Kikunoi Honten

This mansion house restaurant in the historic Gion district is the place to beat for fine Kyo-ryori dining — the traditional cuisine of Kyoto which is firmly bound to the changes in the seasons. This is the original branch of the restaurant, with a more casual version also in Kyoto, and a third in Tokyo’s Akasaka. Dinner at this 3-star Kyoto restaurant is the crowning experience of them all. Established in 1912 by the grandfather of the current owner, this restaurant benefits from beautiful traditional decor: tatami mat rooms, sliding paper screen doors, painted scrolls hanging from the walls, and a beautiful garden of grass and ferns. Not only do they change the menu to fit the seasons, but also the flower displays and wall hangings. Every one of your senses will be filled with a sense of the natural beauty of Japan, and the vitality of the ingredients produced here.