Kenya
研野
Kaiseki in Ichijō-ji & Shugakuin, Kyoto, 3 min walk from Takaragaike Station
Our analysis
- #1of 3 kaiseki restaurants in Ichijō-ji & Shugakuin
- ¥30,000least expensive dinner course; median ¥30,250
- ★Michelin Guide 2026
- Englishonline booking from abroad
Dinner ¥30,000–39,999Closed Mondays and SundaysBook online: TableCheck
All 11 photos, by dishes, the room and the entrance
Dishes 8
Inside 3
In our ranking, Kenya is 1st of the 3 kaiseki restaurants in Ichijō-ji & Shugakuin and 31st of 332 in Kyoto. Its least expensive dinner course is ¥30,000 (on its website), about the same as the ¥30,250 median of the 21 kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto ranked nearest to it; at lunch, ¥22,000 (on Tabelog) is 33% above the ¥16,500 median of 21. Its record: one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2026 (one of 68 in Kyoto in this guide). From abroad it can be booked online in English on TableCheck; 132 of the 332 kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto can be. Good for a seat at the counter, a private room, a less expensive lunch (from ¥22,000, 27% below its least expensive dinner course), and an anniversary (it prepares a celebration if asked when booking). Course prices that sources agree on: ¥22,000 on Tabelog, Ikyu, and its website; ¥33,000 on both Tabelog and Ikyu.
How it compares
Kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto City with a dinner budget close to its own, nearest to it in our ranking.
| Restaurant | Rank in Kyoto | Dinner from | Lunch from | Booking | Awards | Walk | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEN | #29 | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | ¥12,100 | Online in English (Pocket Concierge) | ★ · Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 5 min, Gojō | — |
| Gion Owatari | #30 | budget ¥40,000–49,999 | — | Online in English (OMAKASE) | ★ · Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 8 min, Gion-shijo | — |
| Kenya | #31 | ¥30,000 | ¥22,000 | Online in English (TableCheck) | ★ | 3 min, Takaragaike | Mon, Sun |
| Gion Sakagawa | #32 | ¥21,780 | — | Online, Japanese only | Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 6 min, Gion-shijo | Sun |
| Gion Nishikawa | #33 | ¥33,000 | ¥15,730 | Online in English (OMAKASE) | ★★ · Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 11 min, Gion-shijo | Mon, Sun |
| Hyotei | #35 | budget ¥30,000–39,999 | budget ¥30,000–39,999 | Online in English (Pocket Concierge) | ★★★ · Bronze 2024 · Tabelog 100 2023 | 6 min, Keage | Wed |
For international visitors
Some support for visitors
Either takes bookings online in English or has a menu or staff in English, not both.
| Menu | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Staff | Not listed |
| Website | In English |
| Payment | |
| Seating and facilities | Counter seats, Private rooms, Bring your own wine, Sommelier, Tatami room, Wheelchair accessible |
How to book Kenya
- Book online in English on TableCheck, the booking service the restaurant uses.
- The restaurant also takes online bookings in Japanese through Ikyu Restaurant.
- Reservations: required. Walk-ins are not accepted.
- Anniversaries and birthdays: the restaurant prepares a celebration if you ask when you book (a dessert plate with your message, a cake or a surprise). More in Kyoto.
Courses and prices
As the restaurant lists them on Tabelog. Prices are per person.
Lunch Course
Lunch · 2 hr at the table
¥22,000
per person, tax incl., ≈$150
Cheapest
Dinner CourseMost booked
Dinner · 2 hr at the table
¥33,000
per person, tax incl., ≈$220
¥11,000 more than the one above
The food
Photos from the restaurant's page on Tabelog.
On Instagram
Prices
| Dinner | ¥30,000–39,999 per person |
|---|---|
| Lunch | ¥20,000–29,999 per person |
| Diners report spending | ¥30,000–39,999 at dinner, ¥20,000–29,999 at lunch |
| Service charge | Please order one drink per person. (A charge of 1100 yen will be applied to customers without an order.) |
| Credit cards | |
| Electronic money | Not accepted |
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 18:00–20:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:00–14:00, 18:00–20:00 |
| Thursday | 12:00–14:00, 18:00–20:00 |
| Friday | 12:00–14:00, 18:00–20:00 |
| Saturday | 12:00–14:00, 18:00–20:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Seats and rooms
Inside
The dining room, in photos from the restaurant's page on Tabelog.
| Seats | 26 |
|---|---|
| Private rooms | Yes |
| Private hire | Possible |
| Smoking | Non smoking |
| Children | Ask the restaurant before bringing children |
| Dress code | If you are using the tatami room, please wear socks to protect the tatami. We kindly ask that you refrain from coming in with strong fragrances such as perfume or cologne. There is a gravel path leading to the entrance of the restaurant. Customers wearing high heels should be careful as you proceed. |
| Setting | Beautiful view, Hideout, A house restaurant, Stylish space, Relaxing space, Spacious seating, Counter seating, Tatami room, Wheelchair accessible |
| Drinks | Particular about Sake (Nihonshu), Particular about Shochu (Japanese spirits), Particular about wine, Particular about cocktails |
| Services | Celebrations and surprises, BYO drinks, Sommelier available, Take-out |
| Opened | May 2026 |
Getting there
3 min walk (240 m) from Takaragaike Station.
Also near: Shūgakuin: 10 min · Miyake-Hachiman: 12 min
- Leave Takaragaike Station and walk west for 30 m.
- Turn left onto Kawabata-Dori Avenue and walk 150 m.
- Turn right and walk 40 m.
Kenya is on your right.
On your right
Look for
研野
The restaurant's name, as on its sign
Show this to a taxi driver
研野京都府京都市左京区上高野下荒蒔町12-3
The address in Japanese, as drivers enter it
Location
| Address | 12-3 Kamitakano Shimoaramakicho Sakyo-ku Kyoto, Kyoto 606-0092 |
|---|---|
| Stations |
|
| Directions | 1 minute walk from Takagaoike Station. |
Awards
MichelinMichelin Guide 2026: one star
Kenya has one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2026. Kenya in the Michelin Guide · All Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto · Michelin-starred kaiseki in Kyoto
Questions visitors ask
How much does Kenya cost?
The restaurant puts dinner at ¥30,000–39,999 per person and lunch at ¥20,000–29,999. Drinks and a service charge (Please order one drink per person. (A charge of 1100 yen will be applied to customers without an order.)) may be extra; credit cards are accepted.
When is Kenya closed?
It is closed on Mondays and Sundays.
Can I bring children to Kenya?
Ask the restaurant before bringing children.
What is the nearest station to Kenya?
Takaragaike Station, about 3 minutes on foot (240 m). Shūgakuin Station is about 12 minutes away.
Does Kenya have a dress code?
If you are using the tatami room, please wear socks to protect the tatami. We kindly ask that you refrain from coming in with strong fragrances such as perfume or cologne. There is a gravel path leading to the entrance of the restaurant. Customers wearing high heels should be careful as you proceed.
Does Kenya have a Michelin star?
Yes. Kenya has one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2026.
Sources
Facts on this page come from Tabelog (checked in November 2026), Ikyu, the Michelin Guide, and the restaurant's website; the walking directions from OpenStreetMap. Report a correction.