Silver award-winning restaurant for The Tabelog Award 2023. This place offers outstanding ingredients and dishes that will leave you impressed season after season. In addition to that, the kind and attentive service provided by Mr. Yamagishi ensures that everyone who visits leaves completely satisfied. There is no distinction between first-time visitors and regulars here, and Mr. Yamagishi's hospitality is truly top-notch. I always make sure to book a reservation every year during the spring season because I can't miss out on their bamboo shoots, which are absolutely delicious. I've had bamboo shoots at various restaurants, but those from Yamagishi in Kyoto are the best. Some may say that the prices have gone up, but I believe that the quality of the ingredients has also increased significantly. Everything I eat here is always delicious, and that's why I love this place so much.

Located in Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, the kaiseki restaurant "Tomikojima Yamagishi" has a rating of 4.50 on Tabelog, ranking 34th nationwide and 6th in Kyoto Prefecture out of approximately 22,000 restaurants. During my visit in December 2022, I made a reservation for dinner at 9:00 PM. The restaurant is about a 6-7 minute walk from Hankyu Railway's "Kyoto Kawaramachi Station" to the northwest. Upon entering, I was greeted by a traditional Japanese atmosphere with a stone path leading to the main dining area. I took a seat at the counter, which offered a perfect view. Starting with a beer, I enjoyed a series of beautifully presented dishes made with seasonal ingredients. The omakase course included dishes such as matsutake mushroom rice, grilled conger eel, deep-fried kusen eggplant, and more. Each dish was a delight to the senses, showcasing the chef's skill and creativity. The highlight was the white amadai and matsutake mushroom soup, which was a perfect blend of flavors and textures. The meal ended with salmon rice, walnut mochi, fig, and matcha. Overall, it was a truly enjoyable dining experience in a refined setting. I look forward to visiting again in the future.

"At the restaurant 'Tomisaka Yama Kishi,' we enjoyed a Michelin 1-star meal with a rating of 4.50 on Tabelog. The restaurant received the Tabelog Award 2023 Silver and was selected as one of Tabelog's Top 100 Restaurants in 2023 for Japanese cuisine in the West region. Starting with the steamed rice with matsutake mushrooms, the aroma was delightful and satisfying. The grilled conger eel from Awaji Island with frosted plum, grated daikon, and wasabi was exceptional, with a perfect balance of sweetness and tenderness. I could have easily eaten five plates of it. The fried kuse eggplant with bonito flakes was flavorful, with a strong sweetness and delicious dashi. The white sea bream with yam and matsutake mushroom soup had a strong umami flavor and refreshing aroma. The sashimi included salted sea bream from Akashi, red sea urchin from Yura, and swordtip squid from Nagasaki, each with its unique and exquisite taste. The grilled bonito fish with miso and oil-soaked water eggplant, seasoned with black shichimi pepper, was aromatic and full of umami. The dish of chrysanthemum greens, chrysanthemum flowers, and mizunomi fruit was a refreshing palate cleanser with a hint of vinegar. The steamed abalone and ginkgo nut mochi with liver sauce was exceptional, with tender abalone and flavorful ginkgo nut mochi. The remaining liver sauce was delicious when mixed with rice. The cold assortment included summer turnips, small taro, car gluten, and conger eel, showcasing Kyoto's traditional flavors. The salmon and salmon roe rice was so delicious that I had three servings without even noticing the egg over rice. For dessert, we had fig and walnut mochi. It was a delightful experience enjoying the flavors of autumn in Kyoto, and I am looking forward to returning during the crab season in November. #Kyoto #KyotoGourmet #Michelin #Michelin1Star #Tabelog #JapaneseCuisine #GourmetLovers #JapaneseFoodLovers #BookingsDifficult #DifficultReservation #SuperDifficultReservation #HiroshimaGourmet"

It was the last Thursday of August. I had canceled in May due to circumstances, so it was my first time seeing Mr. Yamagishi since January. Tonight's seating was at 9:00 PM and the restaurant was fully booked. I started with a sweet potato soda to quench my thirst. Then, I had a selection of chilled sake. The menu included: - Steamed rice with sea urchin, kensaki squid, and sweet shrimp - Grilled conger eel from Awaji Island with grated radish and wasabi - Deep-fried eggplant from Kuse with Takamine chili pepper - A soup with conger eel from Awaji Island and matsutake mushrooms - Salted and dried sea bream from Akashi with red sea urchin from Yura - Grilled white sweetfish from Yawatahama with eggplant and Kanbayashi miso - Figs from Joyo with sesame vinegar - Eel and somen noodles, smashed winter melon, and myoga ginger - Abalone, summer turnip, and abalone liver sauce - Rice with corn and salmon, served with mentaiko, shredded dried fish, and enoki mushrooms I was recommended to have a second serving of rice with the leftover abalone liver sauce, which was delicious. For dessert, I had a sweet black syrup with a crunchy kuzukiri cake, along with matcha tea. The sake selection included: - Hidaka Miyasuke Yoshijuku Jumai Ginjo from Miyagi Prefecture - Sawaya Matsumoto Shuhari Omachi from Kyoto Prefecture - Harima Ikken Jumai Super Dry from Hyogo Prefecture - Toyo Bijin Jumai Daiginjo from Yamaguchi Prefecture It was a delightful meal.

At the end of a scorching hot summer, I regained my energy by enjoying delicious dishes at Tomisato Yama Kishi. The seared skin of conger eel with grated plum was refreshing. The melt-in-your-mouth sweetness of Yura sea urchin was delightful. In this season, I always want to have fig and sesame salad. For the finale, grilled corn and salmon, white rice with three kinds of toppings, and a raw egg over rice (just the yolk). The paper lantern with the Five Mountain Bonfire design was probably hand-written by the head chef, with a signature touch. The contrast of black syrup on a red plate was beautiful.

Kyoto, Tomikojicho Yamagishi I happened to get a reservation, so this is the first installment of my Kyoto expedition. I worked hard to come here, but to open a branch at Azabudai Hills is just funny. I heard that Yamagishi-san also comes on Mondays and Tuesdays, so I would like to visit then. It's a counter-style setting where your hands are hidden, making it a bit hard to see. The flavors were all delicious, using a lot of ingredients from the Kyoto area, so it felt fresh. It's a bit pricey at 55,000 yen, so it's like a distant dream. I hope to come back someday. - Uni, swordtip squid, sweet shrimp steamed rice (excellent) - Grilled conger eel with plum and grated radish (excellent) - Eggplant and Yawata pepper tempura (excellent) - Eel soup with shiitake mushrooms from Katsuo and kombu broth, no seasoning added (excellent) - Sea bream from Akashi with uni from Yura, delicious white sea bream, water eggplant, Kanbayashi miso (excellent) - Kyoto fig from Joyo with sesame vinegar sauce (excellent) - Eel somen with pounded winter melon and myoga (excellent) - Summer turnip and abalone with liver sauce (good) - Salmon and corn rice (excellent) - Eel and taro root with liver sauce (forgot to add, too delicious to eat) - Rice topped with salmon and flying fish roe, followed by a side of rice with tarako and shirasu (excellent) - Kudzu jelly (good, hard texture) - Matcha and kudzu jelly (wanted this before finishing)

In August, at Yamagishi-san's restaurant, we had steamed rice with squid, sea urchin, and sweet shrimp, grilled pike conger, eggplant with Yase and Yamashiro chili peppers, a soup with pike conger and matsutake mushrooms, sea urchin and Thai white snapper with water eggplant, fig and sesame vinegar, eel noodles, abalone and summer kabura. The amazing dishes served in beautiful plates left us completely satisfied!

Steamed rice with squid, sea urchin, and sweet shrimp from Awaji Island, grilled pike conger eel from Karuya, eggplant and Kyoto Yamasiro chili peppers, hamo fish with kombu and bonito dashi broth, truffle from Yuya, sea urchin from Akashi and sea bream, white sea bream from Ehime Hachiman-hama, Kinzanji miso water eggplant, fig and sesame vinegar, eel somen, abalone and summer kabura, abalone liver sauce, corn and salmon rice, kudzu jelly, matcha.

Mr. Yamasato at Tomoji Yama-gishi. Whenever you visit, you can enjoy the finest seasonal ingredients representing Japan. Starting from steamed rice, followed by conger eel, sea bream with sea urchin, red sea bream, figs, eel, abalone, and finishing with shrimp fried rice. Each dish overflows with deliciousness.

Finally visited Tomikoji Yamagishi as I had been hoping for. From the first beer, they entertained me, and the fuki and uni were amazing. Everything was delicious. If I can secure a reservation for anago, I would love to come back multiple times. Looking forward to coming to Azabu #KyotoGourmet #JapaneseCuisine #KaisekiCuisine #GionFestival #KyotoKawaramachi #TomikojiYamagishi #Anago

Gion Matsuri-themed meal at Yamasaki-san's place with steamed rice topped with sea urchin and agar, grilled conger eel from Awaji, chilled Kamo eggplant, okra and grated yam, tilefish and Miwa somen noodles in a bowl, salt-cured sea bream, squid, and sea urchin, pickled cucumbers and yuba with sesame, conger eel pressed sushi, simmered conger eel with turnip, temple bell pepper and sweetfish rice, kudzu mochi and mango. A dream come true with a feast of conger eel, absolutely delicious and blissful♡ Thank you for the meal.

I visited the restaurant called Yama Kishi on Fushikoji Street for the first time. It has a counter with 10 seats and opens at 6 p.m. The head chef, along with five apprentices, were constantly moving around, serving delicious dishes one after another. Despite being busy, the head chef's eyes were kind towards both customers and apprentices, showing his professionalism. Every dish was delicious, and by the end, we were unable to finish all the food.

I was also looking forward to the birthday trip in Kyoto! We had a wonderfully large pike conger eel! Summer in Kyoto is hot, but the atmosphere of the Gion Festival and delicious food make the heat bearable. Even though we can only come once a year, I can feel that the quality of ingredients and Chef Yamagishi's skills are improving year by year. Uni with rice, jun-sai (from Hiroshima), pike conger eel sashimi, white miso-grilled sea bream, zuike with mozuku seaweed, pressed pike conger eel sushi, pike conger eel in broth, ayu fish cooked rice, manjusaka pepper, and for those who wish, tamago kake gohan (rice with raw egg). The dessert was served in a cute dish shaped like a Gion Festival float! We also enjoyed a selection of drinks, mainly focusing on sake: Alsace Riesling, Isojiman Daiginjo Junmai 50, Mimuro Sugi Shinsaku, Nehan Kame Shinsaku, Shihyata Takajo sake.

In July, Yamagishi-san's summer course menu includes: - Steamed rice with sea urchin and seaweed from Hiroshima - Grilled conger eel with grated plum and ponzu sauce from Awaji - Grilled Kamo eggplant - Soup with red sea bream and somen noodles - Assorted sashimi with swordtip squid from Nagasaki, sea bream from Akashi, and sea urchin from Yuri - Grilled fish marinated in miso with green tea-flavored edamame - White burdock stem with tofu and sesame sauce - Dropped conger eel with turnip - Wild eel from Lake Biwa with eel sauce and black water cloud - Clay pot rice with sweetfish from the Katsura River and Shishito pepper - Dessert with bracken rice cake and mango Served with a variety of sake, champagne, and white wine.

In July, I visited Yama Kishi in Fushimi. The hot weather called for a refreshing highball to start the meal. The uni and jun-sai steamed rice dish was unexpectedly delicious. The grilled conger eel with plum and wasabi was perfectly cooked. The eggplant and okra tororo dish had a gentle dashi flavor. The Sanuki somen and akou soup had a deep, rich taste without the need for seasoning. The Yura red sea urchin, Nagasaki kensaki sea urchin, and Akashi sea bream were incredibly flavorful. The grilled managatsuo with millet and edamame was a favorite. The shirozuike and yuba with sesame sauce was perfectly balanced. The eel and cucumber dish was a great combination. The conger eel tempura was excellent. The boiled conger eel with kinome leaves was sweet and delicious. The rice dish with ayu and man'nen-jii was served with an egg yolk. The warabi mochi and mango cider jelly dessert was beautifully presented in a Gion Matsuri long sword hoko vessel. Overall, the meal was exceptional with top-quality ingredients and skilled preparation. Yama Kishi continues to impress with their development and talented team of chefs. I left feeling satisfied and full. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

This was my second visit. I was invited to a private lunch. The ambiance, service, and food were all outstanding. The menu changes depending on the season, so I won't go into unnecessary details. I have never experienced Japanese cuisine better than this. It's understandable that reservations are one year in advance.

I was recently invited by the president who has been very kind to me to dine at the highly sought-after restaurant Yamagishi. It was a private reservation and I was even allowed to bring my children, which is usually not possible. The dishes were all refined and very delicious. Especially the first dish of water shield and sea urchin! As I continued eating, there was rice underneath which was incredibly tasty. The following dishes were also finely crafted and had substantial portions, but everything was delicious. I heard that during winter, crab becomes the main dish so I would love to visit again. Thank you very much.