April is the month of rebirth and blossoming - and not surprisingly, it’s also one of the busiest months for Kyoto! There are many must-sees in Kyoto, but if you’d like to see the best of the best in April, follow the Philosopher's Path. This path becomes a long tunnel of cherry blossoms in Spring - walking the entire path from Nanzenji Temple to Ginkakuji Temple takes about 30-45 minutes, and there are many restaurants along the way that you wouldn’t want to miss. 
Yachiyo is not any antique restaurant you’ll find in Kyoto - the nostalgic, creamy yellow building of the restaurant is surrounded by a vibrant garden with a small pond. You can choose to enjoy the natural scenery inside, or out on the terrace (Pro tip: enjoy their lit-up garden at night!). Sometimes, they even have kabuki performances!
Most people pick these two items when they visit Yachiyo: Yuba (tofu skin) shabu shabu set (¥3,700) and kaiseki bento box Amatsuki (¥3,400~¥4,900). At Yachiyo, extremely experienced professionals make yuba with soybeans and water and nothing else - you can be sure that the ingredients they use are fresh!
The Amatsuki, on the other hand, is a showcase of an extravagant Japanese kaiseki course menu in delicate crockery. If you want to try it, make sure you make a reservation - only 30 people will get to taste this each day!
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Yachiyo is open for lunch from 11AM to 4PM and dinner from 5PM to 9PM every single day throughout the year.
If you haven’t noticed already, Kyoto is all about tofu, and Rengetsu-jaya happily takes the privilege of making it their signature dish. Besides Kyoto’s famous yutofu, they’re also famous for tofu skin and namafu (wheat gluten). There’s no excuse for you to skip out on this elegant eatery - it’s only a 5-minute walk from Higashi-yama Station if you’re wondering!
When you go, get their signature 10-course tofu set (¥3,000 for lunch; ¥3,500 for dinner). You’ll get to try special tofu dishes such as boiled wheat gluten, crab miso tofu, denraku, tofu gratin, and tofu skin. Needless to say, your meal is going to be a very healthy one!
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Rengetsu-jaya is open for lunch from 11AM to 2:30PM and dinner from 5PM to 9PM. They’re closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Mikaeri is the sort of dessert place you’d love to stop by for its delicate Japanese sweets and extraordinary natural colors in the surroundings - all the more beautiful inside of Eikando Temple. There are not many places in urban cities where you can sit out there in a garden!
When you’re there, make sure you try their signature zenzai red bean mochi (¥600), mitarashi dango with sweet soy sauce glaze (¥600), and jelly-like warabi-mochi (¥600). If you prefer to shy away from the sweets, try their extremely rich matcha (¥600) and sweet sake (¥600)!
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Mikaeri is open from 9AM to 4:30PM every day. On special light-up days, they’re open until 9PM. Be aware that Mikaeri is closed on rainy days!