A5 wagyu steak box topped with a raw egg yolk, at MARE in Gion, Kyoto

Gion · Kyoto

A5 Wagyu.
One bowl, three ways.

Wagyu hitsumabushi at a quiet 13-seat counter, a short walk from Yasaka Shrine.

Lunch 11:00–14:30 · Dinner 17:00–20:30 · From ¥2,800

Reserve a table

The specialty

Niku-mabushi — Kyoto's answer to eel, made with wagyu

Hitsumabushi is a beloved Japanese ritual: a lacquered tub of rice crowned with char-grilled slices, eaten in three acts. At MARE we make it with carefully seared A5 wagyu — deeply marbled, lightly caramelized, resting on seasoned rice. The same menu is served at lunch and dinner, so midday is the easiest time to taste it without a wait.

Every dish is 100% beef — no pork is used in our kitchen.

How to eat it

Three acts, one finish — the dashi pour

Wagyu hitsumabushi set with wooden tub, three condiments and a pot of dashi broth
The full set: wagyu on rice, condiments, and a pot of hot dashi.
1

As it is

Scoop the first quarter into your bowl. Just wagyu, rice, and the sear — taste the beef on its own terms.

2

With condiments

Add green onion, wasabi and the accompaniments. The fat sharpens; the flavor turns bright.

3

Pour the dashi

Flood the last portion with hot dashi and finish it as ochazuke — the part our guests remember.

Close-up of seared A5 wagyu slices over rice Wagyu hitsumabushi tub with dashi pot beside it

Menu

Small menu, done properly

Wagyu Hitsumabushi

Our signature. A5 wagyu over rice, three ways, finished with dashi.

¥2,800–5,380

Wagyu Steak Box

Seared A5 wagyu layered over rice in a lacquer box, with egg yolk and condiments.

¥3,300–6,310

Drinks

Uji matcha beer, fresh-squeezed juice, and a short list of sake and beer.

Lunch and dinner share the same menu. Prices depend on the cut and size you choose.

Find us

In the heart of Gion

Counter seats inside MARE, Gion Kyoto
Location
Gion, Kyoto — a short walk from Yasaka Shrine and Gion-Shijo Station. Open in Google Maps
Hours
Lunch 11:00–14:30 (Sat & Sun to 15:00) · Dinner 17:00–20:30.
Days off vary — please check Google Maps for today's hours.
Seats
13 seats — a 9-seat counter and one table for four.
Dietary
Pork-free: every dish is 100% beef. Please note we are not halal-certified — our sauces contain small amounts of mirin and cooking sake (rice wine).
Reserve
Online reservations are open for both lunch and dinner. Walk-ins are welcome at lunch; dinner seats fill up fast, so booking ahead is safest.

MARE 稀 · Gion, Kyoto

Lunch is the quiet hour.

Eleven to half past two. Thirteen seats. One bowl you'll think about on the flight home. Prefer the evening? Dinner reservations are open too.

Reserve a table — lunch or dinner