Kakou Okamoto — Restaurant in Kyoto

When researching restaurants close to our accommodation I found Kako Okamoto omakase 'meals chosen by the chef' restaraunt as 400m away.

I phoned the restaurant and booked for 6pm dining not realising it was a 1 Michelin star rated restaurant. That was a pleasant surprise!

It is a small restaurant seating 8 people and everything cooked in front of you. Almost like a Teppanyaki experience without the throwing of items that Teppanyaki chefs do. The chef was a complete artist. He prepared and cooked everything with grace and skill.

The many dishes were all oishi - delicious. My favourite was the scallop and asparagus dish which was divine. Amazing texture and flavours and perfectly cooked.

Next was a lovely seaweed, wasabi and pine nut dish which I want more of. Such a lovely combination of textures and flavours.

A fish course next which was very tasty, served in a lovely broth. A lovely combination.

The sashimi course was amazingly fresh and watching the chef slice the fish was like watching an Iron Chef episode. Everything done with precision and beauty and presented artistically. A feast for the senses.

Then there was a piece of sardine cooked in vinegar for five hours and coated in bonito powder. Absolutely divine!

More courses arrive, twelve in total including a sweet course including black bean inside a sweet bun. Again, my favourite new word - oishi - delixious!

Each course found me wanting more of each course, however I could eat no more. Perfectly satisfied and smiling as we made our way out having paid 12,000 yen per person and it was worth every yen. A once in a...

We had it in Jan 2025 and it turned out to be the best restaurant we tried in our Japan trip from Tokyo to Oska to Koyto. Each dish was innovative, well presented, yet making sense and flavorful, not like other Michelin one stars we tried in Tokyo and Koyto whose dishes were completely lack of flavor and the ingredients combinations made no sense to me. The chef couple didn't speak perfect English but was kind enough to answer all my questions about ingredients and other stuffs, even showed me pictures and raw ingredients they used. The counter can only accommodate 6-7 guests max, so you got to really see how each dish is made and ask questions, etc. Price was great too, can't complain from any perspective. The whole dinner time is around 2-3 hours, but I enjoyed it from beginning till end.

I recommended the restaurant to all friends and colleagues who asked for my tips. Would definitely love to visit when I come to...

We had an unforgettable dinner here for our 4th anniversary. Every dish was nothing short of extraordinary—beautifully presented with incredible attention to detail. Each bite was an explosion of flavors, featuring rare and exquisite ingredients that made the experience truly one-of-a-kind. The sake was exceptional—the best I’ve ever had, and unlike anything else. To top it off, spending time with Okamoto was a delight. Despite the language barrier, we shared laughs and meaningful “conversations,” making the evening even more special. It was a dining experience we’ll...