Minokichi Main Restaurant Takeshigero

A long-established Kyoto kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto’s Okazaki area with a history of over 300 years. It began as a teahouse in Gion-Nawate, then evolved into a “kawauo ikesu” restaurant, preparing and serving freshwater fish such as eel and ayu kept alive in holding tanks. During the Edo period, Minokichi received permission from the Kyoto Shoshidai to operate as one of the “Kawauo Ikesu Hakken” (eight licensed freshwater-fish restaurants), and it remains one of the few still in existence today.

Among the Kyoto kaiseki courses served here, the signature is its freshwater fish dishes. Alongside seasonal kaiseki that highlights ingredients of the moment, you can enjoy expertly prepared eel, ayu, and soft-shelled turtle—carrying on 300 years of tradition and bringing out the distinctive flavors of freshwater fish.

The restaurant has a main building and an annex. The main building features sukiya-style design inspired by traditional tea-house architecture, while the annex is built in gassho-zukuri style, known for its steep thatched triangular roof. In both the refined rooms of the main building and the rustic rooms of the annex, you can enjoy traditional Japanese cuisine while taking in the atmosphere of the seasons.