Future Train Kyoto Review: An Honest Review Of This Themed Dining Experience With Kids
If you haven’t heard of Future Train Kyoto, don’t worry, you’re not alone. This is a relatively new dining experience, and one that’s completely unique to this location. The restaurant is officially called FUTURE TRAIN KYOTO DINER & CAFE, but I genuinely feel it’s so much more than just a simple diner. Our Future Train Kyoto Review will cover the food, the experience, and what makes this kawaii dining experience so special (plus why we think it’s worth visiting, and for who!)
Honestly? We weren’t sure what to expect from FUTURE TRAIN KYOTO DINER & CAFE. We’d never heard of it before we were invited along for lunch. But this kawaii and immersive art dining experience ended up being one of the most memorable dining experiences of our trip.
Thinking of booking it for your next trip to Japan? Here’s everything you need to know:
This was a gifted experience. We were invited to the restaurant for the purpose of writing this review. But as always, we’re sharing our real and honest opinions.
Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
What Is Future Train Kyoto?
Future Train Kyoto is a themed dining experience that combines food with a playful, immersive concept. If you’ve ever visited Harajuku in Tokyo (If not, check out the best things to do in Harajuku with kids) then you’ll be familiar with the name Sebastian Masuda. He is a pioneering artist of kawaii culture in Japan and the mastermind behind Moshi Moshi box, the new Kawaii Monster Land, and now, Future Train.
When you think of Kyoto you probably think of unusual temples and traditional restaurants: Future Train is nothing like that! It’s the modern side of an ancient city. It boasts colourful food with a playful and immersive concept. Think bright, slightly futuristic interiors with a strong kawaii aesthetic.
And the best thing? The whole thing has a wonderfully unique railway-inspired theme. The first carriage, where you’ll find the modern art installation, is actually a real train: A decommissioned 681-series Thunderbird limited express train, to be precise. And it’s also Japan’s first restaurant that’s built on top of an abandoned elevated railway line (you’ll find it on the Umekoji High Line, and super close to Kyoto Station).
Our Experience at Future Train Kyoto (Full Future Train Review)
You can’t miss Future Train. When you arrive, you’re immediately impressed by a bubble gum pink train floating above your head. And it maintains its good impression. You walk through ticket gates and then enter the restaurant, where your equally bright pink tickets are punched by a conductor in a wonderful uniform.
From here you’re escorted to your seats: we ate in the pink, train carriage-inspired seating area, but you could also be seated in the 1960s-style futuristic bar, or the modern lounge. In the summer you can even sit outside, where you get great views over Kyoto and the nearby railway museum. We were pleased we’d been seated in the pink carriage (it was the area we were secretly hoping for! and it looked so cool!)
Now let’s talk about what you really came here for: the food! There are different menus depending on when you visit, and if you’re visiting for a special experience. We visited at lunch time, and we tried all of the dishes marked “our signature” and I’m so glad we did.
The dishes we tried were:
- Baby Train. This is the children’s meal and suitable for children up to the age of 12. Little Man ordered this, and it was a very generous portion. We love these types of children’s meals in Japan, because they’re like ‘picky plates’ with a little bit of everything, meaning kids will always find something to eat. This one included a hamburger steak, tempura shrimp, rice, french fries, broccoli and a potato croquette. Little man is 10 and ate all of it (he loves his food) and felt full, but he still had room for a dessert of course!
- Mixed Grill Plate. Big Boy is now 13 and has a bigger appetite than me and his dad combined! So he loved this mixed grill packed with his two favourite thing: fries and meat! It included a steak, chicken steak, and sausage. The quality of the meat was excellent.
- Rib Eye Beef Steak Plate. I love steak but don’t eat it very often, so this was a real treat! It was cooked perfectly, and melted in the mouth.
*Note: Both of a plates came as a meal set, which means they were served with light and fluffy popovers (similar to yorkshire puddings) served with syrup, and then a light amuse bouche before the main dish was served. I loved the popovers and syrup so much I could have eaten a dozen!
- Gokakenran Burger, Ume Mirai. This was Mike’s choice and he says it was incredible. Full of rich flavour, such as plum layered with egg, bacon, and onion relish. It doesn’t sound like it will work together, but it really does. And I don’t want to ruin the surprise (you can see it in the Instagram video above if you want to!) but the unique way it was served was an absolute highlight for all of us.
- Kawaii Five Story Pagoda Parfait. This dessert is the stand out dish of the whole restaurant for me! Standing at 30cm tall, this pagoda themed parfait looks cute, but tastes amazing. It utilises ice cream and local Kyoto sweets to create a rich and delicious dessert you won’t want to miss.
- Birdie Buddy’s Pancake. If you like fluffy, jiggly Japanese pancakes, you’ll love this dish! Pancakes served to look like the restaurant’s mascot, Birdie Buddy, these are sweet, soft and creamy.
What Future Train Is Like With Kids
Future Train works for every occasion: themed dinners, date nights, and I would love to attend one of their special evening events. They look cute and a little wacky at the same time.
But I think visiting with kids is where Future Train really shines. Our boys loved having their admission tickets punched, exploring the art installation inside the shinkansen carriage, and our youngest even tucked into a kids meal that was served inside a replica of the train itself.
We visited during lunch time, and there were plenty of other families with young children in the restaurant. I think this is worth mentioning, because it’s sometimes reassuring to be in a space where there are other families and children. (Especially if your kids have a tendency to be a little noisy when they’re excited, like mine).
The kids were made to feel so welcome by all of the staff and there were child-friendly souvenirs (including train driver hats and mascot plushies) available in the on-site shop. We walked out of the restaurant with the kids saying “That was so cool mum” and “I feel so full, that lunch was delicious” and those are the only kind of rave reviews that matter to me!
Is Future Train Worth It?
We loved every minute of our Future Train experience and this Future Train Kyoto review is a true testament to that. If you’re expecting Michelin-starred food and a calming dining environment, then this probably isn’t right for you. But if good food served in a fun way that is uniquely Japanese is what you’re looking for, then I couldn’t recommend it more.
It was fun for the boys, great for me (because I love all things kawaii and have a passion for harajuku culture), and even Mike had a good time because the way to that man’s heart is his belly. He loves good food!
Planning to visit Kyoto With Kids?
Check out our Kyoto With Kids hub:
👉 The Ultimate Family Guide to Visiting Kyoto
Future Train FAQs
How To Book Future Train Kyoto
Although Future Train does accept walk-in bookings when they’re available, because it’s such a popular spot, I highly recommend booking in advance. There’s nothing worse than turning up somewhere that looks this cool with kids, and then not being able to get them a table!
👉I’ve kindly been offered 10% OFF FUTURE TRAIN KYOTO DINER & CAFE Tickets if you book after reading this review. You can book these here.
Where Is Future Train Kyoto?
Future Train is located 1-minute walk from JR Umekoji-Kyotonishi Station. This is just one stop away from Kyoto station, or you can walk it in 20 minutes apparently, but our feet were too tired to contemplate the walk.
If you need it to pop into your Google maps (but it really is easy to find without) then the full address is: 〒600-8835 Umekoji High Line, 3-7 Kankijicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto.
Final Verdict and Further Reading
The food at Future Train was great, and the pagoda parfait in particular was one of the best desserts we had during our whole month-long trip in Japan. But Future Train isn’t just about the food, it’s about the experience as well.
For families travelling in Kyoto it offers something a little unexpected and fun. Especially if you’re kids love trains, or all things pink and cute! Future Train is the kind of place kids will be talking about long after the trip, and our boys loved the whole experience (not going to lie, I did too!) It was a great break away from the temples and crowds of Kyoto, which can be a bit tricky and intense for kids.
If you’re building your own family-friendly Kyoto itinerary, this is definitely one to add to your list.
Looking for other things to see and do in Kyoto? Check out:
⛩Top Tips For Visiting The Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto
🕹Nintendo Museum Kyoto Review: Is It Worth Visiting and How Do You Get Tickets?
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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
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