After trying so many Gion restaurants, I finally had the chance to attack this famous deep-fried tempura restaurant, Tenpura Tenhou/Tenpura Tenjou. Actually, Tenhou is quite expensive, with a set meal costing 5000 yen, but if you come for lunch, you can enjoy delicious tempura rice bowls for only about 1100 yen during the limited lunch hours!
Information about Gion Tenmangu Shrine
- Address: 244, Higashiyama-ku, Gion Shijo-dori Nawa-cho Higashi-iru, Kyoto
- Business hours: 11:00~14:00 (only donburi dishes, no reservations, need to queue on site), 17:30~21:00 (only set meals with fried food, need to make a reservation in advance)
- Closed on Wednesdays
- Transportation: Get off at “Shijo Keihan” bus stop in Kyoto City and walk for one minute
“Tenmachi” is located on Shijo Street in Gion, directly across from the famous dessert shop “Tsujiri Tea House Gion Main Store“. We recommend visiting Tenmachi on the same day as Yasaka Shrine, Gion, and Shijo Kawaramachi.
Gion One-Day Tour Route Stroll
【Kiyomizu-dera to Gion Walking Route】Nishiki Market → Hanami-koji Street → Ishibei-koji Alley → Kodai-ji Temple → Nene-no-Michi → Ichinenzaka →Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka → Kiyomizu-dera Temple → Higashiyama District → Yasaka Shrine (Maruyama Park Cherry Blossoms) → Shinkyogoku Shopping Street → Shijo-dori and Kawaramachi-dori
Price Range of Tian Zhou’s Menu
The ordering process was completed while queuing, and the following are the four limited lunch options and prices for Tianzhou:
- Ebi Ten Don (Prawn Tempura Rice Bowl): 1,900 yen (2 large prawns)
- Mixed Ten Don (Mixed Tempura Rice Bowl): 1,700 yen (2 eel fillets + 1 large prawn)—Most popular dish on site
- Ten Shu Kakiage Ten Don (Assorted Tempura Rice Bowl): 1,600 yen (small prawns + vegetables)
- Anago Ten Don (Conger Eel Tempura Rice Bowl): 1,100 yen (3 eel fillets)
Dining Environment at Tianzhou
Both Tian Zhou and Cha Liao are always crowded with people queuing up! After waiting for about 30 minutes, we finally got into the restaurant! There aren’t many seats inside, so those with fewer people will be seated at the bar.
Piao Er was sitting at the cooking bar this time, watching the master continuously repeat the actions of taking orders, frying ingredients, dipping them in sauce, and laying them on rice. The whole process was very smooth, and the master did not seem impatient at all.
Seafood Tempura Rice Bowl 1900 yen
It took about 15 minutes from being seated to the dishes being served… after all, they were freshly fried!
Although the most popular dish at the event that day was the value combo of mixed eel and shrimp, “ミックス天丼,” I wasn’t brave enough to try the eel and opted for the safer choice of “大海老天丼,” which is a shrimp tempura bowl. If you’re a fan of eel, I recommend going for the “ミックス天丼” because so many people rave about their eel!
“Seafood Tempura Rice Bowl” not only has two large prawns, but also fried pumpkin and a piece of fried perilla leaf. I think their perilla leaf is delicious. 😋
The fried shrimp has a crispy skin and the meat is super tender and chewy. But what really catches your eye is the sauce poured over the rice bowl, which is the essence of the deliciousness!
The sauce is savory and sweet, with just the right amount of flavor to make it a perfect match for rice. If you, like Piaor, enjoy spicy seasonings that tantalize your taste buds, be sure to pair it with Sichuan pepper powder for an amazing culinary experience!
The pumpkin itself is very dense and flavorful, and the vegetable part is also perfectly represented.
Actually, Piaor eats very light food herself. Although sometimes she indulges in various delicacies, the sauce from Tianzhou is really good, but it can be a bit salty if you eat too much. At this time, soup and hot tea are really good partners to relieve greasiness!
The fried set meal at Tianzhou is highly recommended for lunchtime. The ingredients are fresh and the special sauce is amazing. The chef’s frying skills are also impressive. Although there may be a long queue, it is definitely worth it.
One thing to note is that Tien Chou’s business hours start at 11:00 am and continue until sold out. Although the closing time is 2:00 pm, it is still not recommended to come after 1:30 pm!
Read More: A Curated Kyoto Food Guide That Makes Your Taste Buds Go Crazy