I made a reservation through OMAKASE. Out of the 7 seats, 4 were occupied by foreign tourists. One of them, who I assumed to be of Indian descent, was taking close-up photos with a single-lens reflex camera. Despite the blog stating that they prefer guests who do not talk too much, they seemed to be quite tolerant towards the foreigners. Considering the high price, I believe delicious food is a given.

I made a reservation before the state of emergency was declared, but had to meet the person I promised to meet after the declaration. Since it was during the state of emergency, alcohol was not served, and I had sushi while drinking tea. I had high expectations for dining at a representative restaurant in Gion, but I was a little disappointed. Probably because there was no alcohol. The sushi alone at this price... felt expensive, so my evaluation is a bit harsh. During the state of emergency, there were few people on the streets of Gion, and it felt quiet, and the conversation with the other person was not very lively. If I have the opportunity, I might visit again.

Definitely delicious sushi restaurant in Gion. The quality of the ingredients and dishes are top-notch, and they have a great selection of drinks with a sophisticated touch. However, the high prices of these restaurants make it difficult for customers to become repeat visitors. For a restaurant that charges around 25,000 to 30,000 yen per person, customers expect delicious food, cleanliness, and a well-maintained establishment as a given. Staff training, service, and engaging conversation must also be at a high level to encourage repeat visits. Only the restaurants that can exceed customer expectations will survive in this competitive market. Matsudaya's sushi is truly delicious.

I visited a sushi restaurant in Kyoto for the first time. The restaurant only has 7 seats at the counter. They start serving at 6 o'clock sharp, and there were also foreign customers. The chef and the hostess can speak English, which is impressive for a Michelin-starred restaurant. The sushi was all fresh and delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I can't believe there is such a delicious sushi restaurant in Kyoto! Every dish was extremely delicious. The prices were a bit high, but it was worth it.

The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant.

The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant.

The food at this restaurant is amazing! The service is also excellent. I highly recommend trying their signature dish.

The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant.

I visited the Michelin-starred sushi restaurant "Gion Matsudaya". This time, I made a reservation indirectly through an external website, not directly. The specified time was 8:30 PM. Is this the time when most accompanying guests leave? When you go west from Hanamikoji Street, you will find a shop with a key-shaped curved corner. We arrived a little earlier than the scheduled time and were seated at the end of the counter. This time, we ordered the "Chef's Choice Nigiri Sushi + Seasonal Dish Course" for ¥22,500 (excluding tax). We started with a draft beer while waiting for the dishes, but it seemed like the other guests had not arrived yet. A group of foreign tourists arrived and, to my surprise, everyone except us were foreign tourists. We also felt like we were being seen as tourists ^^; Here is what we had for the meal: "Appetizers" - sea bass broth, marinated kelp, amberjack, seared mackerel, bonito with ginger soy sauce, marinated shrimp, Tsuiyama snow crab, nodoguro salt-grilled fish. "Nigiri Sushi" - squid, sea bass, gizzard shad, seared tuna with mustard, Oma tuna, ark shell, spot prawn, horse mackerel roll, salmon roe over rice, sea urchin, simmered conger eel, tekkamaki, tamago. "Drinks" - draft beer ¥800, white bottle: Kenzo Estate Asatsuyu ¥15,000, glass: mineral water ¥500 (the glass itself was a bit...). With a self-imposed budget of 68,000 yen for two people, we felt a bit disappointed with the overall experience. The service felt a bit careless. Visiting a Michelin-starred restaurant may set the expectations too high and lead to disappointment. This is just my personal opinion, so please take it with a grain of salt. By the way, we were allowed to take photos but only one shot was permitted, so there may be some blurry photos mixed in. It may look different to others (laughs).

When it comes to sushi, the image of Japan equals sushi has become well-known worldwide. I didn't think there were any really good sushi restaurants in Kyoto (unless it's a ridiculously expensive place, but geographically speaking, the fish wouldn't be fresh). So, I don't know many delicious sushi restaurants in Kyoto. I've been a few times, but honestly, they were all disappointing. However, I was lucky enough to be invited by a European friend who wanted to go to a particular restaurant in Japan (and pay for it). I made a reservation and when the day came, we headed to the restaurant. Looking at the map, it seemed to be in Gion Hanamikoji, so I thought it might be a touristy place with English menus and tourist prices. But then, to my surprise, this restaurant... has a Michelin star!? I was informed the day before my friend arrived in Japan, and I was unprepared. I was even more nervous when I arrived and saw the somewhat intimidating chef (who turned out to be a very nice person). My friend seemed to have been there a few times before, and we were served various dishes that were absolutely delicious! I thought I had eaten enough sushi by my age, but since the shock of eating at Sushi I in Ginza earlier this year, I had assumed that expensive sushi meant not using soy sauce (they would apply it before serving). However, I learned that "Edomae sushi" is basically all prepared (seasoning, cutting, etc.) as Edomae sushi. Local high-end sushi places tend to focus on freshness and enjoying the ingredients (drenching them in soy sauce), but I found that Edomae sushi has more complexity than just freshness. I was also surprised by the prices, and the 7-seat counter had about two turnovers while I was there, and I was the only Japanese person among all foreigners. I was also surprised that my European friend knew more about sushi than I did, and I was surprised by many other things, but most of all, I was surprised to learn that Michelin Japan's inspectors are actually Japanese. The chef taught me many things, and I also got to practice my English with the foreign guests, which improved my language skills. It was a delightful experience, and I was surprised again by the fact that the inspectors were Japanese, not foreigners.

I visited a sushi restaurant with a friend in 2008. It had been three months since our last visit. We arrived late and were the only customers, so we took the central seats at the counter. We had beer and sake at another place before, so this time we ordered some sake and sushi. The appetizer was pickled firefly squid. The sushi we had included bonito, small fin tuna, lean tuna, boiled octopus, seared scallop, and rolled sushi. The quality of the sushi seemed to be consistent with our previous visit, but this time the rice felt a bit mushy and clumpy in our mouths. Despite not drinking too much, the bill seemed higher than expected for the amount we had. Comparing it to another sushi place nearby, we felt that the quality of the nori used in the rolls made a significant difference, leading us to give a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars out of 5. In January 2008, I visited a new sushi restaurant in Gion that served traditional Edo-style sushi. The restaurant was small with only six seats, and the atmosphere was cozy. The owner and the hostess were welcoming, and I enjoyed a bottle of beer with their homemade karasumi as an appetizer. I selected a sake to pair with the sushi and requested an omakase course. The sushi included flounder, small fin tuna, halibut, white shrimp, and various other types. The seasoning and presentation of each sushi piece were thoughtful, and the wasabi was freshly grated. The sushi rice was not overly sweet or sticky, but rather suited the Edo-style sushi. Overall, I was satisfied with the quality of the sushi in Gion, and I would rate the experience at 4 stars out of 5.

After visiting Sushi Matsumoto, I took a leisurely stroll around and caught a delicious smell of grilled conger eel. To my surprise, there was another sushi restaurant right next to Matsumoto's! I visited the next night. The clientele seemed to be regulars, a man accompanied by a woman. The clean interior of the restaurant had a nice wine selection at affordable prices, so I decided to try a white wine (Saint-Aubin 89) after Toribi. I had a chef's selection course with dishes like ark shell, sea bream from Akashi, spear squid, kohada, marinated tuna from Katsuura, seared flat shell, marinated mantis shrimp, abalone, and pickled shrimp. The nigiri included instant marinated sea bream, squid ink, kohada, gizzard shad, horse mackerel, rare mackerel, marinated tuna, fatty tuna with plenty of wasabi, bonito, ark shell, shrimp with grated radish, simmered clams, sea urchin, small fish, conger eel, rolled omelette, and egg. The shad was surprisingly high-quality, and the simmered clams had a unique touch. The bill was reasonable considering it was Ginza. The sushi rice was a balance between Edo-style and Kyoto-style, with a mild vinegar flavor. The rice grains were just right, not too firm or too soft. The restaurant uses both Tsukiji and local ingredients, with a preference for Tsukiji. Overall, the white wine paired decently with the sushi, except for blue fish like kohada. The conversation with the chef turned to stories about Tokyo sushi restaurants and the ingredients used. It turned out that I was following a similar restaurant tour as another customer who had recently visited from Morioka. It seems like my Kyoto trip this time is all about exploring different sushi places!

This sushi restaurant moved from Yasu, Shiga Prefecture. It's a small place with about 6 counter seats, but they serve really delicious sushi. They offer an omakase course, but I decided to order my favorite items. I was so focused on eating that I didn't take many photos, but I think they have a wide variety of sushi. I recommend the tamagoyaki. It's slightly sweet and fluffy, so it could also be enjoyed as a dessert! They also have wine and champagne, so even if you don't like sake, you can enjoy some delicious snacks with your drink! The interior of the restaurant is really nice with a wooden refrigerator-like counter that adds to the ambiance.

In the middle of Gion, there is a sushi restaurant. Despite the initial impression of being high-end, once you step inside, the warmth of the chef and the natural interaction at the counter make you feel right at home. The focus here is on savoring the straight-up deliciousness of the sushi. This is true Edo-style sushi that you won't find in Kyoto or Kansai. The preparation and presentation of the fish before it reaches the customer are truly impressive. The simmered abalone and octopus were the best I've ever had. Sake is a must, as without it, you shouldn't even dare to eat such delicious food. Each piece of sushi is a work of art. I can't forget the marinated tuna and eel. This is a restaurant I would love to visit again and again, especially to experience the seasonal offerings.

My partner and I ventured out to explore a new sushi restaurant based on their recommendation. The place was a bit hard to find, located a little west from Gion Hanamikoji. The restaurant had a small counter-only setup and felt quite new. We started off by ordering some wine, which had a limited selection but was reasonably priced considering the location in Gion. The food was mostly omakase style, where they would serve dishes based on our preferences. The first dish of the day was snow crab from Mie, which was of decent quality. The sashimi was elegantly presented and consisted of about five dishes. The portion sizes were refined and delicate, which may not be satisfying for those looking for a hearty meal. The sushi came after, but I personally struggle to eat a lot of it at sushi restaurants due to filling up on drinks and appetizers. The chef clearly had a strong commitment to quality and craftsmanship, but I felt a bit overwhelmed by their dedication. While I appreciated their attention to detail and skill, the overall dining experience felt a bit monotonous to me. The bill for a bottle of wine and omakase beer for two was a little higher than expected, around 10,000 yen. The current trend of Edo-style sushi in Gion doesn't quite resonate with me, as I prefer a more relaxed and flexible dining experience. I feel that sushi should be enjoyed at one's own pace and not be overly luxurious. While I may have rated the taste and quality slightly higher without considering the price, the overall experience left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied due to the high prices and the restaurant's strong style that didn't quite align with my preferences. The sushi boom in Gion may not be for everyone, and I find myself longing for a more traditional Kansai-style sushi restaurant. Whether I will return to this restaurant to give it another chance will depend on my partner's decision.