A gourmet stroll in yG Garden, enjoy Kyoto charm at the wooden tea house on Flower Street

“yG Garden” was once Kyoto’s entertainment district, home to many high-end ryotei restaurants. The architecture in this area mostly features traditional Kyoto-style lattice windows and bamboo fences, with geiko and maiko often seen around—this is the traditional Japan that comes to mind for many. “Hanami Lane” is a representative of Japan’s hanamachi, where tea houses and high-end ryotei restaurants where you can enjoy geiko performances are found throughout. While the Japanese cuisine served in these high-end ryotei is exquisite, the prices are also very steep, so be sure to check the cost before stepping inside.

Although the elegant ryotei may seem intimidating, the architecture in this area is worth a closer look. Most of the buildings are refined Japanese-style garden structures. At night, the small lanterns lining the pathways, paired with the classic muted darkness of the evening, exude an authentic Japanese atmosphere. Daytime yG Garden is also bustling, with Uji ice cream from Dourou Tea House, delicate desserts from yG Garden Koishi, and Kansai-style okonomiyaki from Ichi-sen Youshoku... Each offering is both retro and innovative, and also among the most unforgettable flavors of Kyoto.

Delicious and beautiful refined desserts

In addition to high-end ryotei and classic sweets, Kyoto’s unique “saba zushi” (mackerel sushi), which has a bit of a pungent smell, is also worth trying. The mackerel comes from the Sea of Japan and is premium quality, rich in fat and tender. Restaurants around yG Garden use a touch of salt to eliminate the fishy smell, and it is served not with soy sauce, but with a dipping sauce mixed with ground bamboo leaves. The rice is seasoned with special sushi vinegar, and when picked up, it “strings”—offering a sticky, rich texture. Connoisseurs who love this flavor will immediately line up to satisfy their cravings at the sight of a “saba zushi” signboard.


Geiko performance in yG Garden


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