Two weeks of “which rice bowl today?” are coming to the basement of Daimaru Kyoto. The store’s annual “Donburi Grand Prix” (donburi: a bowl of rice with toppings) returns for its 27th edition from Wednesday, November 4 to Tuesday, November 17, 2026, on the basement food floor, “Gochiso Paradise.”
Meat bowls for a hearty lunch
The meat bowls are the first thing to catch the eye. Kyo no Oniku-dokoro Hiro’s “Hiro’s Meat-Packed Bowl” (¥1,167, tax included) is topped with beef, pork and chicken, and was reportedly the best seller at the previous Donburi Grand Prix.
Mishimatei turns the comparison set popular at its eat-in restaurant into a bowl: the “Aged Japanese Beef Sukiyaki & Grilled Beef Pair Bowl” (¥3,400, tax included; 20 per day). It lets you compare the house sukiyaki with grilled meat (yakiniku) in a single container.
Kuroge-ya’s “Black Wagyu Hitsumabushi Bowl” (with dashi broth, ¥1,944, tax included) can be enjoyed three ways in one bowl: first as it is, then with condiments, and finally with dashi poured over it. The lineup also includes Sanda-ya Honten’s “Special Beef Shigure-ni Box” (¥980, tax included), Daitokuji Saikiya’s “Black Wagyu and Hamburg Steak Dashimaki Box” (¥1,620, tax included) and Paul Bocuse’s “Roast Beef Tranche Box with the rare tomosankaku cut” (¥1,296, tax included).
Making its first appearance, Maneki Kyoto brings the “Tajima Beef Meshi” (¥1,380, tax included), made with Tajima beef simmered in Shodoshima soy sauce.
Seafood bowls, from a lavish one to a Wakayama shirasu bowl
Among the seafood bowls, 中与志’s “Special Seafood Bowl” (¥2,980, tax included; 20 per day) is the highlight, packed with sea urchin, salmon roe, crab and scallops, and with more volume than usual.
Also debuting, Maneki Kyoto offers the “Seto Inland Sea Shiitake Chirashi-zushi” (¥1,480, tax included): large, thick Seto Inland Sea shiitake over chirashi-zushi (sushi rice with toppings) scattered with conger eel, shrimp and Seto Inland Sea sea bream flakes. Depending on the shiitake harvest, it may not be available. Another debut is Shijo-Karasuma Hide’s “Miso-Grilled Sea Bream and Salmon Bowl” (¥1,620, tax included; Nov 4–10).
Some bowls are sold only in the first or second week.
- Nov 4–10: 淡兵衛 “Sushi Chef’s Makanai Bowl” (¥1,800, tax included); Sapporo Kaniya “Shiokaze” (¥1,296, tax included)
- Nov 11–17: 福扇水産 “Shirasu Bowl” (¥950, tax included; whitebait processed at the company’s own plant by a Wakayama shirasu fisherman’s shop); Sakon “Two-Style Sea Bream Bowl” (¥1,998, tax included)
Chinese, Asian and side-dish bowls
On the Asian and Chinese side: Shanghai Deli’s “Half & Half Bowl (chili shrimp & eight-treasure stir-fry)” (¥745, tax included), Rakusenro’s “Seafood Chinese Bowl” (¥1,188, tax included) and daily-changing bowls (¥972 each, tax included), Thai Shokudo Aroi’s “Gapao Rice” (¥1,080, tax included) and Okamura Shoten’s “Bibimbap” (¥980, tax included). Gapao rice and bibimbap are sold Nov 4–10.
For side-dish lovers: Toriyama Ukichi’s “Kyoto Chicken Nanban Bowl” (¥972, tax included; Tanba Ajiwai chicken with a special tartar sauce made with Kyoto pickles), Ginza Hageten’s “Nori-Bento-Style Loaded Tempura Bowl 3” (¥1,188, tax included; eight kinds of tempura), Kobe Kaikatei’s “Tartar Chicken Nanban Bowl” (¥918, tax included; 6 per day) and Osozai no Matsuoka’s “Chicken Breast Miso Katsu Bowl” (¥896, tax included). Many bowls cost under ¥1,000, which makes them easy to fit into everyday meals.
Tuna-cutting demonstration and stamp card
On Saturday, November 14 from 14:00, a tuna-cutting demonstration and sale takes place at the basement fresh-fish and dried-fish section. 中与志’s “Freshly Cut Tuna Bowl” (¥2,000, tax included; 15 limited), made with chutoro and nakaochi cuts, goes on sale after the demonstration, with numbered tickets handed out at the 14:00 show.
Buy a bowl during the event and you receive a ¥100-off pass for your next visit and a stamp card. One stamp is given per bowl, and the first 50 people to collect 12 stamps receive a spoon featuring the Daimaru Matsuzakaya mascot “Dettchi-kun.”
Event information
- Dates: Wednesday, November 4 – Tuesday, November 17, 2026
- Venue: Daimaru Kyoto, basement food floor “Gochiso Paradise”
- After 19:00 each day, bowls are sold at the individual shops
- Discount pass and stamp card: given with a bowl purchase during the event (the pass is valid at Daimaru Kyoto only and cannot be used on discounted items)
- Sales times and menu may change due to weather, transport disruption or other unavoidable circumstances; items may sell out
