Sushi restaurant in Kyoto with one Michelin star. The Kansai-style vinegared rice with a hint of sweetness was particularly good with white fish like cutlassfish and Hokkaido scallops. Personally, I loved the combination of marinated cutlassfish with Japanese pepper leaves! The rich and elegant flavor of the Hamanaka sea urchin from Hokkaido left a lasting impression. The menu included dishes like simmered sea bream, boiled shrimp with ponzu sauce, cutlassfish, tuna belly, fatty tuna, and more.

I had wanted to visit this place for many years. Finally, on my first visit, I was greeted by a friendly couple running the place, and the smile of the female owner was very comforting. The interior is calm and sophisticated, with an adult atmosphere. It doesn't feel like the typical atmosphere of Demachiyanagi, more like a shop in Gion. The dishes were served one by one, followed by sushi, and everything was delicious.

Newly opened sushi restaurant in Demachiyanagi. The friendly service of the young female owner will make you feel at ease. Today's lunch had 3 groups at the counter, and the owner has worked in both overseas and domestic hotels. Jazz music plays in the restaurant, and the sushi style is traditional Edo-mae, with a slightly vinegary taste compared to Kansai sushi. Tokyo sushi is in a league of its own for various reasons, so this restaurant offers a high-end hotel sushi experience which is also enjoyable. The sake choices are Manzai and Tengu Mai.

I made a reservation on the booking site the day before entering the restaurant at 6:00 p.m. on a regular Thursday. The evening course was ¥19,800 including tax. It's about a 10-minute walk from Keihan Demachiyanagi Station. The restaurant has a clean appearance and thorough measures against infection inside. The friendly chef and hostess make the atmosphere very pleasant. They have a great selection of Japanese sake, and they recommended the fresh sake. The bill was around ¥27,000. It was very comfortable and the food was delicious. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

Opened in May 2019, Michelin Guide Kyoto 2021 awarded one star to 【Taisho】, where the owner, Mr. Yoshio Hayashi, honed his skills in Kyoto and Switzerland before establishing the acclaimed "Sushi Wakan" within the Four Seasons Kyoto. The interior of the restaurant features a clean and serene atmosphere with a counter seating for 8 guests, showcasing the beauty of the Tamu wood grain. Located just a 6-minute walk from the Keihan Demachiyanagi Station, near the Kamo Bridge north of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the restaurant offers two types of shari (sushi rice): Edomae and Kyoto-style. The Edomae shari uses Kyoto's Chidori vinegar with a subtle vinegar flavor, enhancing the gentle umami of the ingredients while highlighting the sweetness of the rice. The Kyoto-style shari is cooked firm with a hint of sweetness from dashi. The omakase course priced at 17,000 yen (excluding tax) includes dishes such as: - Seared kamasu (barracuda) with a delicate skin and flavorful meat. - Steamed abalone with a chewy texture and concentrated umami. - Sliced sea bream sashimi served with salt or ponzu sauce. - Tsubugai (whelk) and Akahana (amberjack) aged for a week, offering rich flavors. - Marinated bonito, moist and flavorful, perfect as a side dish for sake. - Steamed sushi with ingredients like shredded egg, dried shiitake mushroom, dried gourd, and grilled conger eel, offering a fluffy texture and a hint of sweetness. - Nigiri sushi including squid without cutting for a unique texture experience. - Sayori (halfbeak) with a delicate and refined taste, complemented by a well-balanced shari. - Ark shell with a pleasant texture and the natural umami blending with the sweetness of the rice. - Flounder with a moist and delicate texture, highlighting the richness of the ingredients. - Horse mackerel with a chewy bite followed by a burst of flavor from the fish oil. - Mackerel sushi with a balance of moistness and chewiness, enhanced by the sweet shari. - The traditional saba-zushi (mackerel sushi) made using the "fukin-jime" method, where the mackerel is pressed with the rice and wrapped in a cloth, then topped with white shavings of konbu kelp for added flavor. The chef also shares that the mackerel sushi can be enjoyed after letting it sit for a couple of days to firm up the shari, then lightly toasting the surface to enhance the taste. The use of konbu kelp helps prevent drying and adds aroma to the dish, showcasing the chef's dedication to preserving traditional techniques.

Ideal for lunch use, the lunch course for 8800 yen includes a satisfying amount of dishes and sushi toppings. This sushi restaurant offers high cost performance for lunch. Particularly, the shrimp, lean tuna, kanpachi, and tamago were delicious. In this price range, the satisfaction level is high when you can enjoy medium fatty tuna, sea urchin, and delicious shrimp. The service is also polite and excellent.

I visited for lunch on a regular day. It was my first time at this restaurant, so I arrived at the shopping street nearby about 20 minutes before my reservation time and took a leisurely stroll. I later realized that I had passed by the restaurant once, so the location might be a bit hard to find. I entered the restaurant at 11:55, but I was the only one at that time. I was guided to a seat at the counter in the calm interior, which raised my expectations. First, I greeted the chef and was asked about any food preferences. I ordered a beer and the course began. The first dish was Sayori, served in a sushi chef's style, and it was quite delicious. Then came the nigiri sushi, a type I had never tried before. However, it was to my liking and I got to experience a new world of flavors. Two groups of two arrived later, but the service was quick, so I didn't have to wait much until the end. I actually wanted to have some sake, but since it was lunchtime, I settled for beer... although I ended up having three glasses because the sushi was so good (laughs). When leaving the restaurant, despite having other customers, the chef and the hostess saw me off at the entrance. Their attention to detail was exceptional, and I had a pleasant dining experience. Somehow, they reminded me of the lovely couple at the tempura restaurant "Kyosei." Thank you for the delicious meal. I will visit for dinner next time.

Today is the last day of the three-day weekend. I had dinner at Sushi Hayashi. The restaurant has an L-shaped counter with 8 seats, divided into pairs by acrylic boards. There were two couples of customers before me, and I was seated in the middle. They didn't have shochu, so I asked for sake and was given a menu. I ordered Mutsu Hassen junmai nama genshu sake from Aomori in a half cup. For dishes, I had grilled barracuda, crab served in its shell with neatly arranged legs and bright red roe inside, which went well with the sake. For cold sake, I had Denjyusuke anago no yubiki, a dish of boiled conger eel with ponzu sauce, and for sashimi, I had botan shrimp and tsubugai. The grilled dish was delicious with fatty mackerel from Kadoshima. The meal continued with fresh salmon roe over white rice, followed by a variety of sushi like squid, amberjack, golden eye snapper, ark shell, and pickled mackerel. The meal ended with persimmon and milk Bavarois for dessert. The owner has experience working in Switzerland and also in Italian cuisine. Perhaps next time we can try Swiss wine together. Thank you for the meal.

I visited Sushi Hayashi, which recently received a Michelin one-star rating, for lunch. The head chef worked for many years at hotels overseas before launching Wakon at the Four Seasons Kyoto. The restaurant has a refined atmosphere. The meal started with a plate of grilled kamasu, showcasing beautiful craftsmanship. Next was squid sushi, with the slightly warm shari complementing the texture of the squid. The meal continued with dishes like kanpachi, hokkigai, isaki, hotate, and a small bowl of ikura, leading up to the tuna. The only downside was that the shari temperature decreased as we progressed through the meal; I wished the tuna had been enjoyed at the initial temperature. The skin on the sushi was to my liking. The meal concluded with shrimp, sawara, uni, anago, and an additional kanpyo maki, followed by tamago and a palate cleanser. Overall, the sushi was flawless, except for the shari temperature issue. Personally, I prefer shari with a clearer taste. The service was elegant, and the restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere.

At the end of a little trip, we decided to have sushi. We went to "Sushi Hayashi" located on the first floor of this apartment building. It opened last May and I had been wanting to try it. The approach to the restaurant is really nice and the atmosphere is peaceful. Here is what we had: sashimi of bonito, squid, cutlassfish, golden eye snapper, small fish, clam, red snapper, Isaki fish, medium fatty tuna, fatty tuna, homemade pickled daikon radish, kohada, shrimp, sea urchin, conger eel, red miso soup with fish ball. We also had rolled dried gourd, tamago (egg), and a rich matcha sherbet. The lunch course included one appetizer and 13 pieces of sushi for 8,800 yen (tax included). It was quite a substantial Edo-style sushi course and considering the quality, it's actually quite reasonable. The ambiance of the restaurant is elegant and the hospitality of the couple who run the place is wonderful, making it a relaxing experience. The only downside is that the access to the restaurant is a bit inconvenient. Nevertheless, I would like to visit again for dinner next time and enjoy a proper drink. This time, I tried using the restaurant reservation service of "Ikyu" for the first time. It's convenient to be able to make reservations online and see the available slots clearly.

I visited this restaurant for the first time since it opened in May last year. I made a reservation online two days ago, which was convenient. After returning from Wakayama, I wore a mask and took a taxi from my home to the location, which is on the east side of Teramachi Imadegawa, with the restaurant being located underground. When I arrived for my 6:00 pm reservation, I was seated at the 8-seat L-shaped counter in front of the owner. There were no other customers until we left, so it seemed like we were the only ones dining that day. The interior of the restaurant has a clean and modern Japanese atmosphere, with enough space between tables to create a comfortable environment. The omakase course we had included a variety of dishes and drinks, with a good balance of appetizers and sushi throughout the meal. The sushi had a Kyoto-style flavor with a not too strong vinegar taste in the rice. The chef, originally from Fukui, had experience working at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo and a hotel in Switzerland, so he was able to speak French as well. The sushi did not have any standout pieces that left a big impression, but overall, it was delicious from start to finish. While those who prefer bold tuna flavors may find it lacking, the balance of seafood and sushi was well done. I look forward to visiting again.

Visited for dinner on 5/2/2020. Ordered the 16,000 yen course which included a Sapporo beer, Swiss white wine, and "Kumamoto Devil Bear" sushi from Nara. I heard that a sushi restaurant had opened in Demachiyanagi, where I used to go during my college days. It was nostalgic being back in Demachiyanagi. The restaurant serves traditional Edo-style sushi. The service was good, the atmosphere was clean, and the food was decent, but it was so traditional that it didn't leave a lasting impression. Perhaps they are aiming for a more modern approach. However, the octopus was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I heard there was Swiss wine available, so I visited for lunch. I was told that the evening course could also be ordered for lunch, so I decided to go for the course. The fish was especially beautiful. A beautiful fish, with even the capillaries completely bloodless, without any black veins. Without looking at the menu or confirming the price, I ordered Swiss wine in a glass. It's not that I don't care about the price at a restaurant, but in my heart, I made a calm judgment that if I can order in a glass, it should be fine in terms of price. With sake, even with a famous brand, there is no need to worry about the price, but with wine, the sky is the limit, so it might have been better to check the price without hesitation. I ended up drinking the entire bottle of newly uncorked Swiss wine, even though I ordered just a glass, and had to switch the price from the glass to the bottle, which was a kind gesture. The food was very elegant and had a Kyoto-like feel. I went for the Swiss wine, so I felt that the course was a bit lacking. I would have preferred three items of abalone rather than just one. Above all, the fish was simply beautiful.

I went to Sushi Hayashi for the first time and the friendly chef and hostess were very attentive. The food was delicious.

Taste: average, atmosphere: great, cost performance: average

Elegant sushi. The texture of the rice is excellent.