We are a French-Japanese family based in Kyoto. The mother is Japanese, born and raised in Japan, while the father is French and has been living in Japan for over 10 years.

Japan is full of restaurant chains that make it easy and affordable to eat out. For Japanese people, these establishments are an integral part of everyday life. The Japanese cuisine that locals enjoy on a daily basis goes far beyond well-known dishes like sushi, tempura, or sukiyaki—it spans a wide variety of genres.

This website aims to introduce, by major dish category, Japanese restaurant chains that are accessible in Kyoto. Through these examples, you can discover what Japanese people actually eat every day.

We created this site to help family members, friends, and acquaintances visiting Kyoto from abroad, especially to answer common questions we often receive:

• Where can you eat cheaply in Japan?

• What are your restaurant recommendations in Kyoto?

• What lesser-known Japanese specialties should I try?

• Where can I eat tempura / gyoza / etc.?

• What are the differences between udon, soba, and ramen?

• What do Japanese people eat on a daily basis?

• How do you order in a Japanese restaurant?

• …and so on.

We start by introducing restaurant chains located in areas most visited by foreign tourists, such as Kawaramachi or Kyoto Station. All the establishments mentioned on this site are places we regularly visit as a family, and we offer both a Japanese and a French perspective.

While our focus is on restaurants in Kyoto, most of these chains can also be found throughout Japan. So this guide may also be helpful for short- or long-term travelers visiting other parts of the country, giving them ideas for meals that are both accessible and representative of Japanese food culture.

Additionally, nearly all of the restaurants featured here are family-friendly, making it easy to enjoy a quick and casual meal with children. They are also well-suited for solo travelers.
In Japan, eating alone in restaurants is very common, and many of these establishments offer counter seating specifically designed for solo diners.

We’ll occasionally share the chains we typically visit as a family with our child.