Enjoy delicious Japanese food in some of Kyoto's most tucked-away and spectacular townhouses.

Introduction: Food and the Machiya Experience

The Evolution of the City
Architecture and Characteristics of Machiya Construction
The Beauty of Wood

Restaurant Listings (approx 135) with description of food and setting, hours, prices, contact info

Index by Category

Judith Clancy has lived in Kyoto since 1970. She has written about the many traditions of Kyoto, including music, tea ceremony, and ikebana, and has acted as guide and interpreter for various groups and workshops. She is author of Exploring Kyoto: On Foot in the Ancient Capital.

Ben Simmons grew up in Columbus, Georgia, and completed a Masters program in Fine Arts at the University of Florida. Simmons is a longtime resident of Japan, and a correspondent for SIPA Press, a leading agency headquartered in Paris. His photographs appear worldwide in numerous books and magazines, and have been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Museum of Taiwan, and the United Nations. His work is in the collections of the Library of Congress and the King of Thailand.