Hana-no Mai

I was not keen on any of the offerings on Sanjou street so I decided on a whim to eat inside the infamous Ikedaya Inn. It screamed of a tourist trap, but did not expect a decent izakaya to have set up inside there. There was a special Hakuoki (Videogame) special on at the time of my arrival which r...eally appealed to me. Special autographed signs, a special menu with coasters, and some merchandise were available. The booth-like sitting with the shoji screen was probably part of the inn gimmick but I liked it for its privacy. The food was not bad and the locals here were eating and drinking well around me. The price was a bit costly though, but was par for the course for most izakayas in Kyoto. At the end of the day I could say that I dined in the historical Ikedaya Inn - as long as I don't mention the mannequins. If you are a fan of anything with a strong Bakumatsu reference, this may be a fun choice of a snack/drink place in Kyoto.

Visited October 2019

This cafe in the izakaya mould is located in the basement of Kawaramachisanjo area of Kyoto. You have to ring the bill at the ground level for a girl to show you a place after some waiting. Some seating space are where you can sit exclusively with a curtain to shield you and there are others ( like ...the one we were given) which shared space with three other seating spaces.The menu is digital ( English menu available) and you have just to confirm your order after pressing a button in the tablet.We ordered a nice but in expensive sake bottle( since we couldn’t finish it we carried it with us after due permission).The food was lovely and the helpings very generous and prices reasonable.The tofu salad, fish fried rice and king-sized mackerel were excellent. The service is very good and the place is efficiently run by few young ladies.Since it is a Izakaya you can smoke while eating. Would highly recommend.

Visited October 2018

The food is ok. Decoration is touristic like. Not worth a special trip. Not cheap. Any other sushi place would be just as good for tourists. Disappointing!

Visited June 2018

Built on the site of the Ikedaya Inn where the Shinsengumi and samurai of the Chōshū and Tosa clans clashed. Busy and obviously popular with the locals. The food was enjoyably OK but nothing to shout home about as they say. There are plenty of Shinsengumi themed bits and bobs around the restaurant i...ncluding some set piece mannequin tableaus. Worth going just to say you've eaten at the Ikedaya if you are a Shinsengumi fan

Visited March 2018

Unfortunately the food is very average indeed and not very tasty or unusual. This restaurant really is trading on its history which is far more colourful and interesting than its food. It is not a bad restaurant -rather, you would only come here for a laugh and drinks with friends. Legend has it t...hat a famous incident took place between two samurai clans at the spot where this restaurant sits near the Sanjō Bridge on July 8th, 1864. The story goes that samurai from the Chōshū clan were planning to set fire to Kyoto, and use the ensuing confusion to attack their enemies. Members of the Shinsengumi clan found out about the plot and decided to thwart their plans by attacking thekm at the Ikedya Inn. A great fight took place that spilled out onto the streets and onto the Sanjo bridge itself. You can even see cuts on the finials of that bridge (see the 2nd finial on the south western end of the bridge). The result was that the Shinsengumi killed eight and arrested twenty-three of the Chōshū. The restaurant honours the Shinsengumi with samurai statues, swords and two samurai mannequins posed as fighting. The inside of the restaurant is in the design of an old Japanese inn. Staff are dressed in the Shinsengumi light blue haori jacket with a headband that reads makoto or “sincerity”. On the walls of the restaurant are manga style pictures of well-known Shinsengumi characters.

Visited January 2017