Kyoto's most intimate gastronomic alley: wooden restaurants over the Kamo river; dinner with drinks ~3.000-5.000 ¥.
Pontocho is the most intimate and authentic gastronomic alley in Kyoto: 500 metres of narrow passage —barely 2 metres wide— between wooden buildings that house restaurants, izakayas, bars and tea houses. It runs parallel to the Kamo river, between Sanjo and Shijo streets, and its night-time atmosphere —with the lanterns lit and the murmur of conversations behind the wooden doors— is one of the most evocative in the whole city. The cuisine is varied: from informal izakayas where you can dine with sake and yakitori for 3.000-4.000 ¥ to high-end kaiseki restaurants that exceed 15.000 ¥ per person. In summer (May-September), many places set up yuka platforms over the Kamo river, where you dine in the open air with views of the water. To get there, take the subway to Shijo station and walk 5 minutes. Most restaurants open from 17:00; going without a booking can be difficult at the more popular establishments. Strolling the alley, even without going in to dine, is already worthwhile.
