Back at Kyoto Station after spending time at Toei Kyoto Studio, I strolled through Kyoto Porta and let myself get lost among the many shops and restaurants. There were too many good options to choose from, but in the end I went with a chicken karaage set at Minoru Dining. It was exactly the kind of comforting, well-balanced meal I wanted after a long day of exploring Kyoto.

Chicken karaage is Japan’s beloved fried chicken: bite-sized pieces of chicken, usually marinated and then deep-fried until crisp on the outside and juicy inside. The dish is widely associated with soy, ginger, and a light crunchy texture, and its modern popularity grew strongly after World War II.

Kyoto Porta is the underground shopping and dining complex directly connected to Kyoto Station, and its name comes from the Italian word “porta,” meaning “gate” or “entrance.” It opened in 1980 as Kyoto’s first underground shopping center and was reborn in 2023 after merging with The Cube specialty store street, making it one of the station’s major retail and dining hubs.