Funaokayama Shimizu
This Michelin-starred restaurant uses some of the purest Kyoto groundwater from a well near Daitokuji Temple to make its fluffy, fragrant rice.
Restaurant Details
It’s not often that a restaurant’s selling point is its rice, but Funaokayama Shimizu is no ordinary restaurant. The holder of a Michelin Star, the restaurant’s rice is fluffy, fragrant and cooked to perfection.
The secret, according to head chef Shimizu Yuuki, is the use of Kyoto groundwater. Perhaps this is to be expected, given the fact that Chef Shimizu’s own surname means “pure water”, but his exacting standards for the water in his rice led him to the restaurant’s current location just minutes from Daitokuji Temple, where some of the freshest water in Kyoto can be found. He is just as particular about his rice, personally selecting it from suppliers all over the country as well.
Rice is an integral part of Japanese cuisine. Its importance was heavily impressed on Chef Shimizu during his time training at famed Kyoto and Osaka restaurants like Wakuden and Kyoyamato, before he started Funaokayama Shimizu in 2018. As a component of a meal, it is deceptively simple; it should have a rich enough flavor to stand on its own, and yet also complement other dishes without overpowering them.
Still, anticipation of the rice is no reason to rush through a course menu at Shimizu just to get there. Each course is immaculately prepared with seasonal ingredients, including fish from all over the country and vegetables sourced from within the prefecture. In Shimizu’s warm, inviting space, guests are encouraged to take their time; to savor not just the purity of flavor and texture, but also the calmness of the space.
The standard course at Funaokayama Shimizu, featuring seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors and of course, its signature rice cooked in an earthenware pot. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability.
The standard course at Funaokayama Shimizu, featuring seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors and of course, its signature rice cooked in an earthenware pot. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability.
The intermediate course at Funaokayama Shimizu, featuring seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors and of course, its signature rice cooked in an earthenware pot. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability.
The intermediate course at Funaokayama Shimizu, featuring seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors and of course, its signature rice cooked in an earthenware pot. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability.
The most premium course at Funaokayama Shimizu, featuring seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors and of course, its signature rice cooked in an earthenware pot. Chef Shimizu spares no expense at preparing the most elaborate courses for guests who reserve this menu. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability.
The most premium course at Funaokayama Shimizu, featuring seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors and of course, its signature rice cooked in an earthenware pot. Chef Shimizu spares no expense at preparing the most elaborate courses for guests who reserve this menu. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability.
Funaokayama Shimizu Remarks
Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies are requested to inform the restaurant beforehand.
The restaurant is unable to make accommodations for guests who only inform the restaurant on the day itself.
The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.
Children will only be permitted entry if they order and consume an individual adult course for themselves.
Funaokayama Shimizu Business Days
Funaokayama Shimizu Address
20-2 Murasakino Higashifunaokacho, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8228
Funaokayama Shimizu Access Info
Funaokayama Shimizu can be accessed a 6-minute walk from the Kenkun Jinja-mae bus stop, or a 22-minute walk from either Kuramaguchi Station or Kitaoji Station.
Funaokayama Shimizu Phone Number
Funaokayama Shimizu Cancellation Policy
Cancel your reservation at least 1 week before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Restaurant location
Featuring beautiful landscapes from mountain to sea, Kyoto Prefecture conveys traditional Japanese culture through its architecture and gardens, art and artisanal crafts, and delicious local cuisine made from regional produce.
Phenomenal! The restaurant is incredibly intimate - it only fits 7 people. The food was outstanding. And I have allergies - the staff was exceptionally helpful. They took all the stress and worry o...read more
Funaokayama Shimizu did an amazing job! He was a one man show cooking for my wife and I. He whipped up some amazing dishes! I highly recommend his restaurant to whoever is in the Kyoto area visitin...read more
Great food served by a very focused master chef. A little hard to get to, but well worth the effort.
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10 meals
COURSE MENUKaiseki Mita Basara Bettei
Enjoy the fine cuisine and wine list that put Mita Basara on the map, plus location exclusives like donabe-cooked rice and the master chef’s own special creations.
COURSE MENUWashoku Uoman (Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo)
In a movement that calls to mind the historic convergence of northern and southern ingredients on the capital, the finest ingredients from all over Japan, like Omi wagyu beef from Shiga, are combined here into traditional kaiseki course menus.
COURSE MENUGinza Ugai
Gratitude drives every service here at this Ginza kaiseki restaurant. Chef Ryogo Fujii’s mastery of umami, sweetness and bitterness augments the choice quality of his ingredients, all sourced from an extensive network of suppliers across the country.
COURSE MENUSakuragi
Right next to Tsukiji Station and the former market, the newly Michelin-recognized Sakuragi is founded on the principle of freshness, committing to kaiseki meals prepared right before guests at an eight-seat counter.