A lively, nostalgic stop for a taste of Kyoto comfort food in the heart of the historic Gion district. One dish, one recipe, served the same way since 1971.

ℹ️ Practical Information & Pricing

  • 🍽️ The Menu: A single dish, the Issen Yoshoku, at ¥950 including tax. Inspired by okonomiyaki, this traditional Japanese pancake is made from a wheat batter filled with Kujo leek, sakura shrimp, konjac, egg, chikuwa, tenkasu, Omi beef, red pickled ginger and bonito flakes, all brought together by their house sweet-and-savoury sauce and Asakusa nori. A vegetarian version is available (contains egg), and a vegan version without egg is possible on request. English menus available.

  • 🍡 Desserts: Traditional sweets by Fukueido, a hundred-year-old Gion confectioner. Their Kabuki Dango (¥400), sakura mochi and ohagi (¥350), seasonal minazuki and kuri ohagi (¥400), plus matcha or roasted tea ice cream (¥650) and milkshakes (¥800).

  • 🍺 Drinks: From ¥400. Japanese tea, oolong, sodas and ginger juice, sweet matcha, and on the alcohol side draft beer, highballs, plum wine, a Kyoto cocktail and three Japanese sakes. Non-alcoholic beer available.

  • 💴 Budget: With a beer and a small sweet, expect around ¥2,100 per person. A quick, traditional and affordable meal in the middle of Gion, which is rare in this district.

  • 🕒 Opening Hours: Open every day. Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 AM; Friday, Saturday and the eve of public holidays: 11:00 AM – 3:00 AM; Sunday and public holidays: 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM. Please note that hours may vary depending on the day.

  • 💳 Payment Options: Credit card, cash, and contactless payment (PayPay and similar).

  • ⏱️ Service Style: Casual, walk-in, with table service. Eat in or take away. Ideal for a quick lunch or a late-night meal while exploring Gion.

📍Access:

  • On foot / by train: One to two minutes from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station, along Shijo-dori. About seven minutes from Hankyu Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station.

  • By bus: Gion stop, served by several city lines, then a short walk into the district.

  • Steps from the Minamiza theatre, Yasaka Shrine and Hanami-koji.

What we love about this place: we loved the idea of it. One dish, made the same way for over fifty years, said to have been created to feed the district's maiko quickly and properly between engagements. The kitchen opens onto the street right beside the entrance, and like everyone else we stopped to watch the cook work the griddle before we even went in. Inside, the decor floored us: decades of accumulation, life-size mannequins included. The welcome is warm enough to put you at ease straight away, and the menus are translated into English, which makes the place easy to walk into even without a word of Japanese. The pancake is generous and deeply savoury, made to order. With a beer and a small sweet, you have a proper meal, traditional and affordable, right in the middle of Gion. Leave room for a kabuki dango.