01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Opening the menu at Eramasa, tucked into a building in Kyoto's Saiin neighborhood, the daily selection of sashimi and kizushi (cured fish) immediately catches the eye. The lineup often includes catches rarely found at standard izakaya, from Kochi sesame mackerel (goma saba) and red mullet (himeji) to Nagasaki whitefin trevally (kaiwari), Spanish mackerel (sawara), and Kagoshima giant trevally (rōnin aji). A clean bite of fresh fish naturally calls for a cold beer or chūhai.
The appeal extends well beyond seafood to an imaginative variety of drinking snacks. Alongside regular favorites like chili beans, the kitchen turns out inventive small plates such as grilled thick fried tofu with shutō (cured fish innards) and melted cheese, shutō cream cheese, and edamame steeped in fish sauce. Diners can also mix and match cilantro-accented dishes like century egg tofu and zha cai omelet with nostalgic pub staples, including red wieners, ham katsu, and a simple bowl of Chicken Ramen.
Open from 18:00 until late at 2:00, the space features a bar-style counter where solo guests can comfortably settle in with a glass. In this unpretentious setting, it is easy to pick a few enticing bites and take your time savoring the late-night hours.
