
Gion Matsuri, Kyoto's big event, is making a complete comeback after a four-year absence.
During the Yoiyama period of the Gion Festival, which is one of the most popular summer festivals in Kyoto, Karasuma-dori and Shijo-dori streets become pedestrian zones at night, filled with a variety of food stalls and limited-time-only gourmet specialties. Here, we have selected some of the best food stalls and limited-time-only gourmet specialties recommended by our editorial department. Despite the intense heat, enjoy the summer in Kyoto while watching the gorgeous floats.
Gion Festival Yoiyama period/
July 14-16 *Pedestrian paradise on the night of July 15 and 16
July 21-23
Enjoy Obanzai and creative Japanese dishes made with seasonal ingredients in a renovated Meiji-era kimono shop in a traditional Kyoto townhouse. During the Gion Festival, croquettes with pork cubes will be served. Slowly simmered tender pork kakuni is a specialty of Manzaratei NISHIKI. The flavor-soaked kakuni has a strong presence even when made into croquettes. Stop by if you are hungry.
Product sold: Kakuni croquettes (250 yen per croquette)
Sales Date/Time/July 13 (Thu) to 16 (Sun), 14:00 to 22:00
Sales location / Over-the-counter sales
Established in 1971, Maeda Coffee has long been a favorite coffee shop in Kyoto. In addition to its home-roasted coffee, it offers a wide variety of morning coffee, hearty lunches, and a wide selection of sweets. The Muromachi main store offers cappuccino shaved ice only in summer. The shaved ice made with their special coffee will make you forget the heat.
Menu / Coffee shop cappuccino shaved ice: 800 yen at a stall, 900 yen in the store
Sales period / July 15 (Sat.) and 16 (Sun.) *Sold in the store until around September
Sales hours: 14:00- in the store, 17:00- at food stalls
Sales location / In the store and at food stalls
Located in Shijo-Karasuma, the heart of Kyoto, the hotel has excellent access to Nishiki Market and the Gion area, all within walking distance. During the Gion Festival, a food stall will be set up in front of the hotel. Visitors can casually enjoy the hotel's delicacies at the stall, such as beef steaks grilled in front of their eyes by a chef and spicy Szechuan-style mapo doufu (bean curd).
Sales Menu/
Steak bowl
Szechuan-style mabo-tofu rice bowl
Edamame and Draft Beer Set
Cocktail
(Price TBD)
Date and time of sale / July 15 (Sat.) and 16 (Sun.) 18:00-22:00
Sales location / In front of Karasuma Kyoto Hotel
Since its establishment, its signature dish has been sui-gyoza, which is popular for its soft and chewy skin and the gentle flavor of the bean paste. In 2021, they opened a take-out shop, "Hand Wrapping Studio Rakuzenro," near the main store. During the Gion Festival, both restaurants will sell a variety of food items for 500 yen each. Enjoy Chinese dishes such as dumplings, shrimp yaki-sai, and xiaolongbao that are perfect for eating on the go.
Sales Menu/
Dumplings, Steamed Dumplings, Steamed Shrimp Dumplings, Shrimp Steamed Dumplings, Shrimp Baozi, Shark's Fin
Draft beer, Taiwan beer (mango, lychee) 500 yen each
HI-RIKI 500 yen
Soft drinks 200 yen
Date & Time / July 15 (Sat.) & 16 (Sun.) 18:00-23:00
Sales location / Store terrace
A Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal ingredients with a menu that changes daily. During the Gion Festival, the restaurant will sell the "Hamo Katsu Burger," a sumptuous burger made with hamo (Japanese conger eel) from the Seto Inland Sea, which is in season in summer. Be sure to try this unique Kyoto hamburger topped with Shibazuke tartar sauce. The limited menu of homemade shaved ice (two kinds: strawberry milk and green tea strawbime cake) is also popular every time.
Sales Menu/
Hamo Katsu Burger 600 yen
Homemade shaved ice with strawberry milk 500 yen
Homemade Green Tea Strawberry Mochi Shaved Ice 500 yen
Meyer Lemon Sour 500 yen
Sales period: July 14 (Fri.) from evening, July 15 (Sat.) and 16 (Sun.) from noon to night, July 22 (Sat.) from evening
Sales location / Sold in front of the store (terrace seats also available)
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