Saami
左阿彌
Kaiseki in Gion, Kiyomizu-dera & Higashiyama, Kyoto, 14 min walk from Higashiyama Station
Our analysis
- ¥9,487least expensive lunch course; median ¥7,700
- Japaneseonline booking only
Dinner ¥15,000–19,999Book by phone
All 13 photos, by dishes, the room and the entrance
Dishes 9
Inside 4
Its least expensive lunch course is ¥9,487 (on Ikyu), 23% above the ¥7,700 median of the 21 kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto ranked nearest to it. It takes bookings online only in Japanese, on Ikyu Restaurant; 132 of the 332 kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto can be booked online in English. Good for a private room (for 2) and a meal with children (its Tabelog listing says they are welcome). Course prices that sources agree on: ¥10,350 on its website and ¥11,385 on Ikyu, with tax and service; ¥12,650 on its website and ¥13,915 on Ikyu, with tax and service.
How it compares
Kaiseki restaurants in Gion, Kiyomizu-dera & Higashiyama 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontocho Misogigawa | — | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | ¥13,000 | Online, Japanese only | — | 4 min, Sanjo | Tue |
| Tsudaro | — | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | budget ¥8,000–9,999 | Online, Japanese only | — | 5 min, Gion-shijo | Wed |
| Gion Roka | — | ¥24,000 | ¥5,000 | Online in English (TableCheck) | — | 9 min, Gion-shijo | — |
| Mokubei | — | ¥24,200 | budget ¥10,000–14,999 | Online in English (Pocket Concierge) | — | 5 min, Gion-shijo | Mon, Sun |
| Saami | — | budget ¥15,000–19,999 | ¥9,487 | Online, Japanese only | — | 14 min, Higashiyama | — |
| Igarashi | — | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | budget ¥15,000–19,999 | Phone only | — | 4 min, Gion-shijo | Sun |
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 |
| Website | In English |
| Payment | |
| Seating and facilities | Private rooms, Sunken seating (no kneeling), Tatami room, Wheelchair accessible |
How to book Saami
- The restaurant also takes online bookings in Japanese through Ikyu Restaurant.
- Call 075-531-0088 (+81-75-531-0088 from outside Japan). Staff may speak only Japanese, so a hotel concierge can call for you.
Can't get a table? Kaiseki nearby you can book online
Courses and prices
As the restaurant sells them on Ikyu (一休.com), a Japanese booking site: names and menus as written there. Prices are per person and include tax and service. Book on Ikyu (in Japanese)
Lunch course
【お昼のミニ懐石】全7品
Lunch · 7 dishes · 2–10 guests
- Kaiseki
What is served (10)（menu in Japanese）
- 八寸
- 向附
- 椀
- 焼物
- 炊合
- 酢物
- 吸物
- 御飯
- 京漬物
- 果物
¥9,487
per person, tax & service incl., ≈$60
Cheapest
Lunch course
【お昼の京懐石】全8品
Lunch · 8 dishes · 2–10 guests
- Kaiseki
- Sashimi
What is served (10)（menu in Japanese）
- 先付
- 八寸
- お造り
- 炊合
- 焼物
- 酢物
- 吸物
- 御飯
- 京漬物
- 果物
¥11,385
per person, tax & service incl., ≈$80
¥1,898 more than the one above
Course
【京懐石】全8品
Dinner / Lunch · 8 dishes · 2–10 guests
- Kaiseki
- Sashimi
What is served (10)（menu in Japanese）
- 先付
- 八寸
- お造り
- 炊合
- 焼物
- 酢物
- 吸物
- 御飯
- 京漬物
- 果物
¥13,915
per person, tax & service incl., ≈$90
¥2,530 more than the one above
The food
Photos from the restaurant's page on Tabelog.
Prices
| Dinner | ¥15,000–19,999 per person |
|---|---|
| Lunch | ¥10,000–14,999 per person |
| Diners report spending | ¥15,000–19,999 at dinner, ¥10,000–14,999 at lunch |
| Credit cards | |
| Electronic money | Not accepted |
Opening hours
| Monday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
| Wednesday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
| Thursday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
| Friday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
| Saturday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
| Sunday | 11:30–15:00, 17:00–21:30 |
Seats and rooms
Inside
The dining room, in photos from the restaurant's page on Tabelog.
| Seats | 300 |
|---|---|
| Private rooms | Yes, for 2 people |
| Private hire | Possible |
| Smoking | Non smoking On and outside the premises |
| Children | Children are welcome |
| Setting | Beautiful view, Tatami room, Sunken seating, Wheelchair accessible |
| Drinks | Sake (Nihonshu), Shochu (Japanese spirits), Wine |
Getting there
14 min walk (1,110 m) from Higashiyama Station, Exit 1.
Also near: Gion-shijo (Exit 7): 14 min · Keage: 19 min
- Leave Higashiyama Station by Exit 1 and walk east for 20 m.
- Turn right at Tassel Hotel Sanjo Shirakawa and walk 20 m.
- Turn left at Tassel Hotel Sanjo Shirakawa and walk 130 m.
- Turn left and walk 20 m.
- Turn left and walk 40 m.
- Turn right and walk 30 m.
- Turn right and walk 140 m.
- Turn left onto Kachō Street and walk 20 m.
- Turn right and walk 130 m.
- Turn right onto Jingū Street and walk 220 m.
- Turn left at café KARIN and walk 190 m.
- Bear right and walk 40 m.
- Bear right and walk 20 m.
- Turn right and walk 20 m.
You arrive at Saami.
Look for
左阿彌
The restaurant's name, as on its sign
Show this to a taxi driver
左阿彌京都府京都市東山区八坂鳥居前東入ル円山町7-3
The address in Japanese, as drivers enter it
Location
| Address | 7-3 -, Kyoto 605-0071 |
|---|---|
| Stations |
|
| Directions | It is located in Maruyama Park. |
Nearby
Sights within a walk
- Kōdai-ji Temple, 350 m, about 6 min walk
- Yasaka Shrine, 390 m, about 7 min walk
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple, 1.0 km, about 16 min walk
Questions visitors ask
How much does Saami cost?
The restaurant puts dinner at ¥15,000–19,999 per person and lunch at ¥10,000–14,999. Drinks may be extra; credit cards are accepted.
Can I bring children to Saami?
Children are welcome.
What is the nearest station to Saami?
Higashiyama Station, about 14 minutes on foot (1,110 m). Keage Station is about 13 minutes away.
Sources
Facts on this page come from Tabelog (checked in November 2026), Ikyu, and the restaurant's website; the walking directions from OpenStreetMap. Report a correction.