Inside Kyoto

A Kyoto Travel Guide

Best Affordable Sushi In Kyoto

Tokyo is justifiably famous for sushi, but you can also get great sushi in Kyoto. Here are some of the best sushi restaurants in the city that are approachable for foreign travelers.

A Nigiri sushi counter in Kyoto, with freshly prepared pieces in a row on a leaf and the raw ingredients behind the counter
Nigiri sushi in Kyoto: makesushi1 / Shutterstock.com

We’ve listed a few of our sushi standbys in this city below. They’re all affordable, good, and more importantly, approachable for non-Japanese patrons. Yes, you might find better sushi at a few of Kyoto’s elite restaurants, but it would be hard to enter such places without a Japanese friend. The places listed here are all places you can actually visit and enjoy.

  • Den Shichi (Central Kyoto; mid-range)
    One of the best and most approachable sushi bars in Kyoto, Den Shichi serves mouth-watering sushi in a classic sushi-bar atmosphere.
  • Sushi Ryori Nakata (Downtown Kyoto; mid-range to expensive)
    This downtown sushi restaurant serves some fantastic sushi in an intimate and friendly setting. It will likely be among the best sushi you’ve tried. Get your hotel to reserve.
  • Sushi Taizo (Downtown Kyoto; mid-range to expensive)
    This hidden gem of a sushi place near the Kamo-gawa River is the place to come for refined but unpretentious sushi meal. With 12 counter seats and one table, reservations are recommended.
  • Sushisei (Downtown Kyoto; mid-range)
    Sushisei is one of the best moderately priced sushi restaurants in Kyoto. They’re relatively comfortable with foreigners and its right downtown.
  • Azuma Sushi (Southern Higashiyama; mid-range)
    Eating sushi at a local neighbourhood joint doesn’t get better than this. For unpretentious, delicious sushi that won’t break the bank, head over to Azuma Sushi in Higashiyama.
  • Kanazawa Maimon Sushi Kyoto Porta Branch (Kyoto Station Area; budget)
    This excellent automatic sushi place beneath Kyoto Station is always crowded and for good reason: the sushi is cheap but excellent!
  • Chojiro Kyoto Avanti (Kyoto Station Area; budget)
    Just a short walk south of Kyoto Station in the Avanti Mall, this automatic sushi place is one of our favorite places for a casual sushi lunch near the station and it’s less crowded than Maimon (above).

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