Kiu
きう
Sushi in Pontocho, Kiyamachi & Kawaramachi, Kyoto, 4 min walk from Karasuma Station
Our analysis
- #1of 14 sushi restaurants in Pontocho, Kiyamachi & Kawaramachi
- 98%of high-end restaurants in Kyoto have a lower dinner budget
- 5 yearsThe Tabelog Award in a row
- Nonepublic phone or online booking
Dinner ¥50,000–59,999
All 8 photos, by dishes, the room and the entrance
Dishes 6
Inside 1
Entrance 1
In our ranking, Kiu is 1st of the 14 sushi restaurants in Pontocho, Kiyamachi & Kawaramachi and 1st of 64 in Kyoto. Its dinner budget on Tabelog (¥50,000–59,999) is higher than that of 98% of the high-end restaurants in Kyoto in this guide, and higher than that of 98% of its sushi restaurants. Its record: The Tabelog Award every year since 2022 (5 times; one of 41 in Kyoto in this guide with that run) and Tabelog 100 in 2021, 2022, and 2025. It lists no phone number and no online booking; 20 of the 64 sushi restaurants in Kyoto can be booked online in English.
How it compares
Sushi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiu | #1 | budget ¥50,000–59,999 | — | No public phone or online | Silver 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 4 min, Karasuma | — |
| Sushi Kondo | #3 | budget ¥40,000–49,999 | — | Phone only | — | 7 min, Kitaōji | — |
| Sushi Ooga Higashiyama | #20 | ¥44,275 | ¥44,275 | Online, Japanese only | — | 11 min, Shichijō | Wed |
| Sushi Ginza Onodera, Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto | — | ¥37,500 | — | Online in English (Pocket Concierge) | — | 12 min, Shichijō | — |
| Sushi Gion Matsudaya | — | ¥33,000 | — | Online in English (Pocket Concierge) | — | 4 min, Gion-shijo | — |
For international visitors
Book through a concierge
No online booking in English and no menu or staff in English are listed. A hotel concierge can book for you.
| Menu | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Staff | Not listed |
| Payment |
How to book Kiu
- Kiu publishes no phone number and lists no online booking service, which usually means its seats go to regulars and their guests. A concierge at a luxury hotel is the best chance of a table.
- Reservations: required. Walk-ins are not accepted.
- Cancellations: the restaurant charges a cancellation fee. Check the terms when you book.
Can't get a table? Sushi nearby you can book online
The food
Photos the restaurant posted on Tabelog.
Prices
| Dinner | ¥50,000–59,999 per person |
|---|---|
| Diners report spending | ¥50,000–59,999 at dinner |
| Service charge | Service charge 10% |
| Credit cards | |
| Electronic money | Not accepted |
Opening hours
| Monday | 17:00–22:30 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 17:00–22:30 |
| Wednesday | 17:00–22:30 |
| Thursday | 17:00–22:30 |
| Friday | 17:00–22:30 |
| Saturday | 17:00–22:30 |
| Sunday | 17:00–22:30 |
| Public holidays | Open |
Seats and rooms
Inside
The dining room, in the restaurant's own photos.
| Seats | 5 |
|---|---|
| Private rooms | No |
| Private hire | Possible |
| Smoking | Non smoking |
| Drinks | Wine, Particular about Sake (Nihonshu) |
| Opened | July 2020 |
Getting there
4 min walk (320 m) from Karasuma Station, Exit 19.
Also near: Shijō: 5 min · Kyoto-Kawaramachi: 10 min
- Leave Karasuma Station by Exit 19 and walk east for 60 m.
- Turn right at Yoshinoya onto Higashinotōin Street and walk 70 m.
- Turn left and walk 110 m.
- Turn right and walk 30 m.
- Turn right onto Takakura street and walk 50 m.
You arrive at Kiu.
Look for
きう
The restaurant's name, as on its sign
Floor
2F
One floor up from the street
The entrance, in the restaurant's own photo
Show this to a taxi driver
きう京都府京都市下京区神明町230-2 2F
The address in Japanese, as drivers enter it
Location
| Address | 230-2 Shinmeicho Shimogyo-ku Kyoto, Kyoto 600-8092 |
|---|---|
| Stations |
|
| Directions | About a 5 to 6 minute walk from Karasuma Station. |
Nearby
Sights within a walk
- Nishiki Market, 430 m, about 7 min walk
Awards
- Selected for Tabelog Sushi WEST “Tabelog 100”, 2025
- Selected for Tabelog Sushi WEST “Tabelog 100”, 2022
- Selected for Tabelog Sushi WEST “Tabelog 100”, 2021
Questions visitors ask
How much does Kiu cost?
The restaurant puts dinner at ¥50,000–59,999 per person. Drinks and a service charge (Service charge 10%) may be extra; credit cards are accepted.
What is the nearest station to Kiu?
Karasuma Station, about 4 minutes on foot (320 m). Shijō Station is about 5 minutes away.
Sources
Facts on this page come from Tabelog (checked in November 2026); the walking directions from OpenStreetMap. Report a correction.