With seasonal ingredients chosen from around the world, locally chosen products from passionate farmers are chosen to enrich every meal that guests eat. Mokubei is the restaurant to go to if you are hoping to enjoy the culture of Kyoto with seasonal ingredients and Japanese sake. With specialized vegetables, materials, and locally produced ingredients combined to create a variety of specialties, this Gion-located restaurant in Kyoto will teach you what it means to dine on true Kyoto food.

History of Mokubei

Previously established by the head chef, Shintaro Terada’s great-grandfather, years of experience have gone into making Mokubei a top-notch establishment for guests to dine at. The restaurant has been relocated numerous times in Kyoto and Kiyamachi before settling down in its current location in Hanamikoji.

Interior and Tableware

Mokubei is currently furnished with high-quality wood chosen by a famous Sukiyasaiku, which is a Japanese traditional tea ceremony room carpenter. A feeling of nature is given as wood, stone, shades of green, and carefully selected plates made from this earth are chosen. On top of the selected wood, guests can enjoy viewing the hanging scrolls with handwritten tanka poems that exemplify the Wabi-Sabi concept. At Mokubei, everything down to the tableware is specially chosen by Chef Shintaro Terada himself as he works to give customers an enjoyable taste of Kyoto.

Seating Options at Mokubei

Guests can choose from private rooms that seat up to 4-6 people, or one of the other private rooms that seat between 6-8 people. Each room in Mokubei is separated so that a sense of privacy and silence is given.

Message from Mokubei

"In order to preserve tradition, you have to continuously evolve with the times. We want to retain the fundamentals while being flexible in order to explore new ways of cooking," says -Chef Shintaro Terada