Iwawo — Restaurant in Kyoto

Iwawo, located near Arashiyama in Kyoto, is an absolute gem and deserves a 5-star review! The cozy atmosphere and warm hospitality made for a perfect dining experience after exploring the beautiful area.

The hot soba with fish on top was a delightful surprise—flavorful and perfectly balanced, with no fishy taste at all. The broth was comforting, and the fish added a unique and satisfying twist. We also tried their egg somber, which was incredibly rich and delicious, a must-try for anyone visiting!

Every dish was prepared with care, showcasing the quality and simplicity of Kyoto’s cuisine. Whether you’re exploring the bamboo grove or walking along Togetsukyo Bridge, stopping by Iwawo is a fantastic way to enjoy authentic Japanese flavors. I can’t wait to...

Oyakodon was nice but definitely tourist priced (¥1800). After eating half, I asked for shichimi (a spice that they serve with soba and I usually eat with my oyakodon). Their response was “we don’t serve it with oyakodon.”

Kyoto restaurants are infamous for lack of flexibility with these kinds of things, and this lived up to that.

If a customer requests a spice that’s basically no cost to the restaurant and they already have in hand, a simple “of course” goes further than refusing to budge on a conceptual rule such as “we (in this restaurant) don’t add THAT spice to THIS dish.”

(I asked politely in Japanese...

A gem in the arishiyama area, found it randomly as we were walking around on our tour. Their cold soba with shrimp tempura was amazing, fluffy tempura batter and the noodles texture was perfect. The soba tsuyu they offer to dip your soba was so flavorful, and they give you a good amount of wasabi for you to add into it as you want which gives a great change in flavor. Their cold soba prob some of the best I've tried in Japan so far so definitely 100% try. The prices seemed high at first but their portion is good value for the cost. Their AC was good and the staff was...