It is like a maze alley! Although I have taken pride on myself as a Kyoto monster, I have not known this alley called«Kayu Kouji». This small alley is a little intricate. I felt as if I enjoyed a small trip. Near the signboard a willow stands, which has tasteful atmosphere. Small buildings housing restaurants, apparels, furniture, shops of small items stand as if they hide themselves. The signboard shows that this small alley appeared in the early Taisho era. A long long ago a famous temple stood around here. A vegetarian restaurant for Buddhist monks called Kayuken was located in a corner of the precincts of the temple during the Meiji era, which developed into the present commercial district popular among the youth. I saw many youth gathering in the area. A couple having seats on a bench, a group looking for a restaurant… In front of the signboard, I found rare parking lots for bikes, utilizing narrow space. The poles of the parking lots are made of wood, which are also Kyoto-like. You can find some hide-outs here. In the first place I am going to enter the eel restaurant.