Located in the mountains north of Kyoto, Kibune Kawadoko are traditional platform-style restaurants built over the river every May to September. They are constructed to provide a cool and picturesque setting for dining. Due to the slight rise in elevation, a thick canopy of trees, and cold, rushing water, temperatures are usually 10 degrees cooler than in the city center.
In the past, a typical experience involved an expensive multi-course kaiseki meal – which I highly recommend, if you have the time and money. While this is still the case for most of Kibune’s restaurants, some have recently created separate ‘kawadoko cafes’ where visitors can enjoy a drink, dessert, or simple lunch at a very reasonable cost.
Kibune is a small, narrow village lining a single road that runs parallel to the river. At the very top of the district is Kifune Jinja’s Okumiya, or ‘Inner Shrine’. Start there and walk south (downward) to find these wallet-friendly cafes…
HYOUE CAFE: Order your food/sweet from their regular cafe on the other side of the street. When you receive it, you will also be given a number – it corresponds to a specific table on the kawadoko where you can sit for no longer than 30 minutes. The menu includes monaka (wafer with red bean paste and cream), three original sodas, coffee, and tea. This cafe is extra special as you can dangle your feet into the cold river water. Seating charge is 500 yen plus at least one food/drink per person.
HIROBUN: A perennial favorite, Hirobun serves both kaiseki and nagashi somen – noodles sent down a bamboo shoot filled with running water. Customers must grab the noodles with their chopsticks as they pass by (1700 yen). As the restaurant does not take reservations for eating nagashi somen, there is often a line – with average waits of 1-2 hours.
SAGENTA: The ‘sister’ restaurant of Ugenta, which serves traditional kaiseki, offers self-service style dining. For lunch, choose from a rice bowl topped with yuba, wild boar, or ayu (sweetfish) tempura (1500-1850 yen) or a ‘35-color’ bento (4000-4500 yen). Desserts include cheesecake, flavored cream sodas, shaved ice, and soft serve ice cream. It is also ok to just enjoy a beer or soft drink. The seating charge is 500 yen plus at least one food/drink per person.
CAFE CHA GENTA: Also owned by Ugenta, at this cafe customers order, pay, and wait for their food across the street at Kifune Club. Once received, they carry their own items to Tea Genta’s kawadoko space. The cafe serves a variety of alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks, a handful of desserts, and (sometimes) lunch. The seating charge is 500 yen plus at least one food/drink item per person.
KOKON FUJIYA: This cafe sits on its own, south of all other businesses in Kibune. They have a handful of food items – grilled ayu and somen noodle set, fish burger, matcha-flavored soba noodles, and inari zushi. The cafe does offer a wide variety of alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages and tea-flavored desserts. Nothing costs more than 1500 yen. Kokon Fujiya also has special terrace seating for customers with dogs. And, they have eight parking spaces. The seating charge is 550 yen plus at least one food/drink item per person.
If you visit any of these locations, tell them ‘Sandy of Excursions Japan’ sent you!