Taisho HANANA — Restaurant in Kyoto

Taisho HANANA has a couple of interesting facts that set the stage for a unique dining experience. First, it specializes in Obanzai, a traditional style of Japanese cooking from Kyoto. Second, the restaurant uses fresh, seasonal ingredients from local suppliers to make sure every dish is as authentic as possible.

So, onto our experience. My wife's family and I had to wait around an hour at a nearby coffee shop before getting a table. If you're planning a visit, maybe grab a cup of latte or tea nearby.

The presentation was nothing short of impressive, making the meal feel even more special. The sea bream was the first thing I tried, and it was absolutely divine. It melted in my mouth, and I was told it comes fresh from the market every day. Whether you have it as sashimi or ochazuke, you're in for a treat.

Side dishes were a mixed bag for me. They featured Kyoto vegetables bought directly from local Arashiyama farmers. Stir-fried seasonal veggies, Kamo eggplant dengaku, sweet potatoes—you get the idea. The eggplant stood out for me; it was genuinely good.

The rice they serve is Koshihikari rice sourced from contracted farmers, and the best part? You can ask for extra rice at no additional charge.

To cap off the meal, we were treated to home-made warabi mochi and shiratama azuki made with Tamba Dainagon. These were perfect in texture and sweetness—I could easily have several servings and not get...

Please save your time, don't bother coming here. Terrible service and atmosphere. The taste of the food in this trendy restaurant is extremely ordinary and lacks any distinctiveness. I dined here about two months ago, and the extremely poor dining experience still lingers in my memory. Arrived at 11 am, waited in line for over an hour, and only at the entrance was I informed of a 20-minute time limit to finish the meal. Why not inform me before waiting in line for an hour? Once inside, the waitstaff rushed like it was a market, handing you a menu and urging you to order without any recommendations. After ordering, I went to the restroom and had to wait for 10 minutes, while they expect me to finish my meal in 20 minutes. Ridiculous! The food is extremely mediocre, lacking any uniqueness. I don't understand how it became a trendy spot; it's only suitable for Instagram photos. During my two-week trip to Japan, where I sampled over 20 restaurants, including street food and Michelin starred establishments, I was impressed by the friendly and enthusiastic service in the entire Japanese culinary industry. However, this restaurant was a stain on the entire trip, and I am astonished that such a service attitude can exist in the Japanese dining scene. It's truly a tourist trap! Writing this review two months later, I still feel uncomfortable and cannot forget such a...

An Experience for Us!

Things to Know: We enjoyed the food, and the price was affordable. The lunch menu includes what you see in the pictures—a main meal, extra free rice if you want, and a Japanese gummy dessert at the end, served with tea. And a printed direction paper will be given you on how to eat one of the meals;the one with raw fish They accept cash only. If you arrive in the early afternoon, you might find yourself waiting in a queue for 20 minutes to an hour before being seated. However, if you have other things to do, you could return around 2:00–2:30 PM and possibly find no queue at all. We arrived at 12:20 PM and had to wait 25 minutes before being seated. Depending on the number of people waiting, you might find a seat while you wait. Due to the table setup and the number of guests, you may be asked if you’re comfortable sharing a table with another family. We didn’t mind, and there was enough space at the table. There is one restroom for both men and women. Personally, I appreciated how the waiters were dressed, especially with their hair covered by caps and what seemed to be...