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Izuu
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Summary
Restaurant Details
Location
The Michelin-awarded mackerel sushi from this 200-year-old shop packs hundreds of years of Kyoto’s history in a single bite.
Restaurant Details
Izuu was founded in 1781, riding a wave of saba sushi fandom in the ancient capital. At the time, mackerel from Wakasa traveled to Kyoto, a landlocked city with limited access to fresh fish. The fish was preserved with vinegar and lightly fermented. Coupled with rice and kombu seaweed, saba sushi was born.
Because saba sushi was mostly eaten at festivals and parties attended by Kyoto’s famous geisha, the original owner, Izumiya Uhe established his business with gift-giving in mind. An in-store dining space was installed to allow guests to try its specialty immediately while waiting for takeaway gifts — also called “omiyage in Japanese — to be prepared. The in-store dining space features an extended menu including other rare, traditional varieties of pickled sushi.
Now headed by the eighth-generation owner, Izuu’s mackerel sushi continues to delight. Its particular method of preparing saba sushi is lengthened to saba sugata sushi, where the entire mackerel fillet is used in a single roll. The resulting shape of compressed, pickled fish and rice resembles a crouching rabbit, a charming shape that has continued to win Izuu fans throughout the years. While the product ages, its texture and flavor evolve, peaking the next day.
As a traveler’s souvenir, this Kyoto-specialty sushi expresses uniquely West-coast tradition of fermentation and an appreciation for the passage of time.
Michelin Guide:
2019 - Bib Gourmand
2024 - Bib Gourmand
Reservations not available.
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Izuu Access Info
Izuu is a 5-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station.
Izuu Phone Number
075-561-0751
Izuu Business Days
Sunday
11:00 AM
09:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Izuu Address
367 Kiyomotocho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0084
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.
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Reservations not available.
Browse restaurants allowing seat reservations and course menu reservations.
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