"Yamagishi" is a new à la carte style Japanese restaurant opened in April 2023 as a sister restaurant to the Michelin one-starred and hard-to-reserve restaurant "Tomikoj Yamagishi". Operated by Kyoto Yamagishi Co., Ltd., led by Takahiro Yamagishi, a Kyoto native born in 1975. He is a certified instructor of the Urasenke school of tea ceremony, a practitioner of the Saga Goryu floral arrangement, and a calligraphy teacher. Yamagishi started his career aiming to become a sushi chef at "Shichie Sushi". He then trained at renowned establishments such as a sushi wholesaler in Kyoto Central Market, a Japanese restaurant in a hotel, "Tankuma Kitamise", and "Kyoto Ichino Den" before opening "Tomikoj Yamagishi" in October 2015. Shortly after opening, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star in 2017. Subsequently, he opened "Nijo Yamagishi", "Tomikoj Yamagishi Hong Kong", and "Nomikoj Yamagishi", before opening this new restaurant in April 2023. The restaurant is located about a 6-minute walk from Gion-shijo Station, just off the left side of the entrance to APA Hotel Kyoto. It offers 24 seats, with 10 counter seats and 14 tatami mat seats. The lunch service is available for both counter and tatami seats, while dinner service is limited to the counter seats. The restaurant offers à la carte style dining, allowing customers to choose their favorite dishes to order. The menu features seasonal ingredients and fresh sashimi, and customers can customize their meal by selecting dishes according to their preferences. Popular dishes include the sea urchin dog and a variety of seasonal delicacies. It is highly recommended for those who want to enjoy their favorite dishes in their preferred quantities."

The renowned restaurant "Tomiokoji Yamagishi," known for its difficulty in making reservations, has opened a new location called "Gion Yamagishi" in a charming area on the south side of Gion. The new venue maintains the existing atmosphere while offering a more spacious dining area. The dishes, prepared with fresh seafood and mountain delicacies using delicate techniques, were incredibly delicious beyond words. While the prices are on the higher side due to the use of premium ingredients, the experience is definitely worth it. It is the perfect place to spend a special day leisurely. Given the popularity, it is recommended to make reservations well in advance at the new location! Thank you for the wonderful meal (^｡^)

"Using the finest ingredients from Fushimi, Yama-gishi, a new and innovative style of casual Kyoto cuisine is being introduced in Gion. It seems that Gion is now appealing to a younger generation. You can enjoy Kyoto cuisine a la carte, making it a great option for those who are not fond of set courses. Highly recommended!"

I heard that the popular Yamagishi group has started expanding to the south side of Gion, so I decided to visit. When I arrived at the restaurant, today's menu was displayed outside. Although we had made a reservation, it seemed that they might accept walk-ins if there were available seats at the moment. As we entered, the large counter seats caught our attention. There was a small garden in the back. My husband ordered a beer, and I had a ginger ale for a toast. For lunch, we had the Chirashi sushi set, which included an appetizer, chirashi sushi, and a dessert. After the chirashi sushi, we could choose from 5 types of udon (kitsune, kujo negi, yuba, roast beef, marunabe) with varying prices depending on the choice. This time, we chose kitsune udon (3600 yen). The appetizer was pickled conger eel on top of fried conger eel with onions, wakame, cucumber, and myoga on the side. It was a refreshing dish perfect for summer. The chirashi sushi was a small bowl of vinegared rice topped with shrimp, conger eel, tuna, sea bream, and salmon roe. The decorative daikon moon and rabbit were very cute and eye-catching. The kitsune udon had fried tofu strips and plenty of kujo negi (my husband opted out of the negi). The udon noodles were shaped like pasta and had a delicious broth that filled us up just right. For dessert, we had what I thought was warabi mochi but was actually made with tapioca flour and sprinkled with matcha, which paired well together. We had a busy schedule that day, so we requested a shorter dining time, and they graciously accommodated our request. The owner, who oversees the Gion branch, trained at Tankuma Kitamise and Tsujitome, and served as the head chef at Higashiyama Yudou "Tozama". We had a brief chat with him, and he was very friendly and a good conversationalist. While reservations at the main Yamagishi location can be difficult and only offer set courses, this branch offers a more casual lunch option and also serves a la carte dishes at night. They source their ingredients from the same suppliers as the main restaurant, so it's a great place to try out if you want to experience their cuisine in a more relaxed setting. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

The chirashi sushi lunch was delicious. For dessert, instead of warabi mochi, they used sesame tofu made with tapioca flour. The texture and sweetness were just right and very tasty. What's more, the hospitality of the chef and staff is wonderful, making it enjoyable to have a meal at the counter while chatting. Starting from July, they will offer a mini course for lunch, which I am looking forward to. Although it may be difficult to get a reservation at the popular Pontocho Yamagishi, you can enjoy a lunch course at half price at this sister restaurant.

It's a wonderful restaurant. The famous Yamagishi has opened in Gion. I arrived 30 minutes early on the visit date due to a misunderstanding of the time. However, the owner knew I was waiting and prepared early for me. The lunch includes appetizers, chirashi sushi, udon, and dessert for about 5,000 yen. It's a real Japanese restaurant, and the price is very reasonable. The taste was delicious as well. There is no compromise on ingredients or tea. I would like to visit again before it becomes difficult to make a reservation. Thank you.