Summer Tradition Begins in Kyoto

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:40 JST, May 2, 2023

Tourists from around the country and abroad savor the refreshing breeze as they dine on traditional terraces set up by restaurants along the Kamo River in Kyoto on Monday evening, the first day of the season for the decks. The terraces, called “noryo-yuka,” are said to have started in the Edo period (1603-1867), lighting up the river bank as darkness descends during the summer. According to the local cooperative, a total of 87 riverside restaurants will offer terrace dining through the end of September. “This setting conveys a sense of the season, and the atmosphere is truly Japanese,” said a 28-year-old customer from Yao, Osaka Prefecture.