Hard Rock Cafe opening in Kyoto in beautiful machiya townhouse building【Photos】

Music-themed restaurant doesn’t want to rock the boat and instead incorporates local cultural into its design and food items.

There’s an interesting dichotomy to Kyoto. On the one hand, the city was the capital of Japan for more than a millennium, and so remains a center for the country’s cultural traditions. But on the other hand, it’s also a city of nearly 1.5 million people, who also have interests more modern than calligraphy and flower arrangement.

So really, Kyoto is a mix of contemporary and traditional elements. Because of its strong connection to old-school arts and aesthetics, though, modern businesses often make the effort to blend in rather than stand out when opening branches in Kyoto, and the latest to do so is the Hard Rock Cafe.

The music-themed restaurant is getting ready to open its first-ever location in Kyoto. The eatery will be located in the city’s Gion quarter, known for its long, low machiya-style townhouse architecture, so rather than build a flashy modern structure, the Kyoto Hard Rock will occupy a building that keeps the flow of the traditional cityscape, and also carries numerous Japanese styling cues over to the interior as well.

There will, of course, be an attached gift shop selling exclusive Kyoto-themed Hard Rock merchandise, but what’s even more exciting is the menu. In addition to Hard Rock Standards like burgers, steaks, and other Western fare, the Hard Rock Cafe Kyoto will also have special Japanese meals making use of locally grown Kyoto vegetables.

The exact menu has yet to be revealed, but with the restaurant’s grand opening coming up soon on July 12, you’ll be able to try the special Kyoto items yourself this summer, perhaps after arriving on the gorgeous Kyotrain sightseeing train and grabbing a drink at the equally Japanese-looking Kyoto Starbucks nearby.

Restaurant information
Hard Rock Cafe Kyoto / ハードロックカフェ京都
Address: Kyoto-shi, Higashiyama-ku, Nakanocho, Shinmonzendori Yamato Oji Higashi Iri Motoyoshicho 67
京都市東山区新橋通大和大路東入元吉町 67番地

Source, images: PR Times
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