New openings, closings, relocations and renewals around Shijo-Kawaramachi, Gion and Nijo
New restaurants, cafés and shops opening, closing, relocating or reopening in Kyoto, listed by date. Each entry is checked against the official announcement and updated as new information comes in.
Porchlight, a coffee, craft beer and vinyl records spot in Nishinokyo near Nijo, is set for its grand opening on December 16, 2026. Named after the light by an American front door, it aims to bring the easy, talk-to-the-person-next-to-you feel of the U.S. to Kyoto. English will be the main language in the shop, with Japanese used too. Plans run from morning coffee through to evening beer.
The second branch of Kiyamachi yakiniku restaurant Kyoraku Yakiniku Yabu opened on October 18, 2026 in the GROW Saiin building near Hankyu Saiin Station. Kuroge Wagyu and offal are grilled over charcoal; dishes include seared Wagyu tataki (¥1,540 per 100g), the house raw harami skirt steak (¥1,639) and offal from ¥380. 27 seats, and the second floor can be booked privately for 12 to 17 people. Open 17:00–2:00 (last order 1:00), closed Wednesdays. Bookings via Hot Pepper.
Kanijennu Gion, a live-crab restaurant in a Gion machiya, opened on October 16, 2026. Chefs break down live crab in front of you at the counter or in private rooms and serve it as sashimi, charcoal-grilled and shabu-shabu in a course. October's course pairs live snow crab and king crab with matsutake from ¥38,000 per person (tax included, plus 10% service). After the Kyoto snow crab season opens in November, a winter course with branded Kyoto crab such as Taiza-gani and female seko crab starts at ¥60,000. 18 seats; closed irregularly.
RURU GION, a matcha café next to Yasui Konpiragu Shrine, opened on October 16, 2026. The ground floor does takeaway omikuji (fortune) matcha soft serve; upstairs, the eat-in floor has a 'wet karesansui' table where water trickles from a pagoda sculpture across a dry-garden design, and serves a seasonal bite-size wagashi with freshly whisked matcha. It is the Kyoto branch of RURU in Kamakura and Shibuya, about five minutes' walk from Yasaka Pagoda.
Tsujiya Nishiki Market Sakaimachi opened on October 16, 2026 on Sakaimachi-dori, right by Nishiki Market. The tenth shop from Kyoto yakitori group Tsujiya serves creative oden in chicken broth, shrimp shabu-shabu, yakitori grilled over binchotan and kamameshi rice pots with plenty of toppings. With 80 seats it also takes groups. Open 16:00–22:30, two minutes on foot from Shijo-Karasuma.
Ramen Shikura, closed for a move, reopened on October 15, 2026 at its new shop in Taishogun-Kawabatacho, Kita Ward. Ramen is ¥1,050 (large ¥1,150, mini ¥950), with some prices revised for the reopening. Hours are 11:00–15:00 and 18:00–22:00, closed Wednesdays. Cash only, and there is no parking for cars or bikes.
ZEN, a Wagyu teppanyaki steakhouse, opened on October 15, 2026 on the 3rd floor of First Court Kyoto Nishiki, steps from Nishiki Market. It grills Kuroge Wagyu from heifers sourced directly from producers at a teppan counter facing a gold folding screen. There is also a glass tea room where you whisk your own matcha, and a bar lounge for before or after dinner. Open 12:00–21:00.
HUNGRY DINER Miyagawacho, a burger and pancake spot in a Miyagawacho alley, opened on October 13, 2026. Part of Hungry Diner, which runs five locations across Aichi, Kyoto and Fukuoka, it serves 100% Wagyu patty burgers, soufflé pancakes and coffee, with oat, almond or soy milk available for lattes. Open weekdays 11:30–15:00, closed weekends and holidays; it sometimes closes at short notice, and opening days are posted on Instagram.
La vie, a café in an old house down an alley about three minutes west of Keihan Sumizome Station, opened on October 13, 2026. It serves homemade side dishes, lunch and organic coffee. Open 10:30–15:00, with café and lunch service from 11:00; some days are deli-and-drinks only, and the schedule is posted on Instagram. Cash only for now.
Niku no Masuichi, a spot for stews, charcoal-grilled meat and wine, opened on October 13, 2026 on Ayanokoji-dori near Tominokoji. The three signatures are today's charcoal-grilled lean Wagyu (¥1,950 per 100g), straw-seared Wagyu fillet in limited numbers (¥3,580 per 100g) and oxtail stew (¥890). Clay-pot rice starts at ¥2,180 for two and takes about 30 minutes, and eight-dish courses start at ¥4,500. Open 16:00–23:00 (food last order 22:00), closed irregularly; book online.
Sushi Azabu Higashiyama, the Edomae sushi counter at THE SODOH HIGASHIYAMA KYOTO near the Yasaka Pagoda, moved to the ground floor of the property's annex and reopened there on October 5, 2026. Both lunch and dinner run as two fixed seatings: lunch at 11:30 and 13:15, dinner at 17:30 and 19:45. The restaurant serves omakase courses.
Higashiyama Yashiro, a six-seat Japanese counter restaurant inside Maruyama Park, opened on September 14, 2026. It serves only a seasonal omakase course at ¥21,780 per person including tax, grilling over Kishu binchotan charcoal from Mie. Reservations are by phone (075-708-7476). Closed irregularly.
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