Flânons

Kyoto · Japan · To eat

Ryō-shō

Location & practical

A Counter with a Garden in Gion

  • The counter looks onto a garden.
  • Makoto Fujiwara’s menu follows the seasons.
  • Old Imari porcelain shares the table with Baccarat glass.
  • €273–338 / person
  • Gionmachi Minamigawa (southern Gion)
  • Japanese

Behind a sliding door in southern Gion, a wooden townhouse opens onto a counter with a garden beyond it. There’s a private room upstairs, but the counter is where you can watch Makoto Fujiwara cook. It’s also where you might catch him taking a piece of beef off the grill and, a little later, putting it back on. He rests it several times during cooking. The beef gets more breaks than the chef.

Fujiwara spent thirteen years at Gion Maruyama before running two other Kyoto kitchens and opening Ryō-shō in 2022. At an early dinner, he served tilefish and round daikon in a clear broth scented with yuzu. It came with a lid. For all the things to look at in the room, there’s a moment when dinner is simply the smell of citrus rising from a bowl.

The room takes its cues from Japanese teahouse architecture, and the tableware is worth a look of its own. There’s old Imari porcelain in the collection, along with Raku pottery and Baccarat glass. A Champagne pairing feels quite at home here. So does a piece of salmon cooked mi-cuit, with the centre barely set. Fujiwara has spent enough time at the stove to know how much heat a piece of fish can take, and how much pleasure there is in a bowl of broth with the lid still on.

  • Urban setting Gionmachi Minamigawa (southern Gion)

Good to know.

Location
570-166 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan
Open map & directions
Parking
The restaurant has no dedicated parking. Staff can direct drivers to nearby paid car parks.
Getting around
From Kyoto Station, take city bus 206 to Gion, then walk about five minutes. Keihan’s Gion-Shijō Station is about eight minutes away on foot.
Arriving
At 570-166 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku. From Shijō-dōri, walk south along Hanamikoji and turn east onto Aoyagi-kōji. The restaurant is on the left.
Pets
Michelin lists pets as not permitted. Contact the restaurant directly about assistance animals.
Accessibility
The counter is on the ground floor. The private room is up a staircase, and guests remove their shoes before going up. Confirm entrance clearance, counter seating and washroom access with the restaurant before booking.
Travelling with children
The counter is for guests aged 13 and over. Children under 13 can dine in the upstairs private room by prior arrangement. A room fee applies and the room requires at least four guests taking the meal. Call the restaurant to arrange it.

Worth knowing

  • The published prices used for the budget are about €273 per person for the standard omakase (¥48,400 including tax and 10% service, drinks extra) and €338 for the festival menu with wine and sake (¥60,000 including tax and service, on announced dates only). Seasonal specials are quoted on request. Drinks ordered separately, private-room fees and booking fees can increase the total.
  • Prices checked on 11 November 2026. EUR figures are rounded to whole euros using the European Central Bank reference rate of ¥177.38 per €1 on 10 November 2026.
  • Lunch on weekends and public holidays from 11:30 to 15:00, last orders at 12:30. Dinner from 17:30 to 23:00, last orders at 19:30. Closed Mondays, with other occasional closures. Check the booking calendar for your date.
  • Discuss allergies and dietary needs when booking. The kitchen can discuss leaving out meat or raw ingredients, but its fish-based dashi and seasonings limit what it can adapt. The restaurant says it cannot offer vegan, halal, fish-free or wheat-free meals.
  • Smart casual is recommended. English menus are available. The restaurant’s published cancellation fees are 50% of the meal price the day before and 100% on the day. Check the terms for your booking channel.

A few places to make it your own.

Imperial Hotel Kyoto

To stay · Kyoto

Imperial Hotel Kyoto

Imperial Hotel Kyoto arrives with the quiet confidence of a project that understands its setting. The property is housed in the former Yasaka Kaikan, a 1930s theatre designed by...

Discover this place
Sowaka

To stay · Kyoto

Sowaka

At six in the morning, the streets around Kyoto's Yasaka Pagoda are almost empty. A shopkeeper sweeps the stone pavement. Someone cycles past carrying crates. The crowds that wi...

Discover this place
The Shinmonzen

To stay · Kyoto

The Shinmonzen

A remarkable nine suite retreat by Tadao Ando in Kyoto’s historic Gion district, where Japanese craftsmanship meets contemporary art and French sophistication. Behind its striking timber façade, intimate interiors and private balconies overlook the Shirakawa River.

Discover this place
About this edit · 12 sources
  • Menu Published omakase prices, service charge, seasonal specialties and wine and sake pairings. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Reservations Contact information, opening hours, arrival directions and official booking channels. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Frequently asked questions Parking, upstairs private room and fee, dietary restrictions, children, dress and cancellation policies. · Read 2026-11-11
  • News and events Restaurant announcements and event information. · Read 2026-11-11
  • About the restaurant Fujiwara’s apprenticeship, head chef posts and January 2022 opening. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Ryō-shō reservation page Venue booking conditions, service exclusions for the standard course and festival price per person. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Ryō-shō restaurant and reservations Official English booking partner, eight-seat keyaki counter, room capacity and concierge fee. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Ryō-shō restaurant profile Address, pets policy, townhouse adaptation, salmon and beef cooking techniques. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Two-star restaurants in Kyoto Current two-star listing. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Ryō-shō restaurant profile Garden sightline, teahouse-style interior, antique tableware and glassware. · Read 2026-11-11
  • Opening-period review February 2022 report describing the tilefish, daikon and yuzu broth. · Read 2026-11-11
  • JPY reference-rate history 10 November 2026 reference rate of 177.38 Japanese yen per euro. · Read 2026-11-11