Gion Izuju
Gion, Kyoto
Source: gion-izuju.com, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Izuju has made Kyoto-style sushi at the foot of Yasaka Shrine's stone steps since the end of the Meiji era. The saba-zushi is mackerel caught off Tsushima, pressed on rice and wrapped in kombu, and the inari-zushi rice is mixed with hemp seeds, yuzu and burdock.
Insider tip
There's no table booking, but almost everything can be taken away. A small saba-zushi (six pieces) is ¥2,820 and inari-zushi ¥950, both before tax. Inari stops in midsummer, and the version with grilled Kujo leeks is made from October to March. Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays.
What the guides say about Gion Izuju
A stone at the west end of Demachi Bridge marks the end of the Saba Kaido, the old mackerel road. Gion Izuju has made Kyoto-style sushi at the foot of Yasaka Shrine's stone steps since the end of the Meiji era. Its saba-zushi is Tsushima mackerel pressed on rice and wrapped in kombu, ¥2,820 for six pieces before tax, and almost everything can be taken away. Nezameya, on the Fushimi Inari approach, does saba-zushi too, plus inari-zushi at ¥1,050 for seven and kitsune udon for ¥800.
What's on near Gion Izuju
Upcoming events within a ten-minute walk of Gion Izuju, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Gion Odori
第67回 祇園をどり
Time 13:30 and 16:00, about 1 hour Station Gion-Shijo (Keihan), exit 7, 5 min walk
Gion Higashi's is the only one of the geisha districts' odori dance shows held in autumn, a medley of nagauta and kiyomoto pieces that ends with the whole district on stage for Gion Higashi Kouta. Tickets are ¥6,000, or ¥7,000 with a tea ceremony seat, and children under 3 aren't admitted.
Gion Matsuri
祇園祭
Station Gion-Shijo (Keihan)
Yasaka Shrine's festival takes over Kyoto for the whole of July, from the opening rites on the 1st to the purification at Eki Shrine on the 31st. The days you'll want to plan round are the float processions on 17 and 24 July and the three yoiyama evenings before each, and there are paid seats on Oike-dori for both processions.
underutilized, CC BY-SA 2.0 Gion-sha Kangetsu-sai at Yasaka Shrine
祇園社観月祭（八坂神社）
Time From 19:00 Station Gion-Shijo (Keihan)
On the harvest moon night the dance stage of Yasaka Shrine hosts court dance, gagaku, koto and taiko by lantern light, and waka poems are read aloud.
underutilized, CC BY-SA 2.0 Okera Mairi at Yasaka Shrine
をけら詣り
Time Purification rite 15:00, New Year's Eve rite 19:00, the fire burns through the night Station Gion bus stop (City Bus 206), 1 min walk
After the New Year's Eve rite, the sacred okera fire burns in lanterns all night, and you light a rope from it and swing it in circles all the way home so it stays lit. People use the flame for the household altar lamp and to cook New Year zoni soup, and the burnt rope is kept in the kitchen as a charm against fire.
underutilized, CC BY-SA 2.0 Karuta Hajime at Yasaka Shrine
かるた始め式
Station Gion bus stop (City Bus 206), 1 min walk
The first karuta card game of the year is played as an offering on the Noh stage at Yasaka Shrine, followed by a show of Heian court costume.
underutilized, CC BY-SA 2.0 Nearby
Around Gion
The teahouse streets below Yasaka Shrine, best early or at dusk
Gion grew up as the town at the gate of Yasaka Shrine, and it's still where Kyoto's geiko and maiko live and work. Gion Kobu, the largest of the city's five geiko districts, keeps its teahouses along Hanamikoji-dori, and the Shirakawa canal runs through Gion Shinbashi to the north. Go early for the shrine and the temples behind it. Come back at dusk for the streets.
Gion has 25 places on the Roam Kyoto map: 6 shrines and temples, 4 shops, 4 neighbourhoods, 3 cafes, 2 landmarks, 2 restaurants, 1 bar, 1 museum, 1 park or garden and 1 bathhouse. Read the Gion guide.
Good to know
- What is the address of Gion Izuju?
- 292-1 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都府京都市東山区祇園町北側292-1).
- How do I get to Gion Izuju?
- The nearest station is Gion-Shijo (Keihan). Gion Izuju is in Gion, Kyoto.
- How much does Gion Izuju cost?
- Gion Izuju is mid-range, marked ¥¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Gion Izuju?
- Plan for 45 min.
- When is the best time to visit Gion Izuju?
- Lunchtime.
Stay near Gion Izuju
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