In the heart of Kyoto lies a vintage Japanese restaurant called Kyogoku Kaneyo, and you best believe their grilled eel is the best in town!
Just around the corner from Kiyomizu-dera is Kyogoku Kaneyo, an unagi restaurant serving up the best grilled eel in Japan!
Bookings are not necessary here but it would be wise to leave ample time for the occasion as popularity often means queuing up, though we were lucky enough to come at an off-peak time of day.
Amazing Ambiance!
Upon walking into Kyogoku Kaneyo, you will be asked by the staff to remove your shoes and place them on the designated shelf.
It seemed strange at first, but as I suspected, the restaurant was quite traditional in its design and layout.
Similar to a Japanese-style home or ryokan, the floors were matted with tatami and there were no chairs in sight.
The gridded paper windows, wooden roofs and tables, and calligraphy portraits on the walls created a rather enticing atmosphere that takes you back in time.
Cool Displays!
We sat on the floor and enjoyed a pot of hot green tea while browsing the menus and enjoying the cool little decorations around us.
The place was full of vintage Japanese ornaments such as vases and maneki-neko, otherwise known as the “lucky cat” denoted by its raised paw which beckons prosperity.
Looking through the menu, we immediately knew what we would order; a large unagi eel and egg rice bowl with the works!
Impressive Spread!
Needless to say, we were impressed with what we saw when the food arrived, and not just because of the cool kimono-wearing staff that delivered the goods.
My eyes were blinded by the brilliant golden glow of this shiny egg omelet that blanketed what I would soon know to be the best grilled unagi in Japan!
We were also given pickled vegetables on the side, hot face towels to refresh ourselves, and a cool wooden number plank to take to the front desk at the end of our meal.
Unagi Fit For A King!
I truly mean it when I say that Kyogoku Kaneyo is the best unagi in Japan because I’ve had my fair share of eel across many prefectures.
I’ll go a step further and say it’s the best eel in the world because I certainly never tasted this level of freshness and richness of taste outside of Japan either.
Not the cheapest meal in town but certainly the best, this filling bowl of succulent lightly crisp eel, tasty golden omelet, and fresh steamed rice cost about 3,000 yen in total.
Personally, I thought it was well worth the price and would definitely go back there someday, not just for the food but the overall dining experience too!
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