🍜 Torii Chaya (Torii Teahouse)鳥居茶屋

Located at the main shrine of the two thousand water god shrines throughout Japan, Kifune Shrine, this is a kyo-kaiseki restaurant in front of the torii gate. Here, you can enjoy seasonal kaiseki cuisine from Kifune and simple chazuke (tea rice). The menu offers a variety of exquisite dishes, from à la carte options to hot pot. Notable items include the "Specialty Charcoal-Grilled Sweetfish Chazuke," which features sweetfish grilled and then simmered with sansho berries for a whole day, and the "Chaya Bento," which includes nine dishes such as sashimi and kinshi tamago (thinly shredded egg). There’s also the "Botan Nabe," made with premium pork tenderloin simmered in homemade broth and koji miso, served with a homemade citrus vinegar sauce (available only in winter and requires reservation for two or more). The restaurant highly recommends its signature dish, "Specialty Charcoal-Grilled Sweetfish Chazuke," which is incredibly satisfying as the sweetfish is grilled and then cooked with sansho berries for a full day. You can eat the entire fish from head to tail. In addition to chazuke, there is also "Sweetfish Soba," which is lighter than herring soba and definitely worth trying if you have the chance. Additionally, there is "Kaiseki Ryori," where you can relax and enjoy your meal on tatami mats (reservation required for two or more), making it suitable for celebrating holidays or special gatherings.

A kaiseki restaurant located next to Kifune Shrine. It offers a variety of dishes, from simple chazuke to full-course kaiseki meals. The signature dish is the "Famous Char Chazuke," which features char fish and sansho berries simmered for an entire day.