Nijo Minami

Kyoto is home to some of Japan’s most storied titans of Japanese cuisine, and one of the titans that towers above almost all others is Gion Kawakami. It is in the kitchen of this storied institution that Chef Minami Kengo cut his teeth, training for 25 years in various cuisines under the tutelage of master chefs Matsui Shinshichi and Kato Hiroyuki — considered by some experts to be the greatest chefs in modern Japanese cuisine. Given Kawakami’s legacy of excellence, it comes as no surprise that Chef Minami’s own restaurant, Gion Minami, would likewise receive its own Michelin star. From the quarter-century of experience behind the counter of Kawakami, Chef Minami has learned that the true deliciousness of Japanese cuisine is, in fact, the hospitality in which it is served. As such, the menu at Gion Minami is famously customisable. By Chef Minami’s own admission, this results in a large proportion of Minami’s visitors being women and elderly guests looking for smaller portions, or course alternatives that meet certain dietary requirements. Some of the beautiful signature dishes include whole female red crab from northern Hyogo Prefecture in winter, while in summer Chef Minami serves offerings like thin-sliced pike conger and whale boiled in white miso. Guests can observe all these taking shape right before their eyes at Nijo Minami’s counter, which sits slightly higher than normal, bringing guests that much closer to the action. Michelin Guide: 2024 - 1 Michelin Star