Ganko Kyoto Station

In the 50-odd years since its origin as a humble 15-square-meter shop in Osaka in 1963, Ganko Food Service has since become responsible for some of the most vaunted restaurants in Japan. Particularly active in the Kansai region, its company philosophy is to introduce diners to top-quality traditional Japanese cuisine at accessible prices, from tonkatsu to sushi. Of the dozens of Ganko’s restaurants scattered across Japan, the busiest and most visible is arguably the Kyoto Station outlet. Thousands pass through the Station each day, and guests are naturally drawn to Ganko for its incredibly distinctive facade, which looks as though a building from the Edo period had been lifted straight off the street and transplanted into the modern steel and glass of Kyoto Station. Similarly, stepping through the entryway is like entering a temporal rift: warm lighting, lush bamboo groves and traditional wooden interiors greet guests. Thanks to its convenient location, many workers and travelers choose Ganko Kyoto Station for a quick bite of sushi, donburi or bowl of ramen, but just as many choose to linger within for a long, leisurely lunch or dinner—in which case, the go-to is the sukiyaki or kaiseki course menus.