Snapshot: Kyoto's invite-only tea salon

Sara Aiko, founder of travel boutique Curated Kyoto, takes us to the restaurant Farmoon on a tour of her favourite local food and drink spots in Kyoto.

Farmoon, run by the well-known artist-turned-chef Masayo Funakoshi, is a tea salon by day and a restaurant by night.

Located in a renovated machiya (a traditional Kyoto wooden townhouse), it offers a Western take on traditional Japanese fare and is one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city.

As an ‘ichigen-san okotowari’ restaurant, it’s invite-only – no reservations or walk-ins allowed. The only way to get your foot through the door initially is to be introduced by a regular.

‘During the day it’s a tea salon serving delicious tea and sweets, and at night it turns into an invite-only restaurant serving fusion food. I love the interiors at this place,’ Sara says.