The Best Places for Ramen in Kyoto

Located at a 5 min walk away from Kyoto station, Honke Daiichiasahi has been serving up hot bowls of fresh ramen for almost fifty years. The intense flavour of the dish, plenty of thin roast pork slices and a delicious soup attracts flocks of people to queue outside the ramen place every day. If you want some side dishes, gyoza (Japanese pan-fried dumplings) perfectly compliment the hot savoury taste of the ramen, and are an excellent choice. And as it’s only closed a ridiculous 3 hours day, any time in Kyoto time can be ramen time.

Kyoto Kairikiya is well known for Kujo Negi Ramen. This is ramen made from strips of Kujo negi (Kyoto scallions), and which aims to help improve your blood circulation and keep your body warm. Enjoy the Kujo negi by dipping it into the soup. Another must try is the Soy Sauce Ramen with Seabura (pork fat). You can even add extras to your ramen, such as nori or corn. Apart from ramen, the restaurant also offers a wide range of Japanese snacks. A Kyoto must-visit.

Muteppou is committed to presenting high quality ramen. By using first rate domestic pork bone to make the rich soup, Muteppou produces an intense flavour of pork ramen. Due to the delicious and irresistible soup, the restaurant offers Kaedama (extra serving of noodles) so you can enjoy as much as you want. If you visit during a seasonal holiday, you might have the opportunity to try special ramen from their seasonal menu.

Kyoto Ramen Koji offers a wider variety of different ramen. Located on the 10th floor of Kyoto Station, Kyoto Ramen Koji/Street is home to eight tiny ramen restaurants, all dishing up delicious ramen with influences from all corners of Japan, from Sappora and Hakata to Fukuoka. When you’ve picked your restaurant, choose your ramen from the vending machine outside which will then give you a ticket to show to the chef. This is perfect for tourists, as you just have to recognise your ramen choice by picture and don’t have to ask for it. Perfect if you’re out with friends and everyone wants a different type of ramen, from udon to rice noodles, from seafood to pork, from spicy to plain, you can find it all at Kyoto Ramen Koji.

Kyoto Gogyo is famous for shōyu ramen (soy sauce ramen), an intensely black soup with a rich flavour. Kyoto Gogyo carefully prepares thin ramen noodles and fresh and juicy pork. While it is not usual for a ramen place to be specialized in more than one type of ramen, Kyoto Gogyo excels not only in shoyu ramen, but also tsukemen (where you dip your plain noodles in a separate bowl of soup) and miso ramen. Offering high quality ramen at affordable prices this is one of our favourite places.

Surrounded by shrines and temples, Kazu is famous for the Kyoto style ramen, made with a thicker soup than traditional ramen. The ramen soup, elastic ramen and juicy meat are irresistible. The restaurant is designed in American style, with colourful electric guitars hanging from the walls. Despite its American influences, Kazu retains the traditional taste of Kyoto ramen through which it allows you to experience Japanese culinary culture. Close to Kinkakuji temple, Kazu is a good place to take a rest before going to the next stop of your temple trip!