At 3:30 on Sunday, the weather was nice and the temperature wasn't too high, so I leisurely walked from Higashiyama to Shimogamo. I took a break by the Kamo River and then stopped by a rest area in the Imperial Palace before heading back. There were quite a few foreigners there. It occurred to me that nowadays you can visit the Imperial Palace year-round, making it more accessible for tourists. The shaved ice was worth the wait, but the spacious interior of the shop made waiting easy. The fruit was hidden inside the condensed milk this time.

I entered the cafe around 3 PM on a holiday. I secured a seat first and then went to place my order. I ordered an iced coffee for 500 yen. The cafe is located inside the Kyoto Imperial Palace, very close to the entrance of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Although there were plenty of seats, it was almost full due to the holiday. Normally, you would receive a waiting number and go pick up your order, but the staff brought it to me in about 2 minutes. They also brought a glass of water, but it was not cold at all, almost room temperature. This seems to be a common thing in Kyoto, even the vending machines do not chill the drinks much. I wonder if it's geared towards foreigners? I drank the cold iced coffee, which was refreshing and had a nice aroma. It quickly cooled down my body temperature after walking in the scorching sun for over an hour. The taste was clean and deep, even though it was cold. The price was reasonable too. If you visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace, be sure to stop by this cafe.

In Kyoto's Kamigyo Ward, there is a restaurant called "Higaki Charyo" located near the Nakaichijimi Gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. It is a spot for viewing the Daimonji bonfires during the Gozan no Okuribi festival. The restaurant also opens at night, offering a variety of dishes including cold udon with pickled plum. I ordered warm udon with pickled plum, which was delicious. - Restaurant Information - Name: Restaurant Higaki Charyo Address: 3-3 Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture Phone: 075-223-2550 #KyotoImperialPalace #RestaurantHigakiCharyo #HigakiCharyo #KyotoImperialGarden #NakaichijimiRestArea #KyotoGourmet #KyotoLunch #KamigyoWardGourmet #KamigyoWardLunch

In the hot weather, I was walking around Kyoto Imperial Palace, sweating a lot, but I saw a sign for shaved ice and decided to stop by on the way back. The matcha shaved ice cooled down my overheated body and it was very delicious. Shaved ice stands out as a top dessert in the summer, and the matcha shaved ice in Kyoto tasted especially amazing!

Today's lunch was at "Kyoto Gyoen Hinokakicharyo" in Kyoto, Japan. The restaurant is located near the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, right next to the Nakadachiuri Go-mon gate. The restaurant has been renovated and looks quite large and luxurious, not like a typical free rest area. There are also terrace seats available, which are quite popular. When you enter, it looks like a restaurant beyond the lattice. The front area is used as a free rest area and souvenir shop. There are many tables set up in a spacious area, mostly filled with foreign tourists. The system is to secure a seat first and then order at the register, but there are many tables that have not been cleared, making it difficult to find a seat. The cafe menu includes experiential matcha sets that seem popular with foreign tourists. The dishes seem to be either udon or rice bowls, with slightly higher prices typical of tourist spots. However, dishes like eel rice bowls and Kyoto-style kitsune udon are reasonably priced. There are also marks indicating vegetarian and halal options, making it internationally friendly. I opted for the "bukkake meat udon" for 1400 yen, which is a summer limited item and more affordable compared to others. A ticket is given, and you wait at your seat. After a while, a large tray is brought to you. The bowl is incredibly large, but the portion inside is normal. It comes with a side dish of pickles and another dish that is hard to identify. The udon noodles are thick and soft, with a chewy and stretchy texture. The soft-boiled egg in the center has a firm yolk that doesn't mix when broken. The beef is cooked sweet and savory, mixed with grated daikon radish and grated yam to bring out the flavors. Overall, it is a great facility to welcome and delight international guests at the iconic Kyoto Imperial Palace.

The Kyoto Imperial Palace Garden is quite spacious, and if you want to have a meal here, you won't find anything around Imadegawa except for schools, so you have to walk quite a distance to the north or south of Karasuma or Kawaramachi. It can be a hassle to walk back unless you have a special reason. There used to be a dining place in the current location, but it was more of a resting place where you could have a meal, like an old Japanese cafeteria at a station, school cafeteria, or employee cafeteria. I have attached a photo, and the curry udon I ordered once seemed to have fried tofu that is usually used in kitsune udon, giving it a distinctly Kyoto flavor. I liked this kind of taste, but now it has transformed into a fancy cafe restaurant that caters to foreigners and offers stylish lunches for tourists. However, as a local, there is another benefit to using this place, which is similar to the Kamogawa River - witnessing people being targeted by crows while eating on benches. This is a common sight that I have seen multiple times in the garden over the past 10 years. Even the locals do not seem to notice that the grassy areas and benches in the garden are quite a hunting ground for crows. Recently, I witnessed a group of four women walking on the Kamogawa Bridge, eating hamburgers, when suddenly one of them was attacked by a crow and screamed as she sat down. So, eating safely is also an important goal. While the restaurant entrance sells delicious bento boxes, keep in mind the above points and choose a location where you won't be targeted if you plan to eat here. This time, I parked my car in the parking lot and used this place nearby. It is located near the entrance of Karasuma Street, around the middle of the garden. You enter the entrance, secure your seat by placing your belongings, then order at the counter. They will bring your order to you after a while. The focus is on the appearance of the fixtures, as it is for tourists. Even for a dish like oyakodon, it is served in a lacquerware-like container. The taste is quite good, with garnishes like mitsuba making it visually appealing and the familiar flavor making it easy to eat, especially for foreigners who may find Japanese food easy to enjoy. Seeing the imperial palace and having a Japanese-style meal will surely satisfy them. Even Japanese people may appreciate the Kyoto-like ambiance, and being able to eat oyakodon at less than half the price, which would be quite a walk away, makes it important to be able to eat within the garden.

First of all, before sharing my thoughts, let me provide some tourist information about the easily confused places, Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Gyoen. When you look at Google Maps, you will see that Kyoto Gyoen is a vast area stretching 0.7km east-west and 1.3km north-south. This is Kyoto Gyoen. It is easy to confuse this with Kyoto Imperial Palace, which is a section within Kyoto Gyoen. The Imperial Palace is a separate area within the 24-hour open Kyoto Gyoen, where Emperor Meiji resided partially. It is important to note that while Kyoto Gyoen is managed by the Ministry of the Environment, Kyoto Imperial Palace is under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Agency. Therefore, you need to check the Imperial Household Agency's website for the days when you can visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace. For example, during Golden Week in 2023, May 1st and May 4th were not open to visitors. It is worth visiting the Imperial Palace as it offers a unique experience with its grand scale, quality and quantity of buildings, and a serene atmosphere. The visit allows you to see the buildings up close, although you may not enter all of them. Returning to the main topic, you can enter Kyoto Gyoen, so if a restaurant like Higaki Charyo is open for business, you can still use it even if the Kyoto Imperial Palace is closed. The restaurant is located in a beautiful facility with a pleasant environment, offering indoor and terrace seating. On sunny days, the terrace seating is recommended. The menu includes a variety of options such as set meals, group menus (requires advance reservation), bento boxes (elegant bento boxes in kaiseki style available for dine-in or takeout), and matcha with sweets or desserts. The ordering system requires you to reserve a seat before placing an order; otherwise, you may have to wait longer. Overall, it is a great place to have a quick meal while exploring the vast grounds of Kyoto Gyoen, providing a refreshing break and saving precious time for tourists. During my visit, I tried the eel bowl, which was decent in taste. Considering the location and environment within Kyoto Gyoen, I appreciated being able to have a meal there. Just for your reference.

I was looking for something Kyoto-like to eat, so I searched on Tabelog and ended up coming here after walking around the Imperial Palace and getting tired. The majority of customers inside were foreigners. I ordered the Yuba bowl set and a canned beer, got number 15 as my order tag, and waited outside at a table while drinking my beer. A staff member brought me the Yuba bowl and called out "Fifteen?" in English. It was amusing to hear English being spoken at the Imperial Palace. The Yuba bowl had chopped yuba with a thickened sauce, and it had a slightly sweet taste.

I was guided around the Kyoto Imperial Palace for an hour by someone from the Imperial Household Agency, and since I was feeling completely chilled, I decided to enter this place. The menu is a bit on the expensive side. I opted for the affordable kitsune udon. It was warm and comforting with a gentle broth.

The parking lot at Hagumikado is spacious, and when I first moved to Kyoto and was still getting used to driving, I often parked my car here. Even though the parking lot was large, I couldn't park straight (//∇//). The parking attendant always offered to park my car properly when he saw it, so I think he just wanted to drive my car. I brought chocolates for him on Valentine's Day, but he was no longer there (T_T) ＼(^-^ ) Next to the parking lot full of memories, there used to be an old rest area and udon restaurant, but now it's a new building with a udon restaurant. It turns out it's the same owner. There were old photos in the store. Of course, I had some udon. I had the shrimp and seasonal vegetable tempura udon for 1490 yen. The spacious interior of the restaurant comes with side dishes and dessert, and the udon has a good texture and is quite filling. The outside view through the glass windows is full of greenery, making it a very pleasant place. It would be nice if they offered parking service, as the parking fee adds to the cost of the udon. But I would still like to come back to this peaceful place. Now, let's bring the wild lilies blooming on the mountain pass to my friend's house!

After shopping in Kanazawa, I had some business near the Imperial Palace so I decided to stop by for some tea. I went to Hokkodo near Hamagurimon, where I enjoyed an iced cafe au lait and green tea in their spacious and cool cafe. The green tea was rich but refreshing. They also have a food menu and souvenirs available.

I have visited the Imperial Palace many times, but I never knew there was a spacious children's park. There are many things you only discover once you have children. After letting the kids run around and play, we took a break here. The rest area also has a souvenir shop with classic snacks. It serves traditional Kyoto-style meals like bento boxes, rice bowls, and udon noodles. The interior is clean and beautifully designed, even the water cups look elegant. I tried the green tea ice cream, which had a lovely scent, was just sweet enough, and tasted delicious.

I came to Kyoto in the cold month of December. Due to various circumstances, my trip to Kyoto was decided last minute, but I wanted to make the most of it. I asked my best friend, Macchan, for some suggestions and planned our itinerary accordingly. I also planned the train routes for efficient travel. We first visited Fushimi Inari, then headed to Kyoto Imperial Palace. I heard that reservations were required for the tour, but luckily it was open for special viewing anytime and it was free. We used Google Maps to navigate from the train station, but the gravel paths were a bit difficult to walk on. Be careful not to twist your ankle. The paths where bicycles pass were particularly worn out. After spending more time than expected at Fushimi Inari, it was already past 1 pm when we arrived at the Imperial Palace. So, before the tour, we decided to have lunch. We chose to eat at the rest area within the palace grounds, specifically at Nakadachiuri Rest Area near Seishomon Gate. It was a newly opened establishment, and it was beautiful with a view of the palace from the terrace. The rest area was free to use, and there was a shop selling palace-exclusive goods and snacks. We opted for Higaki Charyo restaurant for lunch. It was bright and spacious with a high ceiling and lots of wood. They had a self-service system where you order and pay upfront. Macchan ordered Kyoto Yuba Don for 1080 yen, while I chose Ebi and seasonal vegetable tempura Zaru Udon for 1400 yen. Both dishes came with daily side dishes. The food was served to us by the staff, and the portions were generous. The Yuba Don was served in a large wooden bowl, and the tempura Udon came with a bamboo strainer for draining. The side dishes included chestnut sweet stew, pickled vegetables, fried smelt, and a pate with plenty of poppy seeds. The Udon was delicious, and the tempura was crispy and flavorful. The side dishes were also tasty, especially the pate with poppy seeds. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

On this day, I used an electric rental bicycle in Nishijin to travel from Kitano Tenmangu Shrine to the Imperial Palace. I took a break at Nakamitate Rest Area, which also had a parking space for bicycles. While curry udon seems to be popular, we had already eaten, so we opted for roll cakes instead. My partner chose matcha flavor, while I chose roasted green tea. Both were subtly sweet and had an elegant taste. (Note: Cashless payment was not accepted)

I took a walk in Kyoto Imperial Palace. This is a rest area inside the palace where you can also have a meal. The menu is similar to what you would find in public rest areas, but the presentation is exceptional. I had the oyakodon. It was served in a large lacquer-like bowl with traditional Kyoto side dishes and a clear soup with clams. The oyakodon had a raw egg yolk on top, shaped like a circle. The chicken in the oyakodon was not breast meat, but thigh meat, and it was around 4 points. Truly fitting for Kyoto Imperial Palace.

(Prologue) During a visit to Kyoto for some errands, I decided to stop by and have lunch at Kyoto Imperial Palace. (Location) Inside Kyoto Imperial Palace. (Facilities/Interior) A single-story concrete building, serving as a resting area and a shop. (Food/Impressions) I ordered the "Gosho Goshu Gozen" (1500 yen) which allows you to choose between fish or meat as the main dish. I chose the sea bass today. The dish was served in a luxurious two-tiered box resembling a cow carriage. On the top tier, there was thick rolled omelette with plenty of ingredients, steamed red-spotted grouper, simmered eggplant, edamame, pickled daikon and cucumber, and a cold dish of dried radish and cucumber. The flavors were exquisite and well-balanced. On the bottom tier, there was grilled sea bass, vinegar-soaked lotus root, fluffy omelette, and rice with small dried fish. The presentation and taste were impressive, with the rice dish being particularly outstanding. Overall, the meal had a refined and elegant Kyoto cuisine taste. The elaborate presentation of the dishes in the box and the golden lacquered bowl added to the enjoyment of the meal. I heard once that "Kyoto is at the forefront of Japanese cuisine, and if you don't continue to improve your skills, your restaurant will decline." I felt fortunate to be able to enjoy such innovative dishes and appreciate the effort put into them. (Evaluation) Delicious taste - 4.0 points, slightly small portion - 2.5 points, felt reasonably priced - 3.5 points, overall rating - 3.5 points. (Epilogue) The day of my visit was extremely hot, reaching 39 degrees Celsius, which made the scorching heat unbearable.

Before 10 a.m., I took a walk in the garden. The wind felt nice at first, but after 15 minutes it started to get hot. I thought about grabbing something at McDonald's or 7-Eleven nearby, and then I stumbled upon this rest area. It's a well-placed spot inside the garden. Due to COVID-19 measures, they limit the number of people entering, so you have to take a number at the entrance. On the right side, there are vending machines for drinks, while on the left side, it has a cafe vibe. I went straight to the cafe and ordered an iced coffee. It was delicious just because it was cold. The aroma and bitterness were mild, but it was refreshing. Thank you for the meal.

I went to see the cherry blossoms at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which is very close to my house. Since it was around noon, I decided to have lunch at this restaurant nearby. It was a Saturday afternoon during the peak cherry blossom season, but the restaurant was empty due to the impact of the new coronavirus. I ordered at the cash register first, then chose a seat and they brought the food to me. I chose a table by the window. Since I have a 9-month-old baby, I borrowed a child's chair. This time, I ordered tempura rice bowl. The combination of a large red bowl on a tray made me excited, but the tempura shrimp was more like shrimp fry rather than tempura, and the seaweed was so hard it felt like eating a rice cracker. It wasn't bad, but it felt like a waste... It may be inevitable for a tourist restaurant, but it was disappointing despite the good view and atmosphere inside the restaurant.

(Lunch Review from a Blog) Today's lunch was spent wandering around the Kyoto Imperial Palace. There are several rest areas within the palace where you can have lunch. I decided to check one out. - Kyoto Gyoen Nakatateya Rest Area It had a spacious resting space with a wood-based design. There seemed to be a lot of domestic and international tourists. I even saw a group of students on a school trip. - Higaki Saryo Inside this rest area, there is a restaurant called "Higaki Saryo." The menu ranged from luxurious meals to udon dishes and matcha sweets. It seemed like you had to reserve a seat first before ordering. While waiting at my seat, the dishes were brought to me on a tray. - Seasonal Vegetable Curry Udon It was a colorful curry udon dish. The bowl was larger than usual, filled with mini tomatoes, lotus root, eggplant, broccoli, pumpkin, and other vegetables. The curry soup was thick and coated the udon and ingredients well. The udon noodles were long and had a satisfying volume. The curry flavor was delicious, and I ended up finishing the bowl completely. I didn't know there was such a nice rest area within the palace! I was able to enjoy a leisurely meal in a calm atmosphere.

After touring the Kyoto Imperial Palace, I stopped by "Higaki Charyo" for a visit. I had checked the reviews in advance, and my goal was to try the Kyoto-style udon. First, I secured a seat, then I placed my order and paid at the register. It was already past 3:30 pm, so there were many empty seats available. Therefore, I didn't secure a seat and placed my order first. However, the menu at the register did not have Kyoto-style udon. There were only drinks, shaved ice, and sweets available, no light meals. It seems like there is a time limit on the food menu. Disappointed that I couldn't have the Kyoto-style udon, I ordered an iced coffee instead. After paying, I received a number tag and was asked which seat number I was at. I answered that I would sit at an available seat number 2. (The number tags were placed on the table seats) When the order was ready, the staff brought the iced coffee to me. I handed over the number tag at that time. I enjoyed the iced coffee, which was refreshing on a hot day. Drinking the black iced coffee as it is can be quite bitter. To make it more palatable, I added some syrup and milk, which made it just right. It was better than before, but the bitterness still lingered. It might suit those who enjoy bitterness.