A 15-minute walk from Higashiyama Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Line, Kikunoi Honten is a long-established, iconic restaurant, immersed in the greenery and tranquility of the hill crowned with Kodai-ji Temple and overlooking the emblematic Yasaka-jinja Shrine. Kikunoi’s history as a restaurant dates back to 1912, but its origin can be traced back even further to an old family that for generations had preserved the Kikusui Well, which supplied water for Kitanomandokoro, a wife of Feudal Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, to make tea. The Kikusui Well, located on Shimogawara Street in the vicinity of Kikunoi Honten, has survived until today and the restaurant uses the water from its namesake well for cooking.
Kikunoi’s emblematic water is so soft that it can bring out the flavors of ingredients when used in stock-making. In particular, the water drawn up from the Kikusui Well for Kikunoi Honten is known as the highest quality water. Water is an essential ingredient in cooking, especially in Kyoto cuisine, which is closely associated with the water of Kyoto through its water-based cooking methods, such as stewing, steaming, and boiling, as well as its origin lying in the tea ceremony. Taking all these factors together, Kyoto cuisine is dubbed as “composite water art.” It is for this reason that the cuisine of Kikunoi Honten, which is closely associated with water (the symbol of Japanese culture) as its name implies, is called “water cuisine.” It is also recognized internationally, having been awarded three stars in a world-renowned gourmet guide for consecutive years.
Yoshihiro Murata, the third-generation owner of Kikunoi, who runs two more restaurants besides Kikunoi Honten, one in Kiyamachi, Kyoto, and the other in Tokyo, is regularly featured on TV shows and in magazines as one of the most celebrated Japanese chefs in Japan. Renowned not only domestically but also internationally, he devotes his heart and soul to raising the profile of Japanese cuisine outside the country, having established the Japanese Culinary Academy and contributing to the inscription of Japanese cuisine on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list. As a result, he received the Person of Cultural Merit in 2018. He also won the American Express Icon Award in the eighth edition of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2020 for his great contribution to the restaurant industry.
Kikunoi’s dishes are distinguished for their “discreet grace and vigorous simplicity” reflecting the art of “kirei-sabi” (the Japanese aesthetics of beauty, elegance, and strength) and the generosity of Kyoto. They are served on various plates and bowls handed down from the former owner, including Oribe ware produced in the Momoyama period in the late 16th century and dozens of works of Kitaoji Rosanjin, to celebrate the bounty of the seasons. The dining rooms are adorned with remarkable artwork, such as paintings by Maruyama Okyo and Ito Jakuchu and flower vases by Kitaoji Rosanjin and the third-generation Sawamura Tosai. The drink menu offers a great selection of Japanese sake and wines from various places, including hard-to-find sake such as Ishidaya and Nizaemon from Kokuryu Sake Brewery in Fukui and Higan from Taiyo Sake Brewery in Niigata.
The sukiya-style building constructed in the end of the Edo period in the mid-18th century only has private dining rooms. Seating between two to 50 guests, each of these 11 rooms provides beautiful views of the Kyoto-style garden. The restaurant accommodates various occasions, from anniversaries and celebrations to intimate dinners and gatherings of Kyoto cuisine fans by offering individually customized services to allow guests to enjoy the special occasions to their heart’s content. In addition, it has English menus for foreign guests. Please note that the restaurant does not accept children under the age of 10, though children’s menus are available if requested in advance. At Kikunoi Honten, guests can enjoy the essence of Kyoto and Japanese culture not only through the dishes but also through the interior décor. Embark on an exciting adventure to the world of this historic restaurant!
* Awarded three stars on world-renowned gourmet guide Kyoto-Osaka 2024.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
15 minutes on foot from Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line
