Cherry blossoms are a bit early in Kyoto this spring. I took a leisurely walk along the route from Ginkaku-ji to Nene-no-Michi, passing through Philosopher's Path, Eikando, Nanzen-ji, Yasaka Shrine, and the slopes of Kyoto. I stumbled upon a quaint little restaurant that caught my eye. It's located at the end of Philosopher's Path, just a short walk from Kumano Wakōji Shrine. I was a bit hesitant to go in alone, but it turned out to be perfectly fine. The atmosphere was welcoming, and there were quite a few solo foreign travelers as well. I ordered the Mix Okonomiyaki (pork, squid, shrimp) for 980 yen, and it was delicious. The staff took care of everything on the teppan grill, but you can also cook it yourself if you prefer. The okonomiyaki was thick and flavorful, with plenty of ingredients. The service was friendly and attentive. This hidden gem of a restaurant may seem easy to overlook, but its unpretentious and warm atmosphere won me over. Oh, and regarding the cherry blossoms? They were about 50% bloomed at the end of March. It was a refreshing visit to Kyoto after a long time, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming new era with the new Reiwa era. Spring is in full bloom in my heart. Bon appétit!

I visited around 11:45 on a holiday. There was no wait. The okonomiyaki with nama-fu is delicious with shiso. The spicy sauce is a bit spicy, but has a refined spiciness. When the nearby udon shop is crowded, this place is also good.

During my philosophical journey, a woman carefully timed and cooked the food for me. It was my first time trying fried wheat gluten okonomiyaki, but it was delicious with a crispy exterior and a chewy interior that mixed well with the pork oil.

I can't wait to go back!

For some reason, I felt like having an early lunch after having okonomiyaki at Zen Asa Gohan in Kyoto because it was served quickly. However, in this area, there seemed to be a lot of tofu dishes and my appetite wasn't really piqued. While walking from Nanzen-ji Temple through the Philosopher's Path towards Ginkaku-ji Temple, I came across a okonomiyaki restaurant. I was intrigued by the menu offering "okonomiyaki with nama-fu (wheat gluten)" which my friend who loves nama-fu was interested in, so we decided to give it a try. We also ordered "mochi and pork belly okonomiyaki". The restaurant had a hot plate at the table, but the owner kindly offered to cook for us. The okonomiyaki was delicious, with the nama-fu hidden under the meat and seasoned with pickled ginger. It was chewy and tasty. Even in Kyoto, having this kind of lunch might be a good idea. Itadakimasu. Now, let's head towards Ginkaku-ji Temple.

This is a restaurant near Eikando in Kyoto. A friend who loves okonomiyaki discovered this place in a magazine, where it was introduced as "Kyoto-style" okonomiyaki. As an Osaka native, I felt like I had to go and check it out! The interior of the restaurant is not very spacious. We sat in a tatami room and ordered the "Kyoto-style" okonomiyaki we came for. The staff brought the ingredients for the okonomiyaki and cooked it on the hot plate in front of us. First, they cooked the batter, then topped it with pork and nama-fu (wheat gluten), flipped it, cooked it for a few minutes, flipped it again, and it was done. The finished Kyoto-style okonomiyaki had green nama-fu arranged radially on the round batter. It's visually interesting with the green and white combination. As for the taste, the nama-fu added a nice chewy texture. It's different from okonomiyaki with mochi inside. Overall, it wasn't bad, but I feel like just adding nama-fu doesn't make it truly "Kyoto-style." Also, the price is a bit high. Maybe they have a commitment to quality ingredients, but charging nearly 1000 yen for a palm-sized okonomiyaki seemed excessive to me. (Personally, I think the maximum should be 750 yen.) It might be a good stop on the way back from Eikando for a conversation starter, but I don't think it's worth coming specifically to eat here.