Don’t hesitate.
If the Starbucks next to the Tsutaya Bookstore in the same building is too crowded, just head straight up to the second floor.
A masterwork of Japanese modernist architecture with an unbeatable terrace view of Heian Shrine and Higashiyama: “THE KYOTO MODERN TERRACE.”
“THE KYOTO MODERN TERRACE” (Kyoto Modern Terrace)**.
Architectural and Interior Design Features
1. **Masterwork of Japanese Modernist Architecture**
The restaurant is located on the second floor of Park Plaza at ROHM Theatre Kyoto (formerly Kyoto Kaikan, completed in 1960). The building was designed by **Kunio Maekawa**, one of Japan’s most iconic legendary architects of the postwar era,
and is a classic masterpiece of early Japanese modernist architecture.
2. **High Ceiling and Distinctive Wooden Tortoiseshell Ceiling:**
The first thing that catches your eye when you enter the restaurant is the open space with an impressively high 5.7-meter ceiling. The ceiling is composed of **recessed wooden tortoiseshell-shaped (hexagonal) patterns** with a strikingly beautiful geometric structure, perfectly blending modern Western construction with the refined craftsmanship of traditional Japanese woodworking.
3. **Large Floor-to-Ceiling Windows and Natural Light**
The interior is surrounded by large lattice windows and floor-to-ceiling windows, which not only bring in plenty of natural light but also offer direct views of the surrounding Okazaki area, Heian Shrine, and the Higashiyama mountains throughout the seasons.
4. **Bookish, Modern Arts-and-Culture-Inspired Decor**
Echoing Kyoto Okazaki Tsutaya Books downstairs, the restaurant features sophisticated dark wood bookshelves and display cabinets filled with books and artwork related to the arts, architecture, and lifestyle. Combined with suspended geometric modern circular pendant lights, they create a very relaxing modern salon atmosphere that is both retro-chic and cultured.
This **“THE KYOTO MODERN TERRACE” (Kyoto
)** is not only architecturally stunning; as an all-day dining restaurant, it is also highly distinctive in terms of its food, atmosphere, and location.
1. Ingenious cuisine for all five senses: Wood-fire grilling and collaborations with famous local establishments
The restaurant’s food blends Japanese and Western-style cuisine, and its biggest culinary feature is **wood-fire grilling (wood-grilled meat and vegetables)**. There is an open grill inside, where ingredients are smoked and grilled over firewood, so you can smell a faint wood aroma as soon as you enter the restaurant.
The restaurant also collaborates across industries with many long-established traditional businesses in Kyoto: 🍚
* **Rice**: Carefully selected premium rice from **Hachidaime Gihey**, an award-winning, long-established Kyoto rice merchant.
* **Desserts**: The traditional wagashi served with afternoon tea and set meals were jointly developed with **Kameya Yoshinaga**, a renowned Kyoto shop with more than 200 years of history.
☕️
* **Coffee**: Specialty coffee beans from **Ogawa Coffee**, one of Kyoto’s representative coffee brands.
2. Popular Signature Dishes You Have to Order
If you plan to dine here, the following have been extremely popular signature dishes since the restaurant opened:
) *: Served in a cast-iron pan, this very photogenic soufflé omelet is incredibly fluffy on the outside and combines cheese with Japanese dashi, accompanied by a rich hayashi sauce.
🍝
• **12-Vegetable Pasta (12品目の野菜の
)** Uses an elegant Japanese dashi to bring out the fresh sweetness of the vegetables. One plate provides a generous variety of seasonal vegetables and is especially popular with women.
📖3. Collaboration with Tsutaya Books: A Book-Filled Artsy Salon Restaurant
It is perfectly integrated with **Kyoto Okazaki Tsutaya Books** on the first floor.
The interior bookshelves hold a large selection of books on Japanese culture, art, traditional crafts, and architecture. You can order a cup of cold-drip coffee or Kyoto-brewed craft beer and browse these books at your seat, enjoying a quiet and elegant afternoon like one spent in a “literary salon.”
⛩️4. An Unbeatable Terrace View of Heian Shrine and Higashiyama
In addition to the beautiful indoor seating with high ceilings that you photographed, this restaurant lives up to its name, “Terrace,” with a **spacious outdoor terrace area** offering as many as 40 seats.
This restaurant lives up to its name, “Terrace,” with a **spacious outdoor terrace area** offering as many as 40 seats.
The terrace is right next to the famous **giant torii gate of Heian Shrine** and **Okazaki Park
**. On clear days, you can sit outside and look directly out at the Higashiyama mountains and Mount Hiei. In spring, you can look down on the cherry blossoms, and in fall, you can admire the autumn leaves. It is one of the finest locations in Kyoto for enjoying both top-tier modern architectural aesthetics and the natural scenery of the ancient capital.
