Guidebook for Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto
Drinks & Nightlife
Club Metro is maybe the oldest live venue in Kyoto. Upstairs, Cafe ETW is a great place to chill.
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CLUB METRO
82 ShimotsutsumichōClub Metro is maybe the oldest live venue in Kyoto. Upstairs, Cafe ETW is a great place to chill.
Japonica is a record store by day and a bar by night. One of my favorite places to have a drink in town.
JAPONICA music store
476 KamihonnōjimaechōJaponica is a record store by day and a bar by night. One of my favorite places to have a drink in town.
Pontocho is a great place for drinks, especially in the summer when you can sit out and watch the sun set over the river. Great jazz bars too.
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Pontocho Area
Kashiwayacho Nakagyo WardPontocho is a great place for drinks, especially in the summer when you can sit out and watch the sun set over the river. Great jazz bars too.
Food Scene
串くら
Kushikura has terrific fare, most especially yaki-tori, served in a beautiful grand building.
Classic Showa-era coffee house. Strong coffee, old fashioned atmosphere.
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Smart Coffee
537 TenshōjimaechōClassic Showa-era coffee house. Strong coffee, old fashioned atmosphere.
One of my all-time favorite restaurants in Kyoto. Great for okonomiyaki, but everything is good.
Manmaru No Tsuki
Umetadachō Nakagyo WardOne of my all-time favorite restaurants in Kyoto. Great for okonomiyaki, but everything is good.
Convivial, young vibe here with cheap food and drinks and a gallery upstairs.
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Cafe Independants
56 BenkeiishichōConvivial, young vibe here with cheap food and drinks and a gallery upstairs.
One of my favorite coffee places in Kyoto. Great smoothies and breakfast wraps too. And opens at 7am!
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Sentido
445 SasayachōOne of my favorite coffee places in Kyoto. Great smoothies and breakfast wraps too. And opens at 7am!
One of the oldest (and best) coffee houses in the city. Nice patio and beautiful nonsmoking room.
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INODA COFFEE
3-chōme-334 KiyomizuOne of the oldest (and best) coffee houses in the city. Nice patio and beautiful nonsmoking room.
Fantastic internationally famous ramen restaurant
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Ippudo Nishiki-Koji
Fantastic internationally famous ramen restaurant
Ion Mall Kyoto Gojo Bus Stop station
Saiinoiwakechō Ukyo WardLegendary teahouse.
My new favorite breakfast place in town: get a BLT or sweet crepe with fresh filtered coffee for about 800¥. And in a beautiful old building too.
neuf creperie
550-550-1 YamanakachōMy new favorite breakfast place in town: get a BLT or sweet crepe with fresh filtered coffee for about 800¥. And in a beautiful old building too.
THAI CAFE KATI
木屋町-488-1 夷川通麩屋町西入My favorite Thai restaurant in the world, possibly.
Strong, delicious coffee and nice lunches in a traditional machiya building.
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Cafe Bibliotic Hello!
650 SeimeichōStrong, delicious coffee and nice lunches in a traditional machiya building.
My wife's soba restaurant. Serving Kyoto since 1465! The traditional building itself dates back to the late 19th century. Soba, udon, rice dishes, and traditional sweets too.
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Honke Owariya
322 NiōmontsukinukechōMy wife's soba restaurant. Serving Kyoto since 1465! The traditional building itself dates back to the late 19th century. Soba, udon, rice dishes, and traditional sweets too.
Best Indian food I've maybe ever had. Great for vegetarians. But if you eat meat, I love their lamb dishes too.
Tadka
138 SakyōchōBest Indian food I've maybe ever had. Great for vegetarians. But if you eat meat, I love their lamb dishes too.
If you're near Demachiyanagi, near where the river forks, Felafel Garden is a great place for felafel and kabob. Very laid back, comfortable atmosphere too.
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Falafel Garden
15-2 Tanaka KamiyanagichōIf you're near Demachiyanagi, near where the river forks, Felafel Garden is a great place for felafel and kabob. Very laid back, comfortable atmosphere too.
Mughal is a very good Indian restaurant. A little formal (and expensive) but an excellent menu and a very nice atmosphere.
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Mughal
Kamikorikichō Nakagyo WardMughal is a very good Indian restaurant. A little formal (and expensive) but an excellent menu and a very nice atmosphere.
Fine dining in a beautiful atmosphere. Limited but often superb menu with seating on a wonderful communal table. View of sakura trees in spring and of Kiyamachi Street below.
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kiln
194 SendōchōFine dining in a beautiful atmosphere. Limited but often superb menu with seating on a wonderful communal table. View of sakura trees in spring and of Kiyamachi Street below.
Kiyamachi dori is a quiet street in the day and can be a bit lively at night. There are many, many restaurants and bars, of all kinds of quality. Sometimes it's nice to just take a chance and go in somewhere on a hunch.
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Kiyamachi Dori
Shimokorikicho Nakagyo WardKiyamachi dori is a quiet street in the day and can be a bit lively at night. There are many, many restaurants and bars, of all kinds of quality. Sometimes it's nice to just take a chance and go in somewhere on a hunch.
Very local, colorful Japanese restaurant with superb fish and other dishes (as well as blowfish sake!). They don't have an English menu but are accommodating to foreign guests.
Tsuneyadensuke
84 KannonchōVery local, colorful Japanese restaurant with superb fish and other dishes (as well as blowfish sake!). They don't have an English menu but are accommodating to foreign guests.
Maybe the best pizzeria in the downtown area. Highly recommended if you are craving a pizza.
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ピッツェリア バール レ・ナポリ 京都錦
604 NishiuoyachōMaybe the best pizzeria in the downtown area. Highly recommended if you are craving a pizza.
Everything Else
Besides any post office or 7/11, the best place to get money, especially if you want to exchange cash.
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SMBC Trust Bank Kyoto Branch
Naginatabokochō Shimogyo WardBesides any post office or 7/11, the best place to get money, especially if you want to exchange cash.
Nakagyo Ward
Hafuu is a super place to try wagyu, Japanese beef.
Kirufebon is not a Kyoto institution per se, but for me at least it has the best cakes in all of Kyoto. The line to sit in their cafe can be about two hours. I always get it takeaway and it's usually the cake store of choice when it's someone's birthday.
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Qu'il Fait Bon Kyoto
534-18 EbisuchōKirufebon is not a Kyoto institution per se, but for me at least it has the best cakes in all of Kyoto. The line to sit in their cafe can be about two hours. I always get it takeaway and it's usually the cake store of choice when it's someone's birthday.
Sightseeing
One of Japan's legendary castles. Can be quite beautiful in spring and autumn.
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Castelo de Nijo
541 NijōjōchōOne of Japan's legendary castles. Can be quite beautiful in spring and autumn.
The Imperial Palace is less than ten minutes walk away. Beautiful in the temperate seasons, particularly in spring and autumn, but always peaceful and nice to picnic.
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Palácio Imperial de Quioto
3 KyōtogyoenThe Imperial Palace is less than ten minutes walk away. Beautiful in the temperate seasons, particularly in spring and autumn, but always peaceful and nice to picnic.
Entertainment & Activities
Great place for comic fans and great for kids, with comics going all the way back to the 1940s available to read.
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Museu Internacional de Mangá de Quioto
452 KinbukichōGreat place for comic fans and great for kids, with comics going all the way back to the 1940s available to read.
Shopping
Another covered street parallel to Teramachi, but this one is more youth-oriented with arcades, a movie theater, and photo booth options. And sweets stands. Fun for strolling and people watching.
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União da rua comercial Shinkyogoku
507 HigashigawachōAnother covered street parallel to Teramachi, but this one is more youth-oriented with arcades, a movie theater, and photo booth options. And sweets stands. Fun for strolling and people watching.
Classic Japanese market. All kinds of exotic foodstuffs, plus a nice oyster bar and a superb knife store, great for souvenirs.
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Nishiki Market Shopping District
Nishidaimonjichō Nakagyo WardClassic Japanese market. All kinds of exotic foodstuffs, plus a nice oyster bar and a superb knife store, great for souvenirs.
Toraya is another famous teahouse, this one with a lovely garden. Superb cakes too, and sometimes there are exhibitions.
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Toraya Karyo Ichijo
400 HirohashidonochōToraya is another famous teahouse, this one with a lovely garden. Superb cakes too, and sometimes there are exhibitions.
Essentials
Fresco Marutamachi
223 Tamauechō24 hour food and drink grocery
YaMaYa is a very good imported grocery store with very good wines and beers and quite decent snack selections. Pretty good for international ingredients as well.
Yamaya Karasuma-Oike
592 BanochōYaMaYa is a very good imported grocery store with very good wines and beers and quite decent snack selections. Pretty good for international ingredients as well.