Blog
Blog 2026年9月 3ページ目
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Yoshizō Curry
It’s difficult to find affordable, tasty restaurants around Kyoto Station. That’s why Yoshizō Curry, located on the west side of Kyoto Avanti, is such a gem. The standard curry is an unbelievably cheap 390 yen, yet the quality is consistently good, and there’s always a queue at lunchtime. The restaurant has counter seating only, and as seats are spaced apart, it can’t accommodate more than ten people. However, as the service is quick and customers don’t linger, you won’t have to wait long to be seated. My favourite is the Katsu curry (pork cutlet curry), topped with a freshly fried…
- Kyoto
- restaurant
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Vacation Rental Accommodation under the Hotel Business Act
Kansai TV recently broadcast a programme about a loophole that allows people to open vacation rental accommodation (Minpaku) by registering as a hotel business. In Osaka, there was a ‘Special Zone Rental Vacation (Tokku Minpaku)’ scheme which, unlike the statutory vacation rental scheme—which typically imposes an annual operating limit of 180 days—allowed year-round operation. However, due to issues such as litter and noise, as well as the fact that vacation rental had been misused to facilitate the acquisition of residence visas, the scheme has now ceased accepting new applications. Consequently, the method of operating vacation rental as a ‘common lodging…
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Menya Shōmon
When I ask guests what they’d like for lunch whilst guiding them, the most common answers are sushi, tempura and ramen. Whilst sushi can be enjoyed at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants and tempura at restaurants with table seating—making them suitable for families—ramen often involves shops with counter seating only, which can be a bit of a hassle. In this context, Menya Shōmon is a real lifesaver, as it offers tables seating four. It’s conveniently located between Kinkaku-ji and Daitoku-ji, and the food is delicious. You can choose from a range of broths, including chicken bone broth with aged soy sauce, chicken…
- Kyoto
- restaurant
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Matsutake-Konbu
‘Toba Ume Grocery Shop’ remains a greengrocer that embodies the spirit of Kyoto. With the arrival of September, Matsutake-Konbu has taken the place of chirimen sansho (dried baby sardines with sansho pepper) on the shop shelves. This dish is made by slowly simmering matsutake mushrooms and kelp in dashi stock, soya sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. It is the perfect accompaniment to plain white rice and is sure to whet your appetite. It is said that Matsutake-Kombu originated in Arima Onsen, Hyogo Prefecture, where local matsutake mushrooms were combined with kombu from Hokkaido—transported to the Kansai region by Kitamae ships—to…
- Food
- Kyoto
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Komeda Coffee Shop’s Shaved Ice
Komeda Coffee Shop has now become a nationwide chain. It first opened in Kyoto in 2010. I used to pop down to the shop in front of Nijo Station quite often, as I could enjoy menu items I’d grown fond of back in my hometown of Gifu. Shaved ice is a summer staple at Komeda Coffee Shop. Whilst new menu items are announced every year, this year the ‘Kuro-mitsu Kinako Zenzai Ice’ is available as a limited-edition offering in the Western Japan region. This shaved ice combines the gentle sweetness of Hokkaido adzuki beans with a rich black sugar syrup…
- Japanese dessert
- Kyoto
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Regulations on Vacation Rental Accommodation in Kyoto City
Kyoto City has finally begun taking steps to regulate vacation rental accommodation (minpaku in Japanese). A draft amendment to the by-laws, which would effectively ban new businesses from opening in residential-only and industrial zones, is expected to be debated in the city council next financial year. In addition, amendments are expected to be made requiring existing vacation rental providers and guesthouse such as ours to have staff permanently stationed either on the premises or in an adjacent building. The key difference between vacation rental and guesthouse lies in the licensing requirements. Whilst vacation rental requires only a notification, guesthouse is…
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