine, koppa-gani (snow crab), ankimo (monkfish liver), shirako ponzu (milt with ponzu sauce), buri (yellowtail) and turnip soup, warm sake, shrimp and taro in ginger sauce, assorted sashimi (eel, mackerel sushi, octopus), dashimaki (rolled omelette), fried oysters, meat croquette, moroko (type of fish), wagyu beef ichibo (rib meat), kaki gohan (oyster rice), mackerel sushi, and conger eel sushi.

It seems to be my first visit in three years. The restaurant seems to be full of regular customers compared to before. The unchanged deliciousness assured me that it was the best selection to welcome guests returning from America. The Kyoto-style seasoning that brings out the flavor of the ingredients definitely makes you feel the ancient capital of Japan. Thank you for the wonderful meal.