Gion Nishimura

You can find this extremely famous kappo restaurant just south of Gion in Kyoto, not too far from the Yasaka Shrine. Gion Nishimura can be found in a traditional townhouse that’s built in Sukiya-style architecture, complete with bamboo and delicate ivory curtain to match. The chef of Gion Nishimura is none other than the skilled Motohide Nishimura. His past experience of seven years at the famous restaurant “Tokyo Kitcho” has paid off at his own restaurant, which he opened in 1994. With almost three decades of business, Gion Nishimura is succeeding by the day. On top of using seasonal vegetables from Kyoto, chef Nishimura sources fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea. To keep things fresh, he changes the omakase menu each month and also includes seasonal ingredients to celebrate the present moment. One that sticks throughout the year, due to its popularity, is the sesame tofu. The tofu is imbued with sesame essence, mixed with arrowroot, for a rich texture and nutty flavor. The classic mackerel sushi makes an appearance in every omakase menu, too — chef Nishimura makes sure of it as he believes this dish is essential to every kappo experience.