Gion Nishikawa

Masayoshi Nishikawa is a veteran of the Gion food scene, working in two elite kaiseki restaurants on these hallowed streets before opening his own in 2009. Predictably for someone so respected and talented, his restaurant achieved its first Michelin star as quickly as 2010. The tradition of Gion flows into every one of his dishes — quite literally, in the form of spring water from nearby Yasaka Shrine, which is used in the kitchen. Maintaining a classic feel in everything he does, Chef Nishikawa takes pains to represent classic Kyoto at its very best. This atmosphere is evident from the moment you set foot on the cobblestoned approach, down a narrow alleyway, leading to the front door. The cooking methods follow traditional methods too, with the rice cooked inside a hearth oven. The heat and scents fill the room, and they’ll be filling your thoughts for days after your top-class kaiseki meal at Nishikawa.