Sukiyaki Jyuniten Kyoto, in Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto, Japan: We are happy to share the news that our friends at the Salt Group have announced the opening of Sukiyaki Jyuniten Kyoto – a new restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, serving Japanese experiences in an elegant and traditional style.

The Japanese name for Sukiyaki Jyuniten Kyoto is すき焼き十二天 京都.  The shop is is situated in Kyoto’s Maruyama Park, not far from Yasaka Shrine, and close to Maruyama Park Concert Hall.

They are open from lunch (11 AM) through dinner (10 PM), seven days a week.

The grand opening for the new Kyoto location of Sukiyaki Jyuniten was announced on October 1, 2025.

While the Sukiyaki Jyuniten name may be a new addition to fine dining in Kyoto, Sukiyaki Jyuniten operates two, “older sister” sukiyaki restaurants in Tokyo (in Marunouchi and Hiroo respectively); each offering high grade Wagyu beef in the sukiyaki tradition and several other styles.

For visitors, Sukiyaki Jyuniten Kyoto offers the opportunity to go beyond sushi and ramen, and to become familiar with some other aspects of authentic Japanese cuisine. Dishes like sukiyaki, and other “hot pot” varieties, include the experience of cooking together at the table.

The name combines the highest beef marbling grade ’12’ with the protective deities ‘Jūniten,’ reflecting our respect for the finest Wagyu. Guests can enjoy A5 Wagyu through various preparations such as sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, oil-yaki, and steak, in refined spaces designed with natural materials.
— Sukiyaki Jyuniten Kyoto

For dishes like shabu-shabu, the name roughly translates to “swish swish;” an onomatopoeia that follows from the back-and-forth motion as the meat is cooked in the hot broth.

Before I became a full-time resident of Japan (when I was making my first visits) I discovered these cook-at-the-table Japanese restaurants.  My first experience with shabu-shabu was both delicious and an education; having a beautiful array of meat and vegetables brought to my table was new for me, and I had to be shown how to cook it.

When I returned home, I wanted to bring the experience with me. Back in America, I took my friends to restaurants like Nabe (in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset), and introduced them to this Japanese-style of cooking together at the table.

The ingredients at Sukiyaki Jyuniten Kyoto are of the highest quality, and the presentation and setting are as classic as Kyoto itself; a beautiful, traditional Japanese experience.

The Sukiyaki Jyuniten collection of restaurants is part of the Salt Group family; a Tokyo-based Japanese company, providing food and hospitality throughout Tokyo, with additional offerings in Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Kawasaki, Chiba, and international locations including London, UK.

While Kyoto’s Sukiyaki Jyuniten may be out of reach for some Osaka visitors, Salt Group has several other projects within the borders of Osaka City.

Until you can make it to Kyoto, you might check out local Salt Group restaurants like the Sorappa Dining Cafe and The Cosmopolitan – both in the Umeda area of Kita-ku.