Ranked as the top attraction on Tripadvisor, Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷) is the place to be in Kyoto. To reach there, one can either take JR Nara Line to Inari station, or Keihan Main Line to Fushimi Inari Station. Having said so, both stations lead to different experience; JR Inari offers immediate glance of the shrine and hence quicker access while Keihan Fushimi Inari gives everyone the opportunity to feast along the way.
Located about 2 minutes away from the Keihan Fushimi Inari station lays Oshokujidokoro Inari (お食事処いなり), a small family-run restaurant that welcomes the patrons in sky blue sun shade. As the arrangement of about 10 tables with 4 low-back chairs each leaves almost no gap in between, this authentic Japanese restaurant can be occupied easily during lunch hours.
When it comes to food selection, Inari Sushi and Kitsune Soba/Udon are highly recommended for being part of the tale behind Fushimi Inari Shrine; comes in rice and in noodles, both feature the same piece of aburaage 油揚げ(deep fried tofu skin), which believed to be favorite food of Kitsune (foxes), messengers of Inari Okami (Shinto God of Rice).
After a full meal, one can go to Kyōzuan (京豆庵), a dessert shop specializes in tofu (bean curd) flavored soft ice-cream located just opposite the street. Their reversible ice-cream added a playful feature on top of the soft texture and rich tofu flavor, making Kyōzuan a popular spot to check in.
While Oshokujidokoro Inari is not the only one offering full meal here, most restaurants would display these plastic food replicas in providing an insight of their menu to the passers-by. For those do not understand Japanese, this may be the perfect solution in ordering food as they can take a photo of their choice and show it to the waiter. Else, they can always ask for a English menu.
Featuring rows of food replicas on the right and a Japanese chef noodle making process on the left, Fushimi An (伏見庵) surely knows how to attract the customers. The seating arrangement here is more comfortable with the options of low-back chairs or zabuton (Japanese cushion for sitting) for large group. The portion here may not be as huge but what it lacks in quantity it makes up in variety within a set. Price wise is slighter higher but still within 1,000yen range.
For those who take pleasure in street food, these few stalls of yakitori, taiyaki parfait, yakisoba and others would satisfy the cravings. Selling at 500yen each, one stick of these large sized yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers) is more than enough to exchange for a nice big bowl of gyudon (beef don) at Sukiya yet the succulent chicken meat between those negi (Welsh onion), either immersed in their special sauce or sprinkled with some coarse salt definitely worth every penny.
