in the Moon.

My first rooftop bar experience was at Ce La Vi Club Lounge & Rooftop Bar atop Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. The then-famous infinity pool and the night view behind it were truly breathtaking. It was a bit disappointing that the best seats with the best views were in the hotel guests-only area, but even just staying for about an hour made me feel incredibly luxurious.

Unfortunately, Kyoto has building height restrictions, so there aren’t any rooftop bars offering luxurious night views like Marina Bay Sands. But that doesn’t mean there are no rooftop bars at all. And what if instead of being on the rooftop of an expensive hotel where spending gets steep, it was a rooftop bar anyone could easily visit? Wouldn’t you think, “I’d like to go there once…”?

天下を獲った気分にはなれませんが、位置が高すぎないからこそのメリットも…in the Moon.からの夜景はこんな感じ…

I can’t quite feel like I’ve conquered the world, but there are advantages to not being too high up… The night view from in the Moon. looks like this…

The Kyoto rooftop bar I’m introducing this time, in the Moon., is located on the rooftop of a building just after crossing Shijo Ohashi Bridge, heading toward Yasaka Shrine along Shijo Street from Shijo Kawaramachi. Since this building is only nine stories tall, you won’t get the same sweeping, world-conquering night view you’d get from something like Marina Bay Sands, which towers 55 stories above the ground. But that doesn’t mean the view here is bad at all! In fact, when I visited the bar, I realized there are definite advantages to not being too high up…

For instance, you might notice things you’d easily miss while just walking down the street… I walk around this area regularly, and sometimes new shops pop up without me noticing. You might also look out from here and think, “Oh, there’s something over there…” making a fresh discovery. Or, looking down from here, you can clearly see the flow of people and follow where they’re heading with your eyes… Changing your perspective leads to all sorts of new observations, so the night view here is thoroughly enjoyable. In fact, its moderate height is a definite advantage.

That said, this building is still one of the tallest in the immediate area, offering excellent views with few obstructions. I previously shared the view from the rooftop of Yakiniku Tendan Gion Head Shop, but that vantage point was lower, with more obstructions limiting the distance you could see. From in the Moon., however, you can see absolutely everything Kyoto has to offer from any of the roughly 50 seats within the premises: the bustling downtown spread out directly below, the mountains encircling Kyoto, the Kyoto Tower, and more. I’d say it’s probably among the top spots for views in the Gion area…

By the way, here’s a glimpse of some of the scenery visible from in the Moon.:

The view to the west of the bar, towards Shijo Kawaramachi. It was a bit cloudy that day, so the weather wasn’t ideal, but you can still clearly see Kyoto’s cityscape and the Nishiyama mountains beyond.

In contrast, the view to the east of the bar, towards Yasaka Shrine, looks like this. Personally, I prefer this side’s view. You don’t have to stare directly into the setting sun, and you can take in the entire panorama of the Higashiyama mountain range stretching all the way to Mount Hiei…

There aren’t many elaborate dishes, but… I tried ordering a Margherita pizza at in the Moon.

Now, when you enter in the Moon., there’s a cash register counter right in front. You place your order here before moving to your seat. Since it’s a bar, there aren’t many elaborate dishes, but they do have a pretty wide variety of light food menu items.

This time I ordered a bottle of Heineken (price: ¥900 including tax) and a Margherita pizza (price: ¥1800 including tax). The diameter is about 20cm… It’s a Chicago-style pizza with a thick crust, so it’s surprisingly filling. While it’s not quite the quality of a Margherita made by a pizzeria, the generous amount of cheese is nice and gooey, the tomatoes are rich, and it’s definitely not like something you’d just heat up in the microwave. It’s perfectly fine as a snack with drinks, and I think one pizza like this would easily fill you up for dinner if you’re eating alone.

I stayed for about an hour, sipping beer slowly while nibbling on the Margherita, watching the scenery change moment by moment as the sun set. It wasn’t exactly a “million-dollar view,” but the feeling of spending the night looking down on the familiar town below was really nice. By the way, in the Moon. is open year-round, though it does have occasional closures. A rooftop bar in the cold of winter might be interesting too.

On rainy days, head to the sister restaurant in the Soup. one floor below… Access to in the Moon. is just a 1-minute walk from the nearest station, Keihan Railway’s Gion-Shijo Station.

Directly below this rooftop bar, in the Moon., you’ll find the sister restaurant in the Soup. operating on the first floor. Since it’s an indoor space, you can relax even on rainy days. Originally opened as a bistro, you can enjoy a food menu centered around French cuisine. It’s not just a rainy day escape—it’s also a great spot for a regular dinner. Now, here are the shop details…

It’s a 4-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line/Kyoto Kawaramachi Station.

P.S. If you are looking for a cozy izakaya or a bar, please stop by this article below…