Kyoto Kibune's River Dining: 8 Incredible Floating Restaurants!
Kyoto is one of Japan's representative cities, popular among foreign tourists for its elegant atmosphere.
Kyoto has many restaurants. Known as a city of fine dining, Kyoto cuisine is very famous in Japan. For example, there's "Obanzai," side dishes commonly made at home, "Kaiseki cuisine," luxurious Japanese food eaten at high-end restaurants, and "Shōjin Ryōri," which is based on Buddhist teachings and doesn't use meat or fish.
There are also many French restaurants, and the number of Michelin-listed establishments ranks third in the world.
In summer, you can enjoy exquisite cuisine in the traditional style of Noryo-yuka and Kawadoko in the Kamogawa and Kibune areas. This time, we'll focus on the Kibune area and introduce restaurants where you can enjoy Kawadoko!
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What is "Kawadoko," Kibune's Summer Tradition?
source：Rurubu
Kawadoko has a history of about 400 years, dating back to the Edo period.
In the Kamogawa area, it's called Noryo-yuka, originating from wealthy merchants setting up tea stalls and viewing seats on the banks of the Kamogawa River. Later, in shallow waters, tea houses lined up folding stools and protruding floors, which became known as "riverside cooling."
In Kibune, it's called Kawadoko, which started in the Taisho era when tea houses placed folding stools in the Kibune River to cool off from the heat. Later, with the opening of trains and buses, access from the city center improved, and Kibune's Kawadoko became well-known.
Today, it's a popular summer tradition in Kyoto, where tea houses and restaurants set up tatami rooms or tables on or near the river, allowing people to enjoy the cuisine and atmosphere. You can forget the intense heat and experience the traditional culture with a nostalgic atmosphere while enjoying exquisite cuisine amidst the sound of river water and cool breeze.
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The Kibune Area: A Place to Relax and Forget the Urban Hustle
The Kibune Kawadoko is located along the Kibune River in front of Kifune Shrine, famous for dishes using summer seasonal fish like ayu (sweetfish) and hamo (pike conger). It's far from Kyoto Station, allowing you to forget the urban bustle and enjoy the cuisine leisurely while feeling the atmosphere with the sound of water.
Kyoto has famous Kawadoko areas in Kamogawa, Kibune, and Takao. The characteristic of Kibune's Kawadoko is its proximity to the water surface. As a result, the perceived temperature is 10°C lower than central Kyoto, making it popular as a summer retreat.
My recommendation is July and August. Kawadoko helps you forget the intense heat and humidity after the rainy season. The cuisine enjoyed in this extraordinary scenery is exceptional, and the evening cool is a unique pleasure of this season.
8 Recommended Restaurants to Enjoy Exquisite Cuisine and Kawadoko
Kibunesou
source：Official website
At "Kibunesou," a Kyoto Kibune restaurant, you can enjoy meals while appreciating seasonal ingredients and scenery. They are particular about ingredients and cooking methods. Ayu, a representative river fish, can be enjoyed in various seasonal preparations like salt-grilled or simmered in sweet sauce.
The tea leaf hot pot, using tea leaves which are the raw material for matcha, is a unique menu item at Kibunesou. Mountain vegetables, unique to the mountainous area, are deliciously prepared as tempura or in hot pots. The visually beautiful Kaiseki cuisine is perfect for spending time with someone special on anniversaries.
The scenery of rocks in the river hitting the water and the greenery of trees, which are the charms of Kawadoko, create an irreplaceable atmospheric ambiance. Savoring this luxurious time here will surely create unforgettable memories of your Kyoto trip.
Address: 50 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: 11:00-21:30 (L.O 20:00)
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 075-741-2222
Official Website
Ryokan Hirobun
source：Official website
The highlight of "Hirobun," another notable Kyoto Kibune restaurant, is that you can enjoy the powerful upstream of the Kibune River during the summer Kawadoko season.
Moreover, Hirobun is the only place in Kibune where you can experience "Somen Noodles," a summer tradition where thin noodles are flowed down a split bamboo tube with water, and you catch them with chopsticks as they flow by. I personally love flowing somen as it gives an especially cool feeling.
In addition, the Kyoto Kaiseki, mainly Japanese cuisine, uses seasonal Kyoto ingredients for sashimi and grilled dishes, impressing with its refined taste and visual beauty. Furthermore, enjoying summer hot pot dishes like sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, and mizutaki in the cool Kawadoko is a unique charm.
The Kawadoko set on four levels offers a close-up view of the dynamic upstream unique to the area. The beautiful experience of viewing the powerful stream will surely be etched in your memory as a special moment.
Address: 87 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: Usually May 1 to end of September (Kawadoko) 11:00-15:00 (Last entry 13:30)
16:30-21:00 (Last entry 18:00)
(Flowing Somen) Reception time 11:00-12:00
*May be closed due to weather conditions
Usually mid-October to April 11:00-15:00 (Last entry 13:30)
16:30-21:00 (Last entry 18:00)
Closed: No holidays in November
Every Wednesday from December to April
December 30 to January 1
Phone: 075-741-2147
Official Website
Kibune Hiroya
source：Tabelog
The Kawadoko at "Kibune Hiroya," a long-established ryokan founded in 1932, is also well-regarded among Kyoto Kibune restaurants.
Ayu, a representative summer river fish, is called "fragrant fish" and has a distinctive bitter taste and aroma different from sea fish. Personally, I love ayu best when it's salt-grilled.
This restaurant's specialty is the "Ayu Stone Garden Presentation," which expresses the Kibune River with salt. The presentation is beautiful, as if the ayu are about to swim away. You'll be amazed by the softness and deliciousness of the ayu, which can be eaten down to the bones. The beautiful and delicious Kaiseki cuisine will elevate your Kyoto experience to the next level.
Kibune Hiroya is located in the middle stream of the Kibune River, offering a Kawadoko where you can quietly dine in chair seats while listening to the murmur of the stream. Nearby is Kifune Shrine, known for its connection to relationships, making it recommended for sightseeing and strolling.
Enjoy the cool breeze through the gaps in the bamboo blinds and savor this comfortable, luxurious time.
Address: 56 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: 11:00-21:00 (Last entry 19:00)
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 075-741-2401
Official Website
Kibune Kawadoko Hyoue
source： Official website
"Hyoue," located at the innermost part of Kibune, originated when the previous generation Hyoue, who was the chief priest of Kifune Shrine (famous for its summer Tanabata festival), entertained visitors with local mountain vegetables and river fish. It continues to operate based on Hyoue's philosophy about "the way of food."
This Kyoto Kibune restaurant delights visitors with "dishes that satisfy the heart" along with the special feeling that "seasonal ingredients can only be eaten during that time." It's my recommended restaurant even for those experiencing Kawadoko for the first time.
In summer, you can enjoy seasonal cool dishes like ayu grilled on bamboo leaves (continuing since the restaurant's founding), ice room somen served in an ice vessel, and hamo shabu-shabu, all accompanied by the murmur of the Kibune River.
For those who want to experience Kawadoko casually, check out the Hyoue Cafe on the first floor of the inn. You can cool off by dipping your feet in the water from your seat.
You can spend a time so comfortable you might forget time itself, fully bathing in negative ions amidst the sound of water hitting rocks and the cool breeze.
Address: 101-3066 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: May 1 to September 30 (Kawadoko period) 11:00-14:00 entry / 17:00-18:00 entry
October 1 to April 30 (Outside Kawadoko period)
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 075-741-3066
Official Website
Kibune Beniya
source： Official website
"Kibune Beniya," located at the entrance of Kibune, has the largest Kawadoko in Kibune with 200 seats.
This Kyoto Kibune restaurant offers Kaiseki cuisine that lets you feel the charm of nature, using ultra-fresh ingredients. Especially in summer, the Kawadoko Kaiseki features ayu caught in Kibune, kept alive until ordered. You can enjoy cuisine and historical culture in the midst of great nature, experiencing the essence of Kyoto.
During the season, you can sit on the edge and dip your feet in the water, enjoying all dishes on the Kawadoko. It's a place where anyone, regardless of age, can fully enjoy the traditional "Kyoto cuisine" that has been passed down for a long time.
Address: 17 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: 11:00-22:00 (LO 21:00)
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 075-741-2041
Official Website
Kibune Nakayoshi
source： Official website
"Kibune Nakayoshi" is a cozy, hideaway-like restaurant. Located 100m upstream from Kifune Shrine, it's in an area where the river is narrow and the flow is fast. As a result, cold air rises easily, making it known as one of the coolest Kawadoko in Kibune.
This Kyoto Kibune restaurant starts cooking after receiving your order, so you can enjoy freshly prepared dishes. You can savor seasonal menus using Kyoto ingredients.
Especially in summer, all courses include salt-grilled ayu and somen noodles, allowing you to enjoy a summer-like meal. All dishes are carefully prepared, with delicate flavors being an attractive point.
Weather permitting, all visitors can enjoy the Kawadoko. Also, you can dip your feet in the river water from all seats, so there's no worry of "visiting but not being able to experience Kawadoko."
There's also nighttime illumination of the Kawadoko (irregular), making the night Kawadoko magical. It's recommended for those who want to enjoy Kawadoko cuisine leisurely in a cozy space without worrying about others.
Address: 71 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: 11:00-21:00 (LO 19:00)
Closed: None
Phone: 075-741-2000
Official Website
Kibune Ugenta
source：Tabelog
"Kibune Ugenta" is a currently popular restaurant, featured in media and awarded 1 key in the Michelin 2024 Hotel Selection. On the Kawadoko, they serve mainly live river fish dishes, with each dish served at the appropriate temperature, hot or cold.
This Kyoto Kibune restaurant also offers original craft beer that pairs well with the summer seasonal dish "salt-grilled ayu." The pairing of summer Kawadoko specialty and craft beer will undoubtedly become an unforgettable Kyoto memory.
The Kawadoko seats, right above the water surface, are pleasantly spaced out. The green of the rock moss, the clear stream flowing through the forest, and its murmur will also become memorable.
Although not on the Kawadoko, in winter you can enjoy the specialty "Kiukon Nabe" made with soft-shelled turtle and wild boar meat. With shuttle service from Kyoto Station, access is excellent. Why not visit in combination with a visit to Kifune Shrine?
Address: 76 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: 11:30-16:00 (LO 15:00) / 17:00-20:00 (LO 19:00)
Closed: Irregular (Open daily during Kawadoko season)
Phone: 075-741-2146
Official Website
Kibune Sagenta
source： Official website
"Kibune Sagenta" is where you can casually enjoy Kawadoko at the uppermost stream of Kibune River. It's a sister restaurant of "Kibune Ugenta," offering a casual Kawadoko experience with bento boxes and sweets.
The signature colorful bento allows you to enjoy 25 types of dishes in small portions. My recommendation is the shaved ice (a classic Japanese summer sweet where shaved ice is topped with syrup) made using Kibune water. The scenery of the clear stream in front adds to the atmospheric ambiance, allowing you to cool off in a traditional setting.
The appealing point of Kibune Sagenta is that you can easily enjoy Kawadoko, which often has a high-threshold image. Although there's an additional fee for using the Kawadoko seats, no reservation is required, making it recommended for dropping by during visits to nearby Kifune Shrine or while exploring the area.
You can also take photogenic pictures like cream soda with the clear stream as a backdrop. It will surely become a memorable part of your trip.
Address: 91 Kurama Kibunecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Business Hours: 10:30-17:00 (LO 16:30)
Phone: 075-741-2244
Official Website
For Enjoying Kawadoko, Staying at a Ryokan in Kibune is Also Recommended
Many of the Kawadoko restaurants in Kibune also have adjoining ryokan (traditional Japanese inns), so staying overnight is also recommended. The Kibune area is over an hour away from Kyoto Station by public transportation, allowing you to spend time leisurely in nature, away from the urban hustle.
Especially during the Kawadoko season, when humid days continue, immerse yourself in the Japanese atmosphere while enjoying the cooling effect. Try visiting nearby Kifune Shrine as well. You can experience the history and culture of Kibune, enjoy an extraordinary world, and be moved by Japan's beautiful scenery.
If you are interested in Best Dinner in Kyoto, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy Dinner in Kyoto as much as possible.
If you are interested in Best Dinner in Kyoto, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy Dinner in Kyoto as much as possible.