Walking Map
This Walking Map highlights cafes, bars, shops, restaurants and landmarks within 15 minutes walk from Genji Kyoto. Please feel free to download or print to use as your walking companion. We hope it can elevate your interest in our Gojo Kawaramachi neighborhood and help you plan your itinerary.
Points of interest:
Pub Rock Stock
Bar
This small pub is hidden behind the charismatic owner’s garage. You will find an eclectic vinyl collection, rock memorabilia and moderately priced drinks. Enjoy free atmosphere and communication by the universal language of music!
https://www.facebook.com/Pub-Rock-Stock-Cycle-base-897492007064062/
Umeyu Sento 梅湯
Bathhouse
Century-old bathhouse and events space revived by creative young entrepreneur. Enjoy traditional sento with different bath pools for a refreshing and culturally enriching experience.
Kanya Kyonhi 韓屋京姫
Korean restaurant
Korean restaurant right across from Genji Kyoto. Open for dinner until 22:00 last order. Enjoy authentic and sophisticated Korean cuisine in relaxing atmosphere.
Ixey 幾星
Bar with non-alcoholic spirits
Savor "drinkable perfume" in this next-generation distillery and bar that makes innovative non-alcoholic drinks from natural plant extracts, as well as traditional cocktails. Housed in a 140-year Machiya townhouse, it has a zen garden that complements the subtle elegant design.
Ki.Kyoto
Lebanese restaurant
Popular Lebanese restaurant with vegan and meat dishes by Japanese chef. Cool, casual, sophisticated. Breakfast and lunch only.
Kawama Cafe 川間食堂
Cafe with river view
Cafe with good coffee and lovely river front location for experiencing atmosphere of the changing seasons. Try their rice burgers wrapped with seaweed, seasonal sandwiches or parfait.
Cinq Neuf
Cafe with river view
This is a cool and stylish cafe overlooking Kamo River and Gojo Bridge, with hand drip coffee, beautiful cakes, and light lunches served by friendly staff.
Hachi Record Shop & Bar
Record shop and bar
Enjoy music from vinyl records, craft beers and sakes with projected images in cool space where "craft liquor and analog records connect brewers/performers to you".
Soba Takahashi 蕎麦たか橋
Japanese Soba
Soba restaurant in former tea house typical in our Gojo area, where Geiko performed for banquet guests. Enjoy the interior and atmosphere of a bygone era.
Rokujo Kawarain SAN
Japanese Kappo
Chef owner creates Kaiseki course with a difference in a traditional Machiya just 2 minutes from Genji Kyoto.
Kaikado 開化堂
Shop for handmade tin canisters
Kaikado has been making tea caddies by hand since 1875. The caddies, in tin, brass or copper, are still crafted following the original 130 steps. Perfectly airtight for tea leaves or coffee beans, with color tones that age beautifully.
Effect Coffee
Cafe
They take their coffee seriously here - you can order by strength from "relax" to "super very strong". Wash down with creative pastries that are stunning in looks and tastes.
Sonoba
Japanese soba
The reputation of this soba-cum-pottery shop is spreading fast. The food, the studio-made ceramics, the design of the space are all top-notch. Enjoy homemade buckwheat noodles, sake and the day’s specials, all in served in their homemade bowls, cups and plates!
Walden Woods Kyoto
Cafe
Creative owner designed this cafe with "open and comfortable space in clean atmosphere" for relaxing with one of the best coffees in town. You're encouraged to "own your freedom" while there!
Tempura Kappo Yano 矢野
Tempura restaurant
This newcomer to the Kyoto Station area (opened in early 2023) has only 8 counter seats but is getting great reviews for the chef owner's hospitality and high quality offerings.
Lorimer Kyoto
Japanese breakfast fish focus
It's back to basics here - fish, vegetables, rice and soup - the core of Japanese cuisine. Housed in a renovated Machiya, this unique restaurant with roots in Brooklyn serves breakfast and lunch by day and teaches cooking at night.
Cafe SNC
Cafe
Relax and watch the world go by in this happy cafe opening onto a green park. Be soothed by the tranquil scene and laughter of children wafting across the lawn. This Rokujoin Park was named after the garden residence built 1,000 years ago and used as a model in the Tale of Genji.
Kaeru Coffee
Cafe
Spot the frogs in this fun cafe named after our amphibian friend! There are at least 40 of them in different sizes and makes. Let them keep you company as you enjoy the home roasted coffee, light meals and mouth-watering pound cakes and desserts.
Work & Shop by Box and Needle
Shop for papers and boxes
In addition to original design Japanese paper, this century-old shop sells collections from Italy, England, France, Finland, India and Nepal. Their craftsmen make exquisite boxes with natural glue on site. You too can learn to make original stationery and T-shirts in their workshop.
Soba no Mi Yoshimura
Japanese soba noodles
This sophisticated restaurant makes their soba on-site, serves noodles and buckwheat desserts in the day, and turn into an Izakaya by evening with a broader menu of courses and a la carte dishes.
Sen Kyoto 杦
Japanese Kaiseki
Chef owner selects premium Kyoto ingredients for his kaiseki fine dining courses and serves them in his own collection of antique tableware. Enjoy gentle hospitality in beautiful sukiya style interior updated from a traditional home that used to sell Japanese sensu fans.
酒吞 Nishikawa Kawaramachi Gojo
Japanese Izakaya
Popular izakaya with wide selection of sake and authentic local dishes, including Japanese delicacies, sashimi, grilled and tempura seasonal items. Warm hospitality from chef owners makes for lively atmosphere.
2ème Maison
Restaurant/Flower shop
Café and flower shop by day and bar at night, 2ème Maison has French-style decor, atmospheric lighting and heart-warming dishes.
Kano Cafe
Cafe
Cafe in old building nestled along leafy Takase River with modern Asian style as theme.
Sanshiki Udon 讃式
Japanese Udon
Highly popular spot for homemade thick udon noodles with lightly battered tempura fried prawns or other delicious toppings.
https://www.leafkyoto.net/en/newstore/231020-kyoro-sanshiki/
Harise はり清
Japanese Kaiseki
Founded in 1659, Harise can be proud of its heritage and long relations with local vendors and clients. Enjoy authentic Kyoto cuisine in a traditional setting with views of a zen garden.
Hambey-Fu 半兵衛麩
Japanese restaurant and Fu shop
Caution: fu = wheat gluten! This is Kyoto's most famous maker of fu and yuba (dried soy milk skin) founded over 330 years ago. The pristine soft water of Kyoto is perfect for making fu, and as fu is high in vegetable protein, it became widely used in Kyoto temple cuisine. Fu at Hambee continues to be hand crafted by artisans deft at adapting to seasonal variations in temperature and humidity.
https://www.hanbey.co.jp/
Azuma Sushi 東寿し
Sushi restaurant
Order sushi in assortments or piece by piece in this casual restaurant favoured by locals. No English menu but good quality at reasonable prices.
Douraku 京料理道樂
Japanese Kaiseki
Be transported back in time as you enjoy exquisite kaiseki courses at Douraku, founded 380 years ago and one of Kyoto's top restaurants (not to be confused with the Douraku crab chain restaurant). Courses available for lunch and dinner in beautiful setting with garden and serene atmosphere.
Veg Out
Vegan Cafe
Enjoy stunning views and organic vegetables at this vegan cafe by the Kamo River. It promotes a vegetarian lifestyle with healthy food and yoga to achieve simple pleasures in mind, body and spirit.
Craft House Kyoto
Craft beer pub
Set in a creatively restored century-old machiya, this magnet for locals and foreigners serves craft beer, craft coffee and cosmopolitan dishes of organic produce with a view to providing "an elevated craft beer bar experience that you won't forget in a hurry."
Echigoya Curry Udon
Japanese Udon
The specialty in this new shop (opened Nov 2023) is curry udon, served with beef, tempura or vegertables. Menu is helpfully bilingual.
Kaikado Cafe
Cafe/Shop
This offshoot of Kakaido tea caddy shop is housed in a an old tram warehouse converted into a bright and airy space with partially exposed concrete walls and copper lamps made by Kaikado themselves. Bask in the Nordic design and enjoy Kaikado's own tea, coffee and cheesecake, or their selected Japanese sweets supplied by famous dessert houses in Kyoto.
Kyoto Beer Lab
Craft beef pub
Cosy brew pub along the Takase River with 8 taps of new world craft beers served in a contemporary Kyoto setting. For something truly different, try "cha-beer", or beer infused tea. Not just any tea - but tea known as "the espresso of tea" found only in the 800-year tea town of Wazuka. Traditional culture meets modern brewing?
Cité
Vintage shop/Cafe
A cafe and shop for vintage clothing and ceramics from Europe, run by a couple who used to live in Paris. Afficionados swear by their coffee, and their homemade pineapple cake is becoming a big hit.
Murmur Coffee
Cafe
Cafe by the Takase River with home roasted coffee, and commitment to make seasonal soups and juices with the best farm produce that they source from Kyoto and Hokkaido.
Kusemono Saketen 曲者酒店
Japanese Sake bar
This is an intimate sake bar with a few standing tables, an expert selection that can be tasted by glass, and a friendly atmosphere where locals and foreigners mingle at ease.