Pontocho

Pontocho is Kyoto's most atmospheric dining street, a long, narrow, stone-paved alley running from Sanjo-dori to Shijo-dori, sandwiched between the Kamo River and the Takase canal along Kiyamachi. Its origins as an entertainment district go back to 1670, and the name is said to combine the Portuguese word ponte, meaning bridge, with the Japanese cho, for town or street. Pontocho is one of Kyoto's five geisha districts, and the alley is lined with tall wooden townhouses, bamboo blinds, red lanterns marked with the district's white plover emblem and discreet doorways leading to restaurants, bars and ochaya teahouses. By day it is quiet, almost sleepy; at dusk the lanterns glow and it comes alive. The cooking on offer is broad, from formal Kyoto kaiseki to yakitori, tempura, sushi, obanzai home-style dishes and even French and Italian restaurants, and many places welcome foreign visitors with English menus. In summer, restaurants on the river side of the alley build yuka, wooden dining platforms over the bank of the Kamo River, close to a hundred of them, where diners eat in the evening breeze with views across the water to the Higashiyama hills. At the alley's northern end stands the Pontocho Kaburenjo Theater, where the district's geiko and maiko perform the Kamogawa Odori dance each May. Walking Pontocho is free, and a stroll takes fifteen minutes; dining there can range from a casual skewer to an unforgettable splurge. It is also simply one of the most beautiful streets in Japan to walk at night, whether or not you stop to eat.

How to enjoy it. Walk the alley end to end after dark, from Shijo to Sanjo or the reverse, then cut through one of the narrow numbered side passages to the Kamo River bank and look back at the lanterns and restaurant windows reflected in the water. Menus and prices are usually posted outside, but some establishments, particularly teahouses and exclusive restaurants, are introduction-only or serve regulars. If you want to eat here on a specific night, especially on a yuka platform in summer, reserve ahead; walk-ins are easier at the casual places on weekdays. The yuka season generally runs from May to September, and the platforms are pleasant at lunch as well as dinner where offered.

Etiquette. Pontocho is a living neighborhood and a working geisha district, not a theme park. The alley is narrow, so walk in single file when it is busy, do not block doorways, and keep your voice down late at night. If you see a geiko or maiko heading to an appointment, let her pass and do not chase, touch or photograph her without permission; Kyoto takes this seriously. Smoking on the street and eating while walking are frowned upon. The Kamogawa Odori in May, with tickets sold through the Kaburenjo, is the respectful way to see Pontocho's performers.

Getting there and pairing. Pontocho runs just west of the Kamo River between the Sanjo and Shijo bridges. Gion-Shijo and Sanjo stations on the Keihan line, Kyoto-Kawaramachi on the Hankyu line, and the Shijo Kawaramachi bus stops are all a few minutes away. It pairs naturally with an afternoon at Nishiki Market and the downtown arcades, then an evening crossing the river to Gion and Yasaka Shrine. Families are welcome at the casual restaurants for early dinners, though the late-evening bar scene is more adult. For a lower-cost evening, many places offer set menus or counter seating at modest prices, and the Kiyamachi street running parallel along the canal has many more casual bars and izakaya. A good plan is a pre-dinner walk along the river at sunset, dinner in Pontocho and a nightcap overlooking the water. In winter, when the yuka platforms are gone, the alley feels even more intimate, with steam on the windows and lanterns glowing in the cold.