Our History

Kyoto Scottsdale is the oldest operating Japanese restaurant in Arizona, known for their homemade sauces and signature dishes. Masa Kudo, a master Japanese chef, founded the restaurant in 1982 when Scottsdale old town was developing rapidly and becoming recognized globally.

Masa named his restaurant “Kyoto” because in Japanese it signifies the heart or capital of a region. Many local residents had their first experience with Teppanyaki, sushi, saki and Kirin beer at Kyoto.

Kyoto was known throughout the area for its delicious Japanese cooking using only the freshest herbs and special imported spices for their sauces and soups. Today, Masa’s original family teriyaki sauces and recipes have not been changed since he first started over 39 years ago. The old ways are still the best at Kyoto as many returning patrons can attest.