Ending my long day back at the station, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to recharge than Heso Kyoto Ekimae. There’s something incredibly satisfying about stepping into a bustling, authentic izakaya after a day of exploring, and Heso hit the spot with its vibrant, high-energy atmosphere.

Nothing beats the first crisp, cold sip of a Sapporo beer after hours on the move, and pairing it with a spread of their signature kushikatsu skewers made the meal feel like a real treat. The skewers were perfectly fried—crispy on the outside and tender within—and every bite captured that classic, comforting izakaya flavor I’ve come to love in Kyoto.

Sitting there, surrounded by the hum of locals unwinding, I felt completely in the moment. It was the perfect, unpretentious end to my day, letting the flavors of the city and the warmth of the setting turn a simple dinner into a genuine Kyoto memory.