Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
4 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Kyoto Issen Yoshoku
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Issen Yoshoku

This kitsch-forward diner is dedicated to an almost-forgotten “one-cent” prototype of okonomiyaki.

Kyoto, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Welcome to the uncanny valley.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Welcome to the uncanny valley.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Even the tables are decorated with retro miscellanea.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The proto-okonomiyaki.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Erotic figurines decorate the shop.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Crowded with tiny kokeshi.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
That’s Moonlight Mask, not Moon Knight.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The chaotic interior.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Very Showa-era.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Novelty figurines adorn the entire restaurant.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  greggc80 / Atlas Obscura User
  greggc80 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Okonomiyaki, the pancake-like dish cooked on a teppan grill, originated in Osaka but is ubiquitous throughout Japan. Yet few diners realize that this staple evolved from a simpler dish. Issen yōshoku, made of a loose batter with chopped green onion, strips of meat, and a Worcestershire sauce dressing, has gone all but extinct since World War II, eclipsed by the popularity of okonomiyaki, to be missed only by a few.

Issen means “one sen coin,” in reference to an obsolete currency, while yōshoku refers to Western fare. In short, this was meant to be an affordable dish for the working-class. Back then, the general public considered any food that used flour, then known as “Meriken [American] powder,” or sauce Western. Street vendors in Kyoto often sold this humble pancake wrapped up in newspapers. 

To bring back the nostalgic dish, Tatsuo Kinoshita founded the aptly named Issen Yoshoku restaurant. His rendition consists of wheat flour, bonito flakes, Kujo leek, egg, pickled ginger, tenkasu (crunchy bits of flour batter), konnyaku (devil’s tongue jelly), chikuwa (fried fishcake) and Wagyu beef, dressed with a special blend of Worcestershire sauce.

Not only does Issen Yoshoku serve a now-rare dish, but is also a popular hideout full of kitsch ornaments, from a Taisho-style parody of the iconic Coppertone advert to bromide photographs of movie stars, tiny erotic statuettes to realistic kimono-clad mannequins. Each table is decorated with such retro ephemera, including matchbox labels, pochi-bukuro envelopes and Astro Boy figurines. This place is a pinnacle of Kyoto’s so-called “B-class gourmet,” a quirky callback to the bygone era.

Related Tags

Japan Restaurants Nostalgia

Know Before You Go

The restaurant is open daily from late morning until night.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

linkogecko, Collector of Experiences, greggc80

  • linkogecko
  • Collector of Experiences
  • greggc80

Published

March 14, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Issen Yoshoku
238 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward
Kyoto, 605-0073
Japan
35.004, 135.773185
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Ichiriki

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Nokishita711

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kyoto

Kyoto

Japan

Places 46
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Ichiriki

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Nokishita711

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kyoto

Kyoto

Japan

Places 46
Stories 5

Related Places

  • The iconic rooftop statues.

    Chicago, Illinois

    Superdawg Drive-In

    Chicago’s last original drive-in restaurant is a family-run hot dog joint that started in 1948.

  • Kurdish cuisine shares some dishes, like meat kebabs, with other Middle Eastern cuisines.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Mesopotamia

    The only Kurdish restaurant in Japan invites you to learn and feast.

  • The Enterprise Bar goes hard on retro camp.

    Gila Bend, Arizona

    Space Age Lodge and Restaurant

    A lingering bit of Space Race nostalgia lies in the middle of the desert.

  • Koytili hamsei, or sheep tongue salad.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Silk Road Tarim Uyghur Restaurant

    Sample specialties from Xinjiang at this Shinjuku neighborhood gem.

  • New York, New York

    Sakagura

    More than 250 sakes are available in an izakaya hidden in the basement of a Midtown office building.

  • The Bubble Room

    Captiva, Florida

    The Bubble Room

    This kitsch eatery is chock-a-block with bric-a-brac.

  • This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Gai Tord Jae Kee

    Bangkok’s most beloved fried chicken spot lets its garlic-burrowed birds do the talking.

  • Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Charmgang

    This neon-lit back-alley spot deals in good vibes and curries that pack a punch.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.