Tozentei
This family-run Michelin-starred restaurant makes fictional kaiseki reality with its impeccable Kyoto cuisine.
Restaurant Details
While its Michelin star may draw many curious visitors from all over the country — and the world — what many may not know is that the Kyoto restaurant Tozentei started from a desire to make fiction reality. The restaurant takes its name from one of the central restaurants in Professor Aoki Masaru’s short story collection Kakokufumi, a collection of treatises on the history and culture of Chinese cuisine.
It was this story, and the tales of good food and sake contained therein, that inspired Chef Watanabe Toshiro to start Tozentei, bestowing on it an identical name in the hopes that his guests would likewise revel in good food and drink.
In reality, being situated near Kinkaku-ji Temple and the Arashiyama bamboo grove, the family-run Tozentei is located about an hour’s journey from its fictional location (which is by Kodai-ji Temple), but the difference is that the food and sake here are very much real, to the delight of many visitors both local and from abroad.
To the surprise of many, the restaurant is just a three-person operation. The younger Watanabe now mans the kitchen, supervised by his father, with the restaurant’s service left to the family matriarch. A concept remaining fundamentally unchanged from the restaurant’s inception, the signature dish of steamed horsehead tilefish served in pickled plum and powdered kelp broth would not taste nearly as good without Tozentei’s trademark hospitality.
Michelin Guide:
2018 - 1 Michelin Star
A lunch-only course that lets visitors appreciate the bounty of the mountains and seas. This course includes the restaurant’s signature dish — unchanged from Tozentei’s first iteration — steamed horsehead tilefish (amadai usually, but “guji” in local Kyoto dialect) served in a broth of powdered kelp and pickled plum. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
A lunch-only course that lets visitors appreciate the bounty of the mountains and seas. This course includes the restaurant’s signature dish — unchanged from Tozentei’s first iteration — steamed horsehead tilefish (amadai usually, but “guji” in local Kyoto dialect) served in a broth of powdered kelp and pickled plum. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
The standard dinner course at Tozentei, centered around traditional Kyoto cuisine and overflowing with a sense of seasonality. Made with an abundance of seasonal ingredients, it’s guaranteed to fill the body and mind with a sense of calm. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
The standard dinner course at Tozentei, centered around traditional Kyoto cuisine and overflowing with a sense of seasonality. Made with an abundance of seasonal ingredients, it’s guaranteed to fill the body and mind with a sense of calm. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
The intermediate dinner course at Tozentei, centered around traditional Kyoto cuisine and overflowing with a sense of seasonality. It brings together seasonal seafood, produce and meat to create a unique combination of flavors that paints a complex, multilayered culinary picture. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
The intermediate dinner course at Tozentei, centered around traditional Kyoto cuisine and overflowing with a sense of seasonality. It brings together seasonal seafood, produce and meat to create a unique combination of flavors that paints a complex, multilayered culinary picture. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
The highest-level dinner course at Tozentei, centered around traditional Kyoto cuisine and overflowing with a sense of seasonality. No expense is spared to secure the finest seasonal produce, seafood and other ingredients in this menu. But this menu sets itself apart with the most luxurious offering: a centerpiece of salt-baked Kyoto-raised wagyu beef. Seeing the shell crack apart and the smell fill the air is an experience not to be missed. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change base...
The highest-level dinner course at Tozentei, centered around traditional Kyoto cuisine and overflowing with a sense of seasonality. No expense is spared to secure the finest seasonal produce, seafood and other ingredients in this menu. But this menu sets itself apart with the most luxurious offering: a centerpiece of salt-baked Kyoto-raised wagyu beef. Seeing the shell crack apart and the smell fill the air is an experience not to be missed. ※ Please note that the menu is subject to change base...
Tozentei Remarks
Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.
The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.
The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.
The restaurant cannot always guarantee that it can provide guests with their preferred seating options after a reservation due to availability.
The pictures provided are for illustrative purposes.
Tozentei Business Days
Tozentei Address
31-1 Komatsubara Minamimachi, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8342, Japan
Tozentei Access Info
Tozentei is located a 2-minute walk from Kitano-Hakubaicho Station.
Tozentei Phone Number
Tozentei Cancellation Policy
Cancel your reservation at least 4 days 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.
We strive to be as accurate as possible and keep up with the changing landscape of Japan’s food and travel industries. If you spot any inaccuracies, please send a report.
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