This is a Chinese restaurant located near Shijo Kawaramachi in the bustling area of Kyoto, along the Kamo River (west of Shijo Ohashi). The restaurant is housed in a Western-style building, which is a unique sight in Kyoto that was spared from the ravages of World War II. The elevator that takes you to the upper floors is said to be the oldest in Japan, adding a retro touch to the experience. The view of the Kamo River from the upper floors enhances the dining experience. The combination of Western architecture with Chinese decor is refreshing. During my visit, I tried the spring rolls, chicken and cashew stir-fry, and fried rice. The spring rolls were long and filling, the chicken and cashew stir-fry had a nice mix of textures, and the fried rice had a Japanese twist. The beer selection mainly consisted of Suntory Premium Malts, with large mugs available. The restaurant specializes in Beijing cuisine, offering dishes from the northern region of China. The staff spoke Mandarin, adding to the authentic Chinese atmosphere. It was impressive to see local regulars enjoying a simple meal of fried rice and beer before leaving. The rooftop terrace seating looked inviting, and I would love to visit again in the future.

I had always wanted to experience dining at a riverside terrace in Kyoto during the summer. On the way to the restaurant by taxi, the driver asked if I was going to "Tokkaiken" which I later understood referred to the restaurant. I was able to enjoy a course meal at a riverside terrace seat, but it ended in just 1 hour. The course meal had no particular standout features and the portion size was actually underwhelming for the price. However, the spring rolls I ordered as an extra were delicious, so if I were to visit again, I would opt for ordering individual items.

I visited this place after my friend highly recommended it, saying that everything on the menu is delicious. The exterior of the restaurant is beautiful, and the old-fashioned elevator adds a charming touch to the whole experience. The staff is also very friendly. We were seated on the elegant second floor and ordered the spring rolls, shrimp fried rice, and shrimp chili that were highly praised in reviews. The spring rolls had a unique flavor that I've never tasted before and were very filling. The shrimp chili had succulent shrimp and was delicious. I would like to try the sweet and sour pork next time!

I had always wanted to go there, but I thought it would be tough to go alone. I visited for the first time with a friend. We made a reservation in advance. We got a seat by the window with a good view of the Kamo River, but the air conditioning wasn't working well, so we ended up eating in the heat. We had sweet and sour pork, fried rice, spring rolls, water dumplings, and fried rice cakes. We were full, but everything was delicious. It was a shame that they didn't have noodles on the menu and that they served water instead of tea.

I finally got to visit the cool Western-style building that I had been curious about for a long time! The building has been around since the Taisho era. When I entered just before noon, there were a lot of people waiting for the elevator. It seems like everyone had made a reservation, but I was able to enter without waiting even without a reservation. I took Japan's oldest elevator to the top floor on the 5th floor. From the window, you can see the Minami-za theater. - Sweet and Sour Pork: Juicy pork with plenty of sauce. The seasoning was quite different from Japan's and easy to eat. - Water Dumplings: The skin is chewy and delicious! There are occasionally small shrimp inside, which is nice. - Five-colored Fried Rice: Two large shrimp and fluffy fried rice. It tasted like a professional's dish. Just being able to ride that elevator is worth it! Thank you for the meal!

Every time I pass by Donghua Restaurant in Kyoto, I decided to go in and check it out. The exterior is as you would expect, very cool. The interior is also well-maintained and the view is amazing. I had high expectations for the food here. However, the dishes that came out were all just average. Even the highly-rated dishes like shrimp chili and spring rolls were just okay. There wasn't a single dish with the complex flavors like at Chen's place.

I enjoyed a Chinese lunch while overlooking the Nanzatsu before watching performances by Bando Tamasaburo and Kataoka Ainosuke. I ordered about 4-5 dishes a la carte and relaxed. The Beijing cuisine was meticulously prepared, with the dumplings being a specialty. The other dishes were delicious, but quite heavy on the garlic. The restaurant had a large number of staff who provided attentive service. The building is located at the foot of Shijo Ohashi and is a symbol of this area. It has a baroque style and was built in the Taisho era. I finally got to ride the manual elevator, which is said to be the oldest in Japan. The elevator operator efficiently handled the reservations and floor information written on notes at the control panel. The guidance from the entrance to the elevator and to the seating area was smooth. I appreciated the spaciousness of the restaurant. Despite preparing to take photos of the food, I only managed to capture the dumplings...

Historic Western-style building, "Toho Saikan", known as Shijo Kawaramachi when you see a photo of this building. A historic Western-style building serving Chinese cuisine in the heart of Kyoto. I had always seen this building during my student days and finally had the chance to visit during the Obon holiday. The elevator here is said to be the oldest in Japan, without an inverter. I already knew what I wanted to eat - the spring rolls. In recent years, after watching the Kenmin Show, I added small shrimp tempura and Chinese-style potatoes to my order. I confirmed that all of these items are on the menu at Toho Saikan. In conversations between people from Kansai, when they mention "that Chinese restaurant", it usually means they are talking about the spring rolls. Apparently, many chefs from Shandong Province in China came to Kansai and brought with them the tradition of making egg rolls, which became popular in the region. I have lived in China for 16 years and have many Chinese acquaintances, but I have never heard of Shandong Province's egg spring rolls. However, it is a delicious dish. It's not fair to compare it to regular spring rolls - both are delicious in their own right. (But I don't think there are any restaurants that serve both types). I always look forward to enjoying this dish that is hard to find in Kanto when I return to Kansai, but the spring rolls at Toho Saikan were truly exceptional. The perfect balance of the egg wrapper, the filling, and the flavor. It was a delightful experience. The interior of the restaurant has a charming atmosphere, and you can see the Nanzan Theater lit up outside the windows. I never went to Toho Saikan during my student days, but when I come back to Kyoto, I want to gather with old friends and enjoy the spring rolls again. Thank you very much. It was a wonderful meal.

Finally made it to Tohananakan, a place that has been on my to-do list for ages. Whenever I come to Kyoto, I always end up going for Japanese cuisine, so even though I've passed by this place countless times since I was a child, I never actually went in. It's a well-known historic building with a pre-war atmosphere that takes you back in time as soon as you step inside. The oldest surviving elevator in Japan is a nice touch, and the delightfully old-fashioned dishes add to the charming time-travel experience.

Enjoying lunch at a famous building. Taking the oldest elevator in Japan to the 4th floor. Sitting by the window overlooking the Kamo River, starting with a draft beer to open up the appetite. For starters, a platter of jellyfish, steamed chicken, char siu, and mountain jellyfish? Squid. Water dumplings and Peking duck were so delicious that I was already full by the end of the meal. The water dumplings were truly exceptional, and it made sense that they were the main dish.

I visited the long-established Chinese restaurant "Toho Saikan Main Store" where my grandparents used to take me when I was a child in Kyoto. The nostalgic building and perhaps the oldest elevator in Japan took me to the unchanged interior. The spring rolls that I used to love were exceptional and tasted just as good as before! The mapo tofu made me sweat with its unique spices. The large-sized shrimp chili dish was also very satisfying! I will definitely visit again!

I had a meal with a couple of friends who had moved to Kyoto. It was my first time visiting this restaurant, although I had passed by it many times before. It is one of the representative historical buildings in Kyoto. When making a reservation, we chose a table facing the Kamo River, which turned out to be an outdoor terrace seat. The restaurant mainly serves Beijing cuisine, and their dumplings are famous. We also tried the spring rolls filled with bamboo shoots, a characteristic of Kyoto Chinese cuisine. The classic flavors were comforting. We also had dishes like "hawthorn pie" and seafood soup, but I forgot to take pictures of some of them. Sitting at the outdoor terrace seat means you are a bit far from the staff, so you need to be careful with when to call for their attention. The elevator, which is manually operated, is said to be the oldest existing one in Japan. This restaurant, which is like a symbol of Kyoto, offers a fulfilling dining experience.

I come to Kyoto regularly, but this was my first time here. My partner always wanted to come here every time we passed by, so we finally decided to visit. The exterior of the restaurant is lovely. I heard it has the oldest elevator in Japan, so I was excited to see it. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful, and we had a nice table by the window with a good view. The food was... too much for two people. We had a platter of 5 appetizers, spring rolls, Peking duck, fried meatballs with sweet vinegar sauce, fried rice, and almond jelly for dessert. I had a glass of Shaoxing wine, my partner had a draft beer, and we also had black oolong tea. We overdid it, considering our stomachs are not that big. Let's be kind to our stomachs from now on. The appetizer platter had yuba, jellyfish, squid, steamed chicken, roasted pork, and mountain jelly fungus... I hope we don't order that next time, it was too much. The spring rolls were delicious! They were light and had plenty of bamboo shoots, pork, and a little green onion. The Peking duck had a stronger miso flavor than duck flavor, so it might not be for everyone. The fried meatballs with sweet vinegar sauce were consistent in taste. It was my partner's choice, not mine, but I'm not a big fan of it. The fried rice and almond jelly were also chosen by my partner. Next time, I want to order something different. It's worth visiting just for the location. I think I'll bring the kids next time. Thank you for the meal.

A classical building built in 1945, said to be the oldest in Japan, with a manual elevator and stained glass windows. It is always standing at the foot of Shijo Ohashi, so many people may not have the opportunity to enter. The cuisine is Beijing-style, with easy-to-eat flavors. This time we had agar jelly appetizer and spring rolls.

A well-known old Chinese restaurant near Shijo Ohashi Bridge, where four people dined without alcohol and were full for 9700 yen. The historic appearance of the restaurant was intimidating at first, but the prices were surprisingly reasonable. Although we couldn't get a reservation for 7:30 pm, we were seated on the rooftop terrace with a fantastic view overlooking Minamiza Theater and Kamogawa River. The sunset view was very nice and the weather was not too hot. The spring rolls were satisfying with a simple taste, and the Fuyohai was decent. Surprisingly, the mapo tofu was mildly spicy and delicious. The stir-fried vegetables were just right in terms of flavor, not too strong or too bland. The stir-fried pork and vegetables in sauce was the most delicious dish. All the portions were generous, and the overall experience of dining at this down-to-earth Chinese restaurant was enjoyable. The staff, who were Chinese exchange students, made a mistake with our order, but we weren't upset about it. I would like to visit again if I have the chance.

I visited the restaurant for the first time with colleagues from work. It was a great opportunity as I had been curious about it since my university days. We had spring rolls, mapo tofu, stir-fried greens, steamed dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, fried chicken, draft beer, lemon sour, and Shaoxing wine. The spring rolls were unique and delicious! They had a texture I had never experienced before, and I could feel the tradition in them. The mapo tofu, greens, and dumplings were also delicious!

I had always wanted to visit this restaurant, and this time I went for lunch. I made a reservation for a table, and ordered the dishes on the day. Everything was very delicious, and the atmosphere and service at the restaurant were also very good. Enjoying delicious food in a historic building in Kyoto is the best experience!

The weather forecast predicted rain, but we managed to enjoy a riverside dinner. We were guided to a riverside table even though we had made a reservation a few days in advance. It was a weekday in June, so it was probably easier to get a table. Some people were there just for drinks, while others were there for a meal. The food arrived quickly, and the spring rolls seemed to be a hit or miss depending on personal taste. We were so engrossed in the good atmosphere and food that we forgot to check out the view from the elevator.

I get a bit scared of the building, but the prices are not that high. The boiled dumplings are delicious. The waiters are all polite and make dining a pleasant experience. Sitting at a large table, enjoying a beer, and slowly eating the food gives me a sense of relaxation. That's what dining is all about. In the summer, you can also dine on the terrace by the river. It's close to Shijo Street, so it's a bit embarrassing, but you can feel comfortable there.

Visited the long-established Chinese restaurant "Toho Saikan" located near the Shijo Ohashi Bridge. Opened in 1945, it is a historic establishment with a history dating back to the founding of the Western cuisine restaurant "Yaomasa" in 1892. The building is a Voris architecture completed in 1926. Inside, there is the oldest active elevator. - Assorted appetizers: Enjoyed a variety of Chinese dishes like jellyfish and char siu. The tofu skin and chicken were delicious. - Corn and crab soup: The crab flavor was not very prominent, but the soup was tasty with a thick texture typical of Chinese cuisine. - Large shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots with kudzu sauce: Delicious dish with plump and firm shrimp. - Spring rolls: A common style found in local Chinese restaurants in Kyoto. Thick and crispy skin with a filling of bamboo shoots and pork, very satisfying. - Peking duck: Although not very thick, the dough had a chewy texture and a rich flavor similar to sweet bean sauce. - Abalone cooked in oyster sauce: Sweet and sour sauce with a delicious abalone. Abalone is tasty in itself. - Fried rice: The perfect crispy texture that cannot be replicated at home. It was delicious. Overall, the restaurant is worth visiting not only for the unique elevator experience but also for the delicious food. I would like to try dining on the floor next time.

In Kyoto's summer days, nothing beats having Chinese cuisine on the riverside of Kamogawa River♫ This is "Toho Saikan" in Kawaramachi, Kyoto, a long-established Chinese restaurant near Shijo Ohashi Bridge. The retro building was designed by William Merrell Vories in Spanish Baroque style and completed in 1926. It still has Japan's oldest elevator in operation. On a sunny day in May, enjoying lunch on the cool riverside, something unexpected happened. While dining on the riverside, overlooking Kamogawa River, a fisherman's rod suddenly bent with a big catch. Excitement filled the air as the fisherman struggled to reel in the big fish. After about 10 minutes of intense fighting, he finally caught a large carp. Applause erupted from the crowd, making the lunch even more enjoyable. By the way, we were having sweet and sour pork, dumplings, and cold beer. It was a memorable lunch with an unexpected twist. Thank you for the delicious meal!