Unagi in Kyoto | Hitsumabushi at Kyo Unawa Near Nishiki Market

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When searching for good unagi in Kyoto, places like “Unafuji” or “Kikukawa” often come up—but those are also available in Tokyo.

So I decided to go somewhere that feels more Kyoto just by the name: Kyo Unawa.

The restaurant is located right next to Nishiki Market, making it super easy to visit while sightseeing.

Apparently, it’s quite famous in this area, so expectations were high.

I walked there from Gion in the evening.

The small rivers and streets at night had a really nice Kyoto atmosphere.

The location around Shijo-Karasuma is prime, and the small garden-style entrance adds a beautiful touch.

At the same time, I couldn’t help but think… this kind of design probably contributes to the higher price.

Inside, there’s a clean and stylish Japanese interior.

Even the calligraphy-style shop name artwork adds a nice touch.

It seems they also have seating on the second floor.　

One interesting detail—the sansho pepper on the table is in a mill.

That was actually my first time seeing that.

Soon, pickles were served as an appetizer, followed by grilled eel liver.

The liver was incredibly rich and delicious.

If you’ve had unagi at places like Unafuji, you’ll notice some similarities in style.

From the appetizer setup to the liver dish, it feels somewhat familiar—but still enjoyable.

They also offer “shiroyaki hitsumabushi,” which used to be quite rare.

Here, it’s served with a special salt-based sauce instead of regular seasoning.

One downside: there was no salt on the table, and it wasn’t clear if we could request additional condiments like wasabi.

The signature hitsumabushi looked luxurious with gold leaf on top.

Though visually, it’s hard to tell the difference from regular options.

The sauce here is probably the sweetest I’ve ever had.

If you like sweeter flavors, you’ll probably love it.

The grilling style is balanced—not overly crispy, not too rustic.

Somewhere in the middle.

Unagi meals in Japan are expensive these days—sometimes even more than a full Italian course meal.

So yeah… definitely a “special occasion” kind of experience.