Yakitori Kushikura Main Branch

The place

What this place is

At Kushikura, the choice begins with how much of the evening you want to give to the skewers. The Aoi course brings five; Irori builds a fuller meal around seven, adding soy-milk hotpot, chicken soba and pudding. Lunch offers another way in, with a daily set and chicken hitsumabushi at lower starting prices.

This is the Kyoto main restaurant on Takakura-dori, housed in a machiya that the operator and city tourism guide describe as more than a century old. Rooms and small courtyard gardens divide the interior, with counter seats and tables that leave space for your legs below floor level. Choosing a counter or a room changes the experience, so include your seating preference in the booking.

Binchotan charcoal anchors the cooking, alongside seasonal Kyoto vegetables and obanzai side dishes. The September menu introduces hamo and matsutake dobinmushi, plus ginkgo and lotus-root skewers. That seasonal movement gives the meal a reason to belong to this visit: choose the format first, then ask which dishes are on the menu now.

The machiya building is described as more than a century old. The restaurant's founding year is not confirmed. Charcoal-grilled chicken and seasonal Kyoto dishes at the Kyoto main restaurant, 584 Hiiragicho.

The catch

Why this place, specifically

Mention your party size and seating needs when booking; a particular seat cannot be guaranteed. Groups of 19 or more need direct contact, and a reservation may be cancelled if you are over 30 minutes late and unreachable. Confirm the evening total, including the 10% seating charge. Food restrictions need a specific conversation: the Chicken Hitsumabushi Course cannot be made gluten-free, and the shared kitchen cannot eliminate allergen cross-contact. Tell the restaurant about everyone in your party before choosing a course.