01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Standing just across the street from the grandeur of Ninna-ji Temple's Nio-mon Gate, Sakon presents multi-course kaiseki meals and lunch sets grounded in traditional Kyoto culinary craft while thoughtfully incorporating Western techniques. A favorite midday choice is the day's kelp-cured white fish sushi set, where delicately cured fish takes on the savory depths of kombu and sesame over rice, accompanied by dashi-rolled omelet, seasonal appetizers, sashimi, red miso soup, and dessert. Other lunchtime options include a chirashi set topped with tenderly simmered conger eel and seasonal variations featuring daggertooth pike eel (hamo), making it a rewarding pause while exploring the surrounding temples.
The full-course menus showcase an inventive rhythm, interspersing classic Japanese sakizuke starters and sashimi with French-inspired courses such as rich potage soups, seafood, and meat mains. Rich spiny lobster soup, gently seared Japanese black wagyu beef steak, and tender abalone steak highlight the kitchen's flair for balancing French-style sauces and heat with pristine ingredients. To conclude the meal, desserts such as fragrant, chewy matcha warabi mochi leave a gentle, lingering sweetness.
The beverage selection complements the meal with options like the house-label Junmai Daiginjo Sakon, refreshing sparkling sake, curated wines, and premium Alain Milliat grape juices made to capture pure fruit character. With an understated, tranquil dining room centered around comfortable table seating, reserving ahead for lunch or dinner is highly recommended.
