4 Best Restaurants in The Kansai Region, Japan

Located on a quiet backstreet just a short walk south of Horyu-ji's Great Eastern Gate, this low-key yet stylish café offers delicious lunch sets, including very local specialties such as tatsuta-age (a type of fried chicken) and deep-fried ofu (steamed wheat gluten). The café also has its own woodwork studio and shop, with a number of robot-themed wooden toys on display.

Even among Kobe's many excellent bakeries, Le Dimanche stands out. The owners bake some of the city's best artisanal bread, seamlessly integrating Japanese and European elements. Unique specialties include the renkon (lotus root) tartine, crème brûlée croissant, and signature viennois aux airelles (Viennese cranberry roll). The second-floor café is bright and airy, with rustic hardwood floors and tables. It's the perfect spot for a light snack while browsing the many boutiques along Tor Road.

Specializing in Japanese sweets and elegant bento-box meals, Yanagi-jaya's secluded tatami rooms and peacful garden transports diners to a bygone age. It can be found among the trees on a street corner, just a short walk east along the path from Kofukuji's Five-Storied Pagoda.

Part of a business established since 1615, this store serves a multitude of dishes made using kuzu, a starchy edible plant traditionally used in cooking throughout the Nara region. The affordable set menus include savory and sweet dishes, and the chilled kuzu-mochi desserts and ice-cream are a refreshing treat on a hot day. A good place to stop for lunch or a quick bite either before or after visiting Todai-ji Temple, just a stone's throw away.