A five-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, this one-Michelin-star sushi restaurant is one of Kyoto’s best – and most expensive. The owner studied how to make edomae sushi in Tokyo, and the menu changes daily, according to which fresh fish are available. The fish are sourced from Toyosu (formerly Tsukiji) fish market in Tokyo as well as Kyoto’s famed Nishiki Market.

Sushi Gion Matsudaya is a former Michelin-starred restaurant tucked away in a back alley near Hanamikoji Street, in the geisha district of Gion. While it no longer holds its one star, this has done little to stem the tide of visitors: years later, reviews online continue to rave about the immaculate skill of head chef and owner Matsudaya Kazunori, and his wonderful hospitality. Originally from the neighboring prefecture of Shiga, Chef Matsudaya started his restaurant in Gion in 2007, and since then, his seven counter seats have been full every day.

Sushi Gion Matsudaya (寿し 祇園 松田屋), located in Hanamikoji near the heart of Gion, Kyoto, offers a refined Edo-style sushi experience with a creative twist. Helmed by Chef Matsuda Kazunori, who honed his skills in Tokyo and abroad, the restaurant presents a daily-changing omakase menu based on the freshest market ingredients. Chef Matsuda uses traditional techniques like vinegar-soaked gizzard shad and mustard-garnished marinated tuna nigiri, with standout dishes including fatty tuna, pickled tuna, and boiled eel.

Sushi Gion Matsudaya, which has been awarded one Michelin star for five consecutive years, exclusively offers Edomae (Tokyo-style) sushi courses with advanced reservations. The owner and head chef, Kazunori Matsuda, was born into a family that owned a sushi restaurant that had been in business for over 40 years. He received training for Edomae sushi in Tokyo and later opened a sushi restaurant in Kyoto, specializing in traditional Edomae sushi.

Nestled in Kyoto's Gion district and a stone throw's away from the Kyoto metro, Matsudaya is an intimate 6-seat reservation-only sushi haven. Chef Matsudaya meticulously selects aged ingredients to offer the full potential of umami. For travelers looking for the best things to do in Kyoto, indulge in a symphony of flavors and the perfect balance of ingredients and rice, temperature, and texture of sushi, caressing your palate with each bite.

With a motto like “make the people of the world smile with sushi” it’s no wonder chef Matsuda Kazunori and his restaurant have made it on countless lists of the best sushi in Kyoto. Matsudaya specializes in a Tokyo style sushi known as Edomae and only uses fresh fish from the Tsukiji market in Tokyo or the Nishiki market in Kyoto. Because of this, Matsudaya has no set menu and will only serve the best fish from the day.

Sushi Gion Matsudaya in Gion offers an intimate setting with only 6-7 counter seats and is by reservation only. Enjoy a relaxing meal while conversing with the chef, with the menu based on the best ingredients available that day. Using only the finest natural seafood from Toyosu Market and Kyoto’s Nishiki Market, the aged fish enhances the umami (flavor), creating a delicate and flavorful sushi experience.

Sushi Gion Matsudaya is popular among Kyoto's discerning food experts. This tiny and simple restaurant furnished with a white wooden counter that has only 7 seats offers the truly superb sushi!. Starting from delicious tuna caught in the adjacent sea, they exclusively use seasonal and natural fish stocked from the local Nishiki Market or Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.

Located in the beautiful Gion district, dinner at Matsudaya is an intimate affair, as the chef only prepares food for a maximum of four to six people at a time. They bring in the freshest fish from Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, and prepare the sushi and sashimi meticulously. Because of this, it can be enjoyed with just the slightest dab of wasabi for seasoning.

Sushi Gion Matsudaya is an Edo-style sushi restaurant located on a corner of Hanamikoji Street in the Gion District. The fish provided at the restaurant are all natural and they are either from Toyosu Market in Tokyo or Nishiki Market in Kyoto.Matsudaya provides only the best fish of the day so there is no fixed menu. A must-try sushi is caviar sushi!

Sushi Giom Matsudaya is a small exclusive sushi restaurant in Kyoto with only 7 seats at the counter. They serve Edo-style sushi made from fresh ingredients sourced from either Nishiki Market in Kyoto or Toyosu Market in Tokyo. Sushi Giom Matsudaya has no hard and fast menu because they want to serve the best fish of the day.

After receiving a Michelin one-star rating, it has gained acclaim domestically and internationally among gourmands. To maintain quality, the restaurant operates strictly on a reservation-only basis, accommodating only 12 guests daily. You should make reservations well in advance to secure a spot.

A one-Michelin star restaurant, Sushi Gion Matsudaya is one of the best (and most expensive) Kyoto sushi restaurants. Chef Matsuda Kazunori specializes in edomae sushi, and the menu changes daily according to what’s available in the fish markets. The most famous dish?

In a lot of ways, Sushi Matsumoto and Sushi Giom Matsuyada are very similar. They are both famous for having some of the best sushi chefs in Kyoto. They also are famous for their edomae sushi—a sushi style that dates all the way back to Japane’s Edo period.

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. # #sushigionmatsudaya #gionmatsudaya #. Tucked inside a quaint alley in Kyoto’s Gion district is Matsudaya, one of the best sushi restaurants in the city.

Gion, Kyoto’s legendary geisha district, is not only a feast for the eyes but also a culinary haven. Nestled amidst the narrow, atmospheric alleyways lies Sushi Matsudaya, a gem that epitomizes traditional Kyoto sushi.