Hachikian, a famous chicken restaurant located along the Kamo River in Kyoto, was established in 1970 and has grown to become so popular that it now has a branch in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, supported by many celebrities. Unfortunately, Hachikian is not a restaurant that you can easily enter when you want to eat, due to its high price and the fact that reservations are required.
Kyo no Tsukuneya｜A set meal restaurant in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto where you can enjoy the taste of Hachkian, a famous chicken restaurant, without reservations
Kyo-no-Tsukune-Ya” is a set meal restaurant that opened just behind the restaurant to make it easier for customers to enjoy Hachikian’s cuisine. In addition to Hachikian’s popular Kamo Namba menu, the restaurant offers more reasonably priced popular dishes not available at the main restaurant, such as oyako-don (chicken and egg on rice), and allows customers to enjoy the taste of the famous restaurant without a reservation.
Even with a slightly more expensive menu, the restaurant is packed for both lunch and dinner!
However, as one would expect from a high-end restaurant, the set menus are also a bit expensive compared to the general market price. Some examples of the menu are as follows
- Kamo Namba (duck): 1,500 yen
- Chicken cutlet set meal: 1,500 yen
- Oyako-don: 1300 yen
- Tsukune-age set meal: 1,100 yen
- Special fried chicken set meal: 1100 yen
(Note: All prices above do not include tax.)
Even at this price point, the relatively small restaurant quickly fills up, and there is even a line outside waiting to get in.
Oyakodon at “Kyo no Tsukuneya” using three carefully selected eggs: Enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth chicken and eggs with just the right amount of heat!
The oyako-don that is not on the main restaurant’s menu is introduced here… As it was being brought from the kitchen, the aroma of sansho (Japanese pepper) hit my nose from a long way off. The aroma was quite strong even before it was placed on the table.
If you look closely at the surface, you will see a green powder on the surface of the pulled egg. It is powdered sansho. It is very Kyoto-like, but those who do not like strong-smelling ingredients may need to be a little careful.
Two of the three eggs carefully selected for oyakodon are cooked together with the chicken. The heat is just right, allowing you to fully enjoy the tenderness of the eggs and the pulled texture of the chicken. The broth made from kombu (kelp) and bonito is lightly seasoned as in Kyoto. When you break the yolk that sits in the center of the bowl and blend it in, the light flavor of oyakodon becomes even milder, and the rice goes down smoothly as if you are just shoveling it in. For an oyako-don, it is probably one of the most refined flavors.
Kamo Namba: Hachikian’s popular menu item is surprisingly well-seasoned Kanto style
My second visit to Kyo no Tsukuneya was on a Sunday in the height of summer. Kyo no Tsukuneya had been closed for some time, but recently reopened for lunch only, and this visit was the first time I heard about it.
The target this time was “Kamo Namba,” another popular menu item at Hachikian. Like the oyakodon, it can be ordered separately at Kyo no Tsukuneya.
- Main menu during lunch hours
- Oyako-don (rice topped with chicken and eggs)
- Kamo namba (choice of udon or soba)
- Fried chicken set meal
- Bowl of rice topped with chicken cutlet
- Cold soba or udon
- Lunch set meal
Maybe it was because the restaurant had just opened, or maybe it was not yet known that the restaurant was reopening for lunch. I took a seat and ordered Kamo Namba (Soba) for 1,500 yen. 15 minutes’ wait and my dish was delivered…
When you take a bite of the soba, the aroma of soba fills your mouth, followed by the sweetness of the dashi broth. The broth is relatively well seasoned for Kyoto’s udon and soba, and even gives the impression of being similar to Kanto’s udon broth.
When you scoop the broth into your mouth, you can taste the subtle flavor of the duck. The broth is made from bonito, Uruume, and kelp, combined with soy sauce and sugar, and it does not overpower the flavor of the duck meat at all.
The duck meat was fatty, and I threw it into my mouth with crispy kujo leeks, remembering the saying, “A duck carrying a leek on its back…” I sprinkled powdered sansho (Japanese pepper) on the duck meat to change its flavor… I enjoyed every last drop of soup before leaving the restaurant.
Incidentally, as of September 11, 2019, they have reopened for business at night.
Easy access from Gion, only 2 stops away… to Kyo no Tsukuneya, 1 minute walk from Jingu Marutamachi station on the Keihan Electric Railway line.
Now, here are the details of the restaurant. Check here for store data…
Address: 8-3 Higashimarutamachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Phone number: 050-3490-6167
Business hours: 11:30-14:00 LO, 17:00-20:30 LO
Closed: Monday (If Monday is a national holiday, the restaurant is closed on the following Tuesday.)
P.S. If you are looking for a delicious oyakodon in Kyoto, please stop by this article…
Beijing Cuisine Seikatei
Leave a Reply