Kitcho is the name in Japanese kaiseki that most visitors have heard, and the Arashiyama house in Kyoto is the one they picture. Its reach goes well beyond Arashiyama. Cooks who stayed ten, sixteen, seventeen, even thirty‑one years in Kitcho kitchens now run restaurants of their own in Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Tokyo, Kanazawa and a mountain village in Tokushima. This guide lays out who they are, where they cook, and which of their tables you can realistically get.
Kitcho and the Arashiyama house
Teiichi Yuki founded Kitcho in Osaka in 1930. He was the first cook to be named a Person of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government. The business later divided within his family into separate companies, among them Kyoto Kitcho, Tokyo Kitcho and Koraibashi Kitcho; Senba Kitcho, another of them, closed in 2008. Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama is the house most of the chefs below trained in, and several of them were taught by Yuki himself. Its executive chef since 1995 has been Kunio Tokuoka, Yuki’s grandson.
What sets Kitcho apart as a school is how long its cooks stay. Most of the chefs in the tree below spent between five and thirty‑one years in its kitchens, and several left as head chef or second chef of a Kitcho house.
The Arashiyama house is not closed to visitors, but it asks for some planning:
- Phone in Japanese, 10:00 to 21:30 (Wednesdays 10:00 to 14:00 only).
- The house’s own web form is a request, not a booking. The house calls back to confirm, so send it at least three days ahead. A web booking link is also offered.
- No fixed release day, but April and November to January sell out early.
- Closed Wednesdays and over the year‑end and New Year.
- Cancellation costs 30% from five days out, 50% the day before and 100% on the day.
The current rules are on the Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama release page.
The family tree
Each line gives the restaurant, its area, and the training and opening dates we have on record. The grouping is by the Kitcho kitchen each chef trained in.
- Kitcho (Osaka) — Teiichi Yuki, founded 1930
- Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
- Mizai (Maruyama Park, Kyoto) — Hitoshi Ishihara, studied directly under Teiichi Yuki; head chef of the Arashiyama main house, then executive chef, 31 years with Kitcho; independent 2003–04
- Zenji Suikoan (Higashi‑Azabu, Tokyo) — Tomohiro Ishida, 17 years at the Arashiyama main house, second chef from 2008 to 2014; opened in Mita in 2015, moved to Higashi‑Azabu in June 2023
- Kanzan (Shijo‑Karasuma, Kyoto) — chef Yagi, 16 years at Arashiyama Kitcho, then second chef at the Kitcho in Hotel Granvia Kyoto and head chef at Hiiragiya; opened November 2016
- Tomura (Toranomon, Tokyo) — Kimio Tomura, 13 years at Arashiyama Kitcho, also trained at Kyoaji; opened in Akasaka in 1992, moved to Toranomon in 2007
- Tsukumo (Naramachi, Nara) — Masato Nishihara, 10 years at Arashiyama Kitcho; independent 2015, moved to Naramachi in June 2021
- Toraya Kochuan (Sanagochi, Tokushima) — Koji Iwamoto, about 5 years at Arashiyama Kitcho, taught directly by Teiichi Yuki
- Akasaka Ogino (Akasaka, Tokyo) — Satoshi Ogino, 8 years at Arashiyama Kitcho straight from high school, then 5 years at Ginza Kojyu and two and a half years as head chef of Ginza Okuda; opened 10 March 2020
- Sushisho (Yotsuya, Tokyo) — Keita Katsumata, two and a half years at Arashiyama Kitcho, then joined Sushisho in 2005 and worked about 12 years under Keiji Nakazawa; in charge of the Yotsuya counter since June 2016. A sushi counter, covered in our Sushisho family guide
- Yoshinori Ishii (abroad) — Arashiyama Kitcho from 1990 to 1998, rising to second chef; then cook at Japanese ambassadors’ residences in Geneva and New York, and head chef of Umu in London from 2010 to 2021. Where he cooks now is not confirmed in our records
- Kyoto Kitcho (house not specified in our records)
- Zeniya (Katamachi, Kanazawa) — Shinichiro Takagi, the second generation of his family’s restaurant; trained at Kyoto Kitcho. He also opened Zeniya in Singapore in 2023
- Ogawa (Karasuma‑Oike, Kyoto) — Yosuke Ogawa, Kyoto Kitcho from 1996, then Gion Sasaki from 2002; independent 2010, moved to Karasuma‑Oike in January 2022
- Yamada (New York) — Isao Yamada, at Kyoto Kitcho (years and role not on record), then at a ryotei in Nagasaki; opened a kaiseki restaurant in Fukuoka in 2000, later head chef of Brushstroke in New York; opened Yamada in New York’s Chinatown in 2025
- Koraibashi Kitcho and Tokyo Kitcho
- Sakurashimmachi Ito (Sakurashimmachi, Tokyo) — chef Ito, joined at the Koraibashi main house, then head chef of Tokyo Kitcho at the Imperial Hotel for about 30 years; opened March 2024
- Kinobu (Shijo‑Karasuma, Kyoto) — Takuji Takahashi, 5 years at Tokyo Kitcho, where he also served as Teiichi Yuki’s secretary and was taught by him directly; went home to lead his family’s restaurant as its third generation
- Shogatsuya Kitcho (a restaurant of the Kitcho line)
- Sanpi Ryoron (Ebisu, Tokyo) — Masahiro Kasahara, 9 years at Shogatsuya Kitcho, then took over his family’s yakitori restaurant before opening his own; opened 2004, with further restaurants in Nagoya and elsewhere
- Aji Kitcho (Osaka)
- Yugen (Uehonmachi, Osaka) — Keisuke Mifune, head chef for his last 5 years in the Aji Kitcho group; opened June 2019
- Nishino (Kyomachibori, Osaka) — Masahiro Nishino, about 10 years at Taian in Nagahoribashi, then 2 years at Aji Kitcho; opened May 2018
- The Yuki family
- Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama (Arashiyama, Kyoto) — Kunio Tokuoka, Teiichi Yuki’s grandson; family, not an apprentice; executive chef since 1995. Kyoto Kitcho runs seven restaurants in Japan and abroad, including Singapore
- Nihonryori Yuki (Kitashinchi, Osaka) — Teiichi Yuki’s grandson; family, not an apprentice; opened 2011
- Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
Points that are often misreported:
- Nihonryori Yuki is a family restaurant, not an apprentice’s. Its chef is Teiichi Yuki’s grandson. Kunio Tokuoka at Arashiyama is also a grandson, and family.
- Ogawa left Gion for Karasuma‑Oike in January 2022.
- Masahiro Nishino trained at Taian in Nagahoribashi for about ten years before his two years at Aji Kitcho.
Counters that are easier to book
These are the restaurants in the tree where a table realistically comes up. Each is its own house with its own chef; none of them is a way into Arashiyama.
Zeniya
- The chef: Shinichiro Takagi, the second generation at Zeniya, who trained at Kyoto Kitcho. A seven‑seat open‑kitchen counter and five private rooms in Katamachi, Kanazawa.
- Price: courses roughly ¥27,000–80,000 per person, tax and service included. From November 7 to January 31 the counter serves two courses only: ¥39,600 and the snow‑crab kaiseki at ¥79,200.
- How to book: Pocket Concierge in English, Ikyu, or by phone in Japanese. No release day; crab‑season dates and the counter go two to three months out. No bookings for one guest. See the Zeniya page.
- Through us: yes. Zeniya is in our collection, so the fee is ¥6,000 per seat, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it. We also settle with the house which course is served on your date.
Toraya Kochuan
- The chef: Koji Iwamoto, about five years at Arashiyama Kitcho, taught directly by Teiichi Yuki. Three private rooms in a river village in the Tokushima mountains, about three parties a night.
- Price: lunch from ¥11,000; dinner from about ¥17,000–20,000.
- How to book: Ikyu or by phone in Japanese, by the day before at the latest. One seating each at 12:00 and 18:00, everyone starting together. There is no public transport; the house is 30–40 minutes by car from Tokushima City. See the Toraya Kochuan page.
- Through us: yes, at ¥6,000 per seat as a collection house, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it. We can arrange the car as well.
Tsukumo
- The chef: Masato Nishihara, ten years at Arashiyama Kitcho; he cooked in Karuizawa, New York and London before opening in Nara in 2015, and moved into a machiya in Naramachi in June 2021. Two MICHELIN Stars (MICHELIN Guide Japan 2026).
- Price: omakase kaiseki ¥27,500–40,000; private room plus 10%.
- How to book: phone only, in Japanese, 10:00 to 21:00, up to two months ahead to the day. No email, no booking sites. Two guests minimum; closed Mondays. See the Tsukumo page.
- Through us: yes, at ¥6,000 per seat as a collection house, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it. We call in Japanese on the day your date opens.
Ogawa
- The chef: Yosuke Ogawa, Kyoto Kitcho from 1996 and Gion Sasaki from 2002; independent in 2010, at Karasuma‑Oike since January 2022. Eleven counter seats.
- Price: courses ¥5,500–28,000. Cancellation costs 100% from the day before.
- How to book: TableCheck, the only online route since February 2025, or by phone in Japanese. How far ahead dates open is not published. Lunch at 12:00 on Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday; dinner Monday to Saturday; closed Sundays. See the Ogawa release page.
- Through us: yes. It sits outside our collection, so the fee is ¥12,000 per seat, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it.
Zenji Suikoan
- The chef: Tomohiro Ishida, 17 years at the Arashiyama main house, second chef from 2008 to 2014. Tea‑ceremony kaiseki in Higashi‑Azabu since June 2023; eight counter seats and a six‑seat private room.
- Price: not yet in our records; service charge 5–10%. We confirm the current figure when we reply to a request.
- How to book: OMAKASE, Ikyu, TableCheck or Pocket Concierge; the release schedule is unconfirmed. Two seatings with everyone starting together; closed Sundays and Mondays. See the Zenji Suikoan release page.
- Through us: yes, at ¥12,000 per seat, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it.
Other counters in the family
The rest of the tree, including Mizai, which takes bookings a year out.
- Mizai — bookings from one year ahead, by phone in Japanese or the house’s own web form; waits of six months to two years are normal. Any proxy booking must be announced to the house by the guest in advance, and the house asks overseas guests to book through their hotel, so we do not request it.
- Yugen — twelve seats including a private room; TableCheck, Ikyu, Tabelog, Pocket Concierge or phone; closed Wednesdays. It can be requested through us at ¥12,000 per seat.
- Nishino — an eight‑seat counter, dinner only, everyone starting together from 18:00; omakase ¥30,800. Phone or TableCheck. It can be requested through us at ¥12,000 per seat.
- Tomura — a six‑seat counter and rooms for four and eight; dinner ¥60,000–80,000 plus 10% service. Online request booking on Tabelog (two guests minimum) or Pocket Concierge. It can be requested through us at ¥12,000 per seat.
- Kanzan — chef Yagi’s restaurant near Shijo‑Karasuma in Kyoto, opened in 2016.
- Sakurashimmachi Ito — the Tokyo restaurant chef Ito opened in March 2024 after about thirty years at Tokyo Kitcho.
- Nihonryori Yuki — the Kitashinchi restaurant of Teiichi Yuki’s grandson, opened in 2011.
- Akasaka Ogino — Satoshi Ogino’s counter in Akasaka; a new month opens online on the 1st at 14:00 Japan time, and the book runs about seven months ahead.
- Sanpi Ryoron — Masahiro Kasahara’s restaurant in Ebisu; the following month opens on the 1st (the next business day if closed), online and by phone.
- Kinobu — Takuji Takahashi’s family ryotei in Kyoto, with many rooms; booked by phone or online.
- Sushisho — Keita Katsumata’s sushi counter in Yotsuya; first‑timers book by phone on release day.
- Abroad — Zeniya in Singapore, Yamada in New York, and Yoshinori Ishii, formerly of Umu in London. We do not request restaurants abroad.
Where we fit
The Arashiyama house books directly, by phone or its own web form, and we can also request it for you at ¥12,000 per seat; Mizai asks overseas guests to book through their hotel; we do not request Mizai. Where a restaurant in this tree can be requested, we have said so above: send the restaurant and your dates on the request form, and we will tell you plainly what is achievable. Zeniya, Toraya Kochuan and Tsukumo are in our collection and are requested at ¥6,000 per seat, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it.
SHOKU NOREN research, checked October 2026.
