The day before, I got osechi at Arashiyama Kichotei. Planning to enjoy it in the evening, I visited HANA Kichotei on January 1st at noon. Located in Gion Hanamachi, it is easily accessible from nearby hotels, making it convenient. Kichotei always seems to be thriving, no matter when you call. There is definitely a different level of strength. When I was in Osaka, I often used the main Kichotei in Komaibashi, but I always admired Kyoto Kichotei. For the New Year, we enjoyed a luxurious lineup of dishes such as grilled mackerel, sea bream, and crab, served in luxurious dishes that matched the zodiac sign of the year. It was a truly luxurious time.

I visited this restaurant on the second day of my trip to Kyoto for lunch! The service, presentation of the dishes, and of course the taste were all wonderful. The dishes were served in beautiful dishes, making the meal enjoyable from start to finish! Thank you for the feast. I would love to visit again when I come back to Kyoto!

As expected of Yoshitake, it can be summed up in one word: amazing. The presentation is beautiful, and the dishes are incredibly delicious with thoughtful details. Personally, I'm not a fan of the smoky or seared flavors, but overall, it was a fantastic Japanese cuisine experience. The price is reasonable for this quality. The private room was a nice touch, and the service was excellent. I recommend it for a special occasion. (Even though it's in Kyoto haha) I now have a renewed desire to visit the renowned main branch someday.

I had lunch through the hometown tax payment program. As expected, it was delicious at Kiccho. The first course of appetizers was enjoyable. The smoked mushrooms were quite tasty. I was curious about the drink holder - couldn't read it. Nagakiyo... I can't read it! The shrimp shinjo, Akashi sea bream, and finally the matsutake mushroom rice, conger eel, and flying fish were all delicious. Under the pickles was Heian Jingu Shrine! For dessert, I had soft serve ice cream which was also delicious!

Kichiza-san offers a great value for the price. It was my first time posting a review even though I have been here many times. They always provide visual enjoyment. The tiger doll is very cute and sparks conversation. But the highlight was the kamameshi at the end. Hmm, my first time trying deep-fried lily root. I can definitely recommend this place!

I visited HANA Kichotei, a restaurant under the umbrella of Kyoto Kichotei, which is a Go To Eat participating restaurant where electronic and paper regional coupons can be used. This time, I went to HANA Kichotei, which offers a slightly more casual price point and accepts electronic coupons. When dining with two people and spending over 10,000 yen with electronic coupons, it was convenient to be able to use them all at once. When confirming the seating at the time of reservation, I was recommended a private room over the counter, especially during this season, and we luxuriously dined in a private room. As it was the Choyo no Sekku (Double Ninth Festival), the private room was decorated with cotton chrysanthemums, and the first drink served was chrysanthemum sake, full of seasonal charm from HANA Kichotei. The kaiseki meal (8 courses) was priced at 10,000 yen (including consumption tax of 10% and service charge). The meal included hassun, soup, sashimi, appetizer, grilled dish, simmered dish, rice, and dessert. The experience was truly magical, starting with a soothing rice porridge with rice crackers. Before arriving here, I struggled to find a parking space and then the restaurant, but once inside, the Choyo no Sekku decorations instantly calmed my nerves, and the simple rice porridge warmed my heart, signaling the beginning of the HANA Kichotei magic world. The hassun dish featured bairdi crab and watercress with tomatoes, a dish that was both visually appealing and calming. The soup course included a maitake mushroom and daikon in a mild broth, symbolizing Daikoku-sama, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, and was truly delicious. The sashimi course of sea bream and fatty tuna was served with vinegar, showcasing Kyoto Kichotei's perfection in both presentation and taste. The appetizer plate was beautifully decorated with cotton chrysanthemums, adding a lovely touch to the seasonal experience. The simmered dish featured fragrant matsutake mushrooms, providing a clear and refreshing taste. The grilled dish of grilled mackerel with miso paste and shrimp was incredibly delicious, although I unfortunately forgot to take a photo. The rice dish of conger eel was tender and refreshing, and I enjoyed every last bite, much to the delight of the staff. The dessert of vanilla ice cream and jelly disappeared in an instant, leaving me feeling satisfied and grateful for the seasonal experience. The staff's attention to detail and hospitality truly embodied the spirit of Kichotei, making my stay enjoyable from start to finish. In conclusion, Kyoto Kichotei focuses on tea kaiseki, carefully selecting seasonal ingredients, choosing the right tableware, and putting their hearts into presentation to offer Japanese cuisine that delights both the eyes and the taste buds.

I had high expectations when visiting Yoshikatsu for the first time. The greeting at the entrance was very welcoming, which further raised my expectations. I was seated at the counter on the first floor. It was a weekday and there were few customers, so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. We opted for the 12,000 yen course. Each dish was prepared with care and attention to detail, evident in the presentation and the flavors. The presentation of the dishes was also a highlight, as it added to the enjoyment of the meal. The chef personally poured the soup into the bowl right in front of us, showcasing their dedication to the broth. The staff, including Nakai-san, provided excellent service with a smile. It was a truly wonderful dining experience!

On holidays, the casual Yoshikura in the bustling Gion area is quite popular. Located in a building slightly south of the main Gion street, the entire building seems to be part of Yoshikura. The narrow corridor leads to a reception counter where I was guided to my seat. I had requested a counter seat, so I was seated at a long counter with about 6 seats right behind the reception. The kitchen is actually on the 4th floor, so there was only a painting on the other side of the counter. I was the only customer at the counter at that time, so it was very quiet. The meal started with an appetizer, which included various small dishes like konjac, tamagoyaki, and yuba, suitable for the season in Kyoto. The sashimi course included tuna and maybe sea bream, which were delicious. Then, I had a hot pot soup with scallops, followed by a cold simmered dish with eggplant, pumpkin, long green pepper, and yuba in a flavorful broth. The main course was grilled Isaki, which was very fatty and tasty. The dessert was good, but overall, I felt that something was missing. The dishes were all delicious but lacked a unique touch or personality. It seemed like they were made to fit a standard rather than showcasing the chef's individuality. This place seems suitable for business dinners or entertaining, but not necessarily for personal enjoyment. It's important to consider both the taste and the atmosphere when choosing a restaurant.

I was invited by a fellow industry president to have a private conversation, and we chose to meet at "HANA Kichiza" restaurant. We informed the staff that we wanted to use a private room for two people and made a same-day reservation. The restaurant is located on Yamato Oji Street near Shijo. The building seems to be dedicated to "Kichiza" as we were guided to a private room on the 5th floor from the front counter on the 1st floor. The staff, dressed in kimono, greeted us as the elevator doors opened. We ordered the "Oto" course for ¥14,256 (tax included, service charge not included). The atmosphere was quite luxurious, and the service was impeccable. The dishes served included various items such as salted crackers, vinegar-marinated sandfish, and grilled sea bass with lotus root. Overall, the food was stable and there were no outstanding surprises. However, considering the price range and the fact that it is a Michelin-starred restaurant, the satisfaction level was a bit lower. Compared to the main branch, "HANA Kichiza" offers a more casual dining experience, but if you are looking to spend around ¥20,000 per person, there may be other options to consider. In any case, the private conversation turned out to be nothing significant (laughs).

On this day, I wandered around Kyoto with my wife. We arrived at this kaiseki restaurant. The location is at the intersection of Shijo Street in Gion and Yamato Oji. During this trip, we visited various kaiseki restaurants, including the Shofukuro series, the Sakurada series derived from it, the Wakuden series, and the Kichotei series, which I particularly love. So for the last lunch of this trip, I chose this restaurant. Compared to the super popular kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto, this one is easier to make a reservation at. I made a reservation for this place after arriving in Kyoto. You can make a reservation for any course except the Kaiseki Yoshio 29,700 yen on the same day, depending on how your stomach feels at that time. So we made a reservation only for the seats and visited the restaurant. We chose the counter seats. The counter has 6 seats, and you can sit wherever you like. We chose the seat by the window at the back. Since it was the last day of the trip, I decided to go for the Kaiseki O 14,256 yen to have a satisfying meal. On this day, I decided to give my liver a break (I always set the last day of the trip as a liver rest day), so I ordered Perrier 831 yen, which is carbonated water. My wife ordered Yuzu juice 831 yen, which is yuzu juice. It was delicious with a lot of yuzu fruit juice. Cheers! With the background music of koto and narrative music, the Kaiseki O course began. The first course included assorted appetizers such as Chisha, black beans, shrimp, red wine jelly and foie gras, kumquat, taro, and candied kumquat. Sliced burdock was served on a separate plate. Everything was delicious but didn't have the distinctiveness of Kichotei. The second course was a simmered dish with shrimp and yam cake. It was served with uguisu greens, seaweed, Kyoto carrots, and yuzu. The texture of the yam cake was particularly delicious. The soup was well-seasoned with bonito broth. The sashimi course included tuna, yellowtail, and squid. It was accompanied by a rare ingredient called Makota Kai. The sashimi was enjoyed with soy sauce and smoked salt, with the tuna being particularly delicious. The grilled dish included salmon with Saikyo miso and shrimp with a potato mince coating. It was served with chrysanthemum turnips and kwai senbei. Cucumber miso sauce was served on the side, which was quite tasty. The shrimp with potato mince coating was flavorful and delicious. The steamed dish was served steaming hot in a steamer. It contained hinode carrots, nanjing, spinach, chicken meatballs, and taro. It was accompanied by a salt-based sauce for dipping. This kind of presentation is characteristic of Kichotei and adds to the dining experience. The vinegar dish was a crab vinegar dish with rape blossoms, cloud ear mushrooms, and turnips, garnished with needle ginger. Despite the crab season being poor, it was still enjoyable. The rice dish was a sea bream cooked rice served with tofu red miso soup and pickles. The sea bream cooked rice contained daikon, ginger, and trefoil. The daikon added a different texture to the dish. The rice was cooked just right, not too soft, and had a perfect balance of flavors.