Hyotei

The story

Hyotei Kyoto: Michelin 3-Star Japanese Kaiseki at Nanzenji

Hyotei, at 35 Nanzenji Kusagawacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, is a Japanese kaiseki restaurant that earned three Michelin stars in the 2026 guide for exceptional cuisine. The house began as a teahouse at the main gate of Nanzenji temple and has cooked on the site for more than 400 years.

Tea-house cooking with a long history

The menu draws on chakaiseki, the simple meal served alongside the tea ceremony, and shifts with each season. The house specialty is the Hyotei tamago, named on the restaurant's own site as its signature dish. Gault&Millau gave the restaurant 17.5 points for 2026.

Seasonal rice porridge

Morning rice porridge, asagayu, is served at the main branch in July and August and at the annex through the spring and summer months. From December 1 to March 15, quail porridge takes its place. The rice is washed until loose, then cooked in quail meat and broth and finished with seri, Japanese parsley.

Rooms and garden views

The main building holds separate tea rooms, each with its own character, including a thatched-roof room that dates from the teahouse era. The annex has chairs and tables arranged around the garden, where the shokado bento is served at lunch. The garden changes with the seasons, and the rooms are arranged to face it.