A day of searching for affordable meals in Kyoto, visiting Heian Shrine, and unexpectedly discovering how satisfying department store eat-in corners can be.
Searching for Food in Kyoto
At the end of April, I traveled to Kyoto with my parents.
Whenever we visit Kyoto, finding a place to eat is surprisingly difficult. If we were willing to spend unlimited money, we could probably find endless options, but that is not realistic for us.
We decided to go to Daimaru Kyoto Store, thinking that a department store would at least offer several choices. However, perhaps because of inflation or the increase in international tourism, the restaurant prices felt expensive to us.
In the end, we ate sukiyaki at the small eat-in corner of Mishima-tei in the basement food floor. The counter area only had a few seats, but the sukiyaki was excellent and far cheaper than eating in a full restaurant. We were very satisfied.
Deciding to Visit Heian Shrine
Back in our hotel room that evening, we started talking about where we wanted to go the next day.
When I said that I wanted to see wisteria flowers, my father replied, “I think Heian Shrine had a wisteria trellis.” That was how we decided to visit Heian Shrine.
The next morning, we left the hotel shortly before 11:00 a.m. and planned to have lunch at Kyoto Modern Terrace near Heian Shrine.
When we told the taxi driver our destination, he said he did not know the place. So we simply asked him to head toward Heian Shrine first. While talking with him on the way, he suddenly asked, “Do you mean ROHM Theatre Kyoto?” Once we clarified that, he knew exactly where to go and dropped us off safely.
An Unexpected Change of Lunch Plans
Unfortunately, when we arrived at Kyoto Modern Terrace, a staff member told us that the restaurant was closed for lunch because of a private party.
We quietly gave up and left, but as we were walking out, we happened to pass the bride and groom. We congratulated them, and both of them happily replied, “Thank you very much.”
That small interaction completely removed any disappointment I had about not being able to eat there.
Instead, we walked to Café ENFUSE inside the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art. We arrived shortly after 11:00 a.m., waited about five minutes, and were shown to a table.
The café was bright, and the food was very good.
However, I found the QR-code ordering system annoying. I simply prefer telling the staff, “This, this, and this, please.” It feels easier to me.
Still, I can understand why restaurants want to introduce those systems, especially when dealing with foreign tourists who may not speak Japanese fluently. It also prevents misunderstandings between staff and customers — or rather, any ordering mistakes become the customer’s responsibility instead of the restaurant’s.
Special Admission at Heian Shrine
After lunch, we headed to Heian Shrine and noticed a sign advertising a “Special Visit to Normally Closed Areas.”
We immediately signed up. Admission was ¥2,000 per person, and cashless payment was not accepted.
One of the most interesting parts was the explanation given by the Shinto priest. He explained that Heian Shrine enshrines Emperor Kanmu, the founder of Kyoto, and that shrines called “Jingu” are reserved exclusively for shrines dedicated to emperors.
He also explained the famous cherry tree and tachibana orange tree placed in front of the Daigokuden Hall. From a visitor’s perspective, the cherry tree stands on the right and the orange tree on the left. However, the names “Left Cherry Tree” and “Right Orange Tree” are based on the perspective of Emperor Kanmu sitting and facing south.
Another fascinating detail involved the northeast corner of one of the restricted buildings — the direction traditionally associated with the “demon gate” in Japanese geomancy. The corners of both the foundation and the roof were intentionally cut inward to symbolically “remove the demon’s horns” and protect the building from evil influences.
The Garden Without Wisteria
After the tour, we walked through the shrine garden.
The fresh green leaves were beautiful, and we even spotted what looked like a grey heron. A few Japanese irises were beginning to bloom as well.
Unfortunately, the wisteria trellis itself had no flowers yet.
Department Store Dining Became the Best Solution
After leaving Heian Shrine, we stopped by Kyoto Takashimaya and had an early dinner at the eat-in corner of 551 HORAI in the basement floor.
At this point, avoiding restaurants altogether and simply eating at department store food corners has become the best strategy for my parents and me when visiting Kyoto.
