I had pre-ordered a special dinner, eagerly awaiting the November crab season. The menu included: appetizers of Oma bluefin tuna toro and cloud egg shabu-shabu, turnip miso soup, seared bonito and amberjack, Kansai snow crab and matsutake mushroom shabu-shabu, grilled Tsuiyama snow crab, charcoal-grilled crab miso shabu-shabu sushi, Oma medium fatty tuna, red meat, bluefin squid with caviar, aged sea bream, flathead fish, spot prawn, seared crab, sea urchin, salmon roe roll, sea urchin and prosciutto, clam soup, and a luxurious dessert course. The moon bear with bamboo shoots was delicious, and I also got to taste some homemade Karasumi.

It was my first visit to Sushi Fujitaro in Kyoto Pontocho! It is about a 10-minute walk from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station. Today, I ordered the [Daytime Chef's Special Course]. It costs 9,900 yen per person (drinks not included). The course includes: appetizer, soup, assorted sashimi, grilled dish, 8-10 pieces of sushi, red miso soup, and dessert. I only took a photo of the sushi. The interior of the restaurant is very elegant, with counter seats and table seats. This time, I was seated at the counter. Sushi always tastes best when eaten at the counter, right? Since it's sushi in Kyoto's Pontocho, the price is a bit high, but it is worth it, so you should definitely give it a try. It was very delicious! Thank you for the meal!

I made a reservation for a 16,500 yen course and visited the restaurant for the first time. The interior was beautiful, with a solid-looking head chef and a few inexperienced staff members. Each dish was delicious, and the quality of the sushi was high. However, the feeling of discomfort I felt when paying the bill was probably due to the poor cost performance. It was disappointing to see a customer who seemed like a former host arrive halfway through.

I felt like eating sushi and decided to go to a sushi restaurant. It was a lucky choice as everything was delicious and I couldn't resist taking many photos (laughs). Each dish was beautifully presented and had unique flavors, making me very satisfied. I would like to go back for dinner next time.

I made a reservation for 8:00 pm and visited the restaurant. There were only about two customers before me, and once they left, it was like having the place to ourselves. The sushi and other dishes were delicious. However, I wish the portions were a bit bigger.

Counter seating, two seats on the left end. It's so cold, so cold because of the direct breeze from the cooler in the back right. The appetizers are okay, but the sushi rice is watery and overly sweet. Personally, I prefer sushi rice with more presence and flavor. Also, the conversation about cars with regular customers made the service incredibly slow. For a non-alcoholic meal for one, it cost 20,000 yen. Definitely not coming back. Thank you for the meal. m(_ _)m

This place has good cost performance and the food was delicious! It's great that they are open on Sundays too! The sushi rice is not seasoned with red vinegar, so it may be easier for those who don't like red vinegar. There are also many dishes to choose from, which is nice! The owner may be shy, but when you talk to them, they are a nice person!

I heard that the night ladies often visit this place together, so I decided to check it out. The atmosphere is nice, but it seems like having a female owner would make it even better. The dishes, both small plates and sushi, were delicious. I would like to try their dinner menu as well.

Upon a friend's recommendation, I visited this restaurant. The appetizers, sashimi, and soup before the sushi were all perfectly balanced in terms of portion and flavor. The presentation of the dishes was also lovely. The soup, made with bear meat and celery, was particularly memorable. The richness of the bear meat paired perfectly with the broth. Of course, the sushi was delicious as well, but I was truly satisfied with the variety of dishes leading up to it. It's a great restaurant, and I would love to visit again. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

Sushi lunch on Sunday. This time, I visited here in Pontocho for the first time. I made a reservation online the day before. There are 7 seats at the counter. I arrived before 1 pm and there were no other customers, so I sat in the middle seat. After a while, two men arrived and we started with a group of 4. What we had: Non-alcoholic beer, draft beer, 9900 yen course Hokkaido cloud ear mushrooms with ponzu sauce, Fukui bonito, Wakayama sea bream, Edomae-style grilled trout, Hokkaido Yoichi foie gras, Nara pickles, Miyagi bluefin tuna, medium fatty tuna marinated, Kenzaki squid with caviar, Kagoshima red sea bream marinated in kombu, Nagasaki striped jack, Amakusa Kuruma prawn, blackthroat seaperch, Nara pickles, Amakusa kohada, horse dung sea urchin and shijimi clam clear soup, Toro-taku, tamagoyaki, additional tekka maki, Saga black fig. The restaurant has a bright and clean atmosphere, but the layout of the counter and such gives a slightly casual impression (sorry). The course was a good deal and the ingredients were generally good, but I was disappointed that I didn't really like the shari. It is made with Edo-style red vinegar, but as I continued eating, the sweetness of the shari that I didn't notice at first started to linger in my mouth, and the low temperature also bothered me. It's not bad, but because the shari doesn't suit my taste, I probably won't visit again. I will continue my casual sushi lunch tour♪

The appetizers served before the sushi were delicious and varied. I really liked the sushi, especially the ones seasoned with salt. The chef was also very entertaining. I would like to visit this place again. 😊 Instagram @nozawayuta TikTok @yuuta0104gurume

The head chef's personality is also great! The atmosphere at the counter varies depending on the head chef; when you talk to him, he responds with lively conversation. The timing of the sushi and small dishes is excellent, and the work is also well done. The atmosphere of Gion and the counter go well together. The sushi, of course, was excellent. As it gets colder, the fish is also getting fattier and more delicious.

Budget: 15,000 to 20,000 yen Order: Omakase course only Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours Reservation: Made through Tabelog I decided to try this sushi restaurant after hearing good things about it. The quality of sushi from renowned restaurants is truly impressive. The rice was simple with little sweetness. However, I didn't feel a strong harmony between the rice and the toppings. The portion size was a bit small, so I felt somewhat unsatisfied. The customers were mostly locals, and overall, I don't think I would make a special trip to Kyoto just to revisit this place. [Appetizers] - Tsubugai: Strong smell, a bit overwhelming. - Aoriika: Quite moist, not too sticky. - Seared nodoguro: Lacking in fatty flavor, disappointing. - Soup: Tasty broth, but lacked the fragrance of matsutake mushrooms. - Grilled fish: Quite dry, felt more like something served at a ryokan. - Oyster [Sushi] - Otoro: Good quality topping, but not perfectly matched with the rice. Too much wasabi made it too spicy. - Chutoro: Similar to otoro. - Akami zuke: Tasty marinated tuna. - Hirame - Kanpachi: Questionable decision to sear it. - Sweet shrimp: Tasty topping, but the rice was a bit distracting. - Kohada: Too sour. - Uni: Modest portion but delicious. - Simmered anago: Not as fluffy as expected. - Cream brulee

The 12,500 yen course at night. The red vinegar rice was a bit firm but personally, I thought the balance with the toppings was perfect, it was excellent. The presentation of the dishes was outstanding. The fatty tuna, shrimp, and grilled sea bream were superb. The sashimi, sea urchin, and egg were also very delicious. The oysters were not very tasty. Everything else was just delicious. I understand what many people are saying about the loud sound of the chef's movements being distracting. Also, I found it a bit questionable that they charge an 8% service fee and add 3% for using a credit card in this day and age. However, overall, I was very satisfied.

【Appetizers】 Cloudy Ponzu Vinegar: Light and easy to eat, but not very creamy with weak flavors of bonito and amberjack. The amberjack had a nice chewy texture with a good aroma on the skin, while the amberjack lacked a strong aroma and the richness of the fat. Tsukimi Kuma's Soup: Light yet flavorful broth made from bear meat, but the meat was slightly tough. Grilled Blackthroat Seaperch: Well-cooked with good amount of fat, but the richness of the fat itself was not very strong. Taiyaki and Karasumi: The mild taste of taiyaki paired well with the saltiness of karasumi. 【Sushi】 Fatty Tuna: From Toi, with a mild aroma but rich in fat flavor. Squid Ink: No issues. Red Snapper: Good marination with kombu, but the quality was mediocre. Flathead: Neither good nor bad. Botan Shrimp: No issues, tasted good. Shime Saba: Poor marination, slightly fishy. Kawahagi: Good. Uni: Excellent. Ark Shell: Not bad. Conger Eel: Neither good nor bad. Salmon Hand Roll: Strong salty taste. 【Additional Items】 Kyue: Okay. Pickled Vegetables: No issues, tasted good. Simmered Clams: Either overcooked or poor quality, slightly tough. 【Overall Rating】 6 out of 8 stars. First visit. Perhaps due to the influence of COVID-19, there were only us as customers in the 6-seat counter. The interior was clean but gave off a slightly cheap impression. The food was enjoyable to some extent but there seemed to be room for improvement. The selection of drinks seemed to be of good quality. 3 Highballs, 4 cups of sake. Total bill for 2 people: 45,000 yen.

Today, I visited Kyoto for the first time in a while due to my mother's illness recovery. I heard that this restaurant is very delicious, so I made a reservation and visited for the first time. The course I chose was the "Chef's Special". The restaurant is very clean and follows proper COVID-19 precautions. The scallop with Tosazu vinegar dressing served at the beginning was delicious with a mild acidity that went well with sake. The fatty bonito (probably from Goto) and salmon sashimi were incredibly delicious. The fatty bonito from this year was one of the best I've ever had. The matsutake mushroom soup from this season was also delicious. The chef then proceeded to make nigiri sushi using Oma tuna, one by one. The sushi rice, made with red vinegar, had a very smooth and pleasant acidity. The nori used in the rolls had an amazing aroma, enhancing the flavor of the rolls. According to the chef, they use the best ingredients from their suppliers. I forgot to take a picture, but the ikura roll at the end was also very delicious. I was impressed by the deliciousness of the meal from start to finish. I had a very satisfying experience enjoying delicious sushi in Kyoto tonight. I would definitely like to visit this restaurant again next time.

I had been thinking about going there for a while, Fujiwara-san. It was a bit hard to find as it's tucked away in an alley between Pontocho and Kiyamachi. The ingredients were of high quality and very delicious. The sushi had a nice balance with red vinegar, not too salty, and the toppings were fresh and matched well. The chef's conversation was entertaining, and the music was not typical sushi restaurant music, which made the whole sushi experience enjoyable. It was delicious!

I visited the restaurant "Fujihara" in Pontocho, where you can enjoy delicious Edo-style sushi with red vinegar. I was recommended this place by a gourmet friend and we visited on our anniversary. The dinner courses start from 8000 yen, which seemed reasonable. We opted for the 8000 yen course and were completely satisfied. We also ordered some sea urchin on top of that. The dishes and sushi were delicious from start to finish. The head chef was very friendly and entertaining, making the dining experience even more enjoyable. The sake was also great. Since it was our anniversary, we even received a flower when we left. The food was amazing, the head chef was amazing - this is my top choice for sushi restaurants.

The Japan archipelago is shaking with COVID-19, but the streets of Kawaramachi and Gion in Kyoto are quite crowded, despite the lack of foreign visitors. I wanted to have a few favorite spots in Kyoto, so I settled on Kiyama for Japanese cuisine and Nakajin for tempura, but I was still undecided on a sushi restaurant. Kyoto is known to be tough for newcomers, especially when it comes to sushi restaurants with limited seating, making it difficult to secure a reservation without a referral to a well-known establishment. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, reservations are challenging to come by and the threshold is high. Therefore, I had been carefully reading reviews on Tabelog to find a suitable sushi restaurant and came across this relatively new restaurant, Fujiwara. The day before, while staying in Kyoto, my wife and I decided to call the restaurant around 7 pm as a last resort. A young woman answered the phone and her pleasant manner immediately gave me a good impression of the place. Good restaurants, not just sushi restaurants, show consideration in various aspects, and I have had many experiences where a good restaurant turned out to be disappointing. On the day of our reservation, we walked through Pontocho while using Google Maps to find the restaurant. With modern technology, we can now easily find our way to such obscure places, but in the past, it would have been quite challenging. The restaurant had a quiet and unassuming appearance. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by a beautiful white wooden counter. The master welcomed us with a smile as we were the first customers that day. There were only two more reservations for the evening, totaling two groups, which was also due to the impact of COVID-19. With no other customers around, the master shared his story with us, mentioning that he had trained in Japanese cuisine at Miimon, worked at several restaurants, and decided to open his own sushi restaurant after Miimon went bankrupt. Although he had little formal training in sushi, the dishes he served and the sushi we ate were meticulously prepared and showed a genuine care in his work. He was particularly enthusiastic about sourcing fresh and rare fish from across the country. The "Yaito masu," a type of grouper, served as sashimi was flavorful with a sweet and firm texture. The mackerel from Boso was lightly seared over charcoal, enhancing the rich flavor of the fish. Even for just two slices of sashimi, he did not cut corners. The horse mackerel, slowly grilled over Bincho charcoal, was served with a touch of tangy sauce, creating a harmonious balance of flavors. The grilled Spanish mackerel, with its thick and fatty flesh, was meticulously prepared, with the edges cut off and the best part in the middle seared with tar sauce, complemented by the bitterness of the fuki miso. The meal started with firefly squid in vinegar miso and progressed to sushi, resembling a traditional kaiseki menu. The soup, made with moon bear meat, celery, urui, and seaweed, was rich in flavor from the bonito broth and bear meat extract, a unique and delicious dish. The homemade ankimo was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The steamed abalone with ankimo sauce, mixed with a bit of sushi rice, was a delightful finish. And finally, the awaited sushi arrived. The sushi rice, seasoned with red vinegar, was slightly sweet, possibly due to the use of local Ryuno Hitomi brand rice, known for its large grains and sweetness. The shari was firm, just how I like it. The soy sauce was a bit on the sweet side, but it suited my taste. The tuna from Boston, weighing 240 kilograms, had a delicate flavor despite its large size, with a hint of acidity making it very delicious. The striped jack, said to be over 10 kilograms, had an unexpectedly rich fatty texture. The golden snapper, with a subtle fatiness marking the end of its season, had a refined flavor and umami. The master's pride, the striped jack weighing over 10 kilograms, had an unexpectedly rich fatty texture. The golden snapper, with a subtle fattiness marking the end of its season, had a refined flavor and umami. The meal was truly enjoyable and delicious.

It's been a while since I visited Pontocho. I was hesitant to go because of the large number of tourists, but with the current situation, it was less crowded, and there was a sushi restaurant with high ratings on Tabelog that I wanted to try. It's located in a hidden spot in a back alley, with both counter seats and private rooms available. I had made a reservation for the 8000 yen course, but for some reason, I was served the 6000 yen course instead. The meal included: whitefish liver appetizer with grated turnip, salt-cured sea bream with monkfish liver and pickled vegetables, grilled mackerel with rapeseed blossoms, and a variety of sushi including medium fatty tuna, marinated tuna, swordtip squid, striped jack, sea urchin, salmon belly, simmered conger eel, and tamagoyaki. The tamagoyaki was firm, sweet, and almost like a dessert. The miso soup with seaweed and trefoil was refreshing, and the strawberry water dessert was well-prepared. The quality of the ingredients was generally good, but the rice was quite firm and the vinegar was a bit strong, which may not suit all types of fish. The chef was very friendly and talkative, making the experience enjoyable. Overall, considering the price of 6000 yen, the meal and hospitality were exceptional. It's a place where you can casually enjoy high-quality sushi.

Recently, I had dinner with two families at a newly opened restaurant in Kyoto that my friend's family, who recently moved there, had made a reservation for. The restaurant serves a traditional Japanese course meal, with a mix of Kyoto-style dishes in the first half and sushi in the second half. The contrast between the two parts was quite interesting. The dish of white miso soup with sweetbreads and Kyoto turnip was a highlight, and the grilled saury had a perfect balance of flavors. The dishes had a nice relaxed feel to them, reflecting the personality of the head chef. The sushi was also excellent, with the sushi rice made with a special rice from Gifu standing out. It was delicious when combined with red vinegar. This meal reminded me of the importance of good rice in sushi. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience! As for drinks, there was a small but high-quality selection, including champagne by the glass. P.S. - The rice used is called "Ryuno Hitomi."