Kyoto

Isetan's Ichibakouji, Kyoto Station

A delicious izakaya located inside the station building

Ellery Smith Mar 03, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>A non-smoking seat for two in the restaurant</p>

<p>The north facing view of the city from Kyoto station. The restaurant is on the ninth floor so it has breath-taking views.</p>

<p>Kyoto's Obanzai set (side dishes that accompany rice)</p>

<p>A fragrant cheese fondue with browned garlic toast</p>

<p>Kyoto-grown vegetable platter still steaming on the table in its bamboo steamer (mushiki) </p>

<p>Savory, delicious grilled lamb chop from Hokkaido. </p>

<p>Dried squid tempura which pairs nicely with beer. </p>

On the ninth floor of Kyoto’s Isetan department store is Ichibakouji, a convenient izakaya. Those who want to enjoy a meal before getting on the crowded evening or late night trains can kick-back and relax. Although they don’t deter from their chain restaurant menu, they feature local ingredients like Kyoto-grown vegetables and Kyoto-made yuba (tofu bean curd skin) as well as other Kyoto specialties. The price per dish ranges from about ¥400 to ¥900—a very reasonable price that keeps customers happy. The smoking and non-smoking sections are completely separate. If you choose to sit in the non-smoking section, you can marvel at the gorgeous views from the top of the restaurant; particularly at night when Kyoto tower is lit up in the skyline. More often than not, you can hear the Kyoto dialect from the locals who are on their way home just after their shopping expedition. As it can get crowded after 6 pm, I recommend reserving seats in advance.