Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
¥ under ¥1000
¥¥ ¥1000 to ¥5000
¥¥¥ over ¥5000
Opening Hours
Most restaurants are open 11am to 2pm for lunch and 6pm to around 11pm for dinner, although some places
(especially cafes) stay open all afternoon as well. Most places close one day a week (Tuesday being the most
common day for a day off).
Tipping
There is no tipping in restaurants or cafes.
Credit Cards
Credit cards can be used at some midrange and high-end places, especially those in department stores. Credit
cards cannot be used in most small local eateries. To be safe,
never
count on being able to use a credit card at a
restaurant in Kyoto.
Reservations
You won't need a reservation at most of the restaurants listed in this chapter. However, at traditional high-end
restaurants (
kaiseki
etc), a reservation is a good idea. If you don't speak Japanese, the easiest thing to do is
simply ask someone at the place you're staying to call and make the reservation for you.
Dress Code
For casual restaurants, you can wear whatever is comfortable. For nicer places, smart casual is usually fine
(note that you'll feel very out of place in shorts at a high-end restaurant in Kyoto).
Eating by Neighbourhood
building, ranging from plebeian to posh.
concentration of restaurants in the city.
eateries near the temples and refined places in Gion.
scattered about, including cheap places near Kyoto University.