Kyoto is a premier tourist city in Japan, home to world-famous spots like the golden Kinkakuji Temple and Fushimi-Inari Taisha with its rows of red torii gates. Kyoto is also famous for "Maiko," apprentice geisha known for their elaborate kimono, white makeup, and distinctive hairstyles. They perform traditional dances and music at banquets.
Kyoto is renowned as a gourmet city with many restaurants offering traditional cuisine and sweets using Kyoto-specific ingredients. However, what's less known is Kyoto's unique ramen culture. Kyoto ramen is characterized by its rich, powerful flavors, a must-try for ramen enthusiasts.
In this article, as a ramen lover, I'll introduce you to my recommended ramen shops in Kyoto for the Kyoto Best Ramen 2024 experience!
If you are interested in Kyoto's Foods, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy Kyoto's Foods as much as possible.
Takashi Nakadomari
The Ramen Situation in Japan
Ramen is a unique Japanese noodle dish combining Chinese noodles with soup and toppings. It was created in 1910 in Asakusa, Tokyo, by a chef from China and has since spread throughout Japan. In Japan, ramen is enjoyed as a national dish, widely available in convenient forms like cup noodles.
While ramen originated from Chinese noodle dishes, it has evolved uniquely in Japan. Now, it's popular in China as "Japanese Ramen." Recently, besides traditional flavors like miso, soy sauce, salt, and tonkotsu (rich pork bone broth), creative ramen varieties like salt-lemon and tomato ramen have emerged. Throughout its long history, ramen has been loved as a unique Japanese noodle culture, and its evolution continues.
Characteristics of Kyoto Ramen
Ramen consists of three elements: soup, noodles, and toppings, with the soup being crucial in determining the overall taste. Traditional Japanese ramen includes soy sauce, salt, and miso-based soups, but many regions have developed their own unique styles, like Hakata's tonkotsu ramen.
The Kyoto ramen featured in this Kyoto Best Ramen 2024 guide is characterized by its rich soup. There are three main types: a strong soy sauce flavor based on pork, a chicken-based soup with long-simmered vegetables, and a chicken bone soup with added pork back fat. Many shops also use Kujo green onions, a soft and sweet local variety, as a topping, adding a unique regional touch.
Now, let's explore the ultimate Kyoto ramen experiences you can only taste in Kyoto.
Recommended Ramen Shops Around Kyoto Station
Honke Daiichi Asahi Main Store
source：Tabelog
Located just a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Station, "Honke Daiichi Asahi Main Store" has over 70 years of history. Beloved by locals, it's a representative Kyoto ramen shop and has been selected as one of the 100 ramen shops Japanese people want to visit.
The secret to its popularity lies in its carefully crafted noodles and soup. The soup, in particular, perfectly balances the rich umami of domestic pork bones with the soft flavor of raw soy sauce (fresh, unheated soy sauce). The taste is rich and deep, yet with a clean aftertaste - I always end up drinking all the soup!
You can customize the noodle firmness, soup and soy sauce concentration, and toppings for free. The recommended menu item is the "Special Ramen," which comes with twice the amount of char siu (roasted pork) and extra noodles compared to the regular ramen. It's a fully satisfying way to experience "Honke Daiichi Asahi Main Store" ramen. Don't miss it!
There might be a one-hour wait in line sometimes, but it's worth it!
<Basic Information>
- Address: 845 Higashishiokojimukaihata-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: 6:00 - 01:00
- Closed: Thursdays
- Phone: 075-351-6321
- Official Website
English Version
MENYA KIYO Kyoto Station Front Branch
source：Official Website
Located just a 2-minute walk from Kyoto Station, "MENYA KIYO Kyoto Station Front Branch" inherits the flavors of the popular "Menya Yuukou" in Kyoto. The interior is clean and stylish, with a focus on soup and homemade noodles.
The soup is rich and flavorful, concentrating the umami of oysters, clams, and shijimi clams in a shellfish broth mixed with traditional Kyoto soy sauce. This soup has a light taste that remains delicious to the last drop. The whole wheat noodles, made fresh every morning at their own noodle factory, are springy with a good bite and high nutritional value.
My recommendation is the most popular "HACHIKU," a luxurious ramen where the noodles and shellfish broth soup blend perfectly. The soy sauce-based soup is concentrated with the sweetness and umami of shellfish broth, enhancing the deliciousness of the medium-thick straight noodles.
The char siu (roasted pork) topping is also moist and not at all greasy. Don't miss this popular Kyoto ramen!
<Basic Information>
- Address: 1F Kyoto Sun Building, 736 Higashishiokoji-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: 11:00 - 14:30, 17:30 - 22:30
- Closed: Irregular (Check the official Instagram for closure days)
- Phone: 075-746-6360
- Official Website
- Official Instagram
Kaidashimen Kitada
source：Tabelog
"Kaidashimen Kitada," located a 7-minute walk from Kyoto Station, opened in 2021. This notable ramen shop operates from 7 AM to 10 PM and is known for its light ramen specializing in shellfish broth.
The interior is clean and cozy, suitable for small groups. It's relatively easy to get in during the morning and is popular for breakfast. The gentle taste of the shellfish broth makes it a good choice even for those craving ramen in the morning.
My recommendation is the "Kaidashimen," featuring a rich soup packed with deep shellfish umami. The thin noodles pair perfectly with the wonderfully fragrant shellfish soup. You can add a small amount of yuzu kosho (citrus pepper paste) or Japanese pepper from the table to your liking, adding a nice aroma and moderate stimulation that keeps it enjoyable to the last bite. Don't miss this refined ramen, a strong contender for Kyoto Best Ramen 2024!
<Basic Information>
- Address: 570-3 Kitafudodo-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: 07:00 - 22:00
- Closed: Irregular (Check the official Instagram for closure days)
- Phone: 075-366-4051
- Official Instagram
RAMEN Tomomura
source：Tabelog
"RAMEN Tomomura" is located a 5-minute walk from the Hachijo Exit of Kyoto Station and opened in November 2023. The interior is long and narrow with counter and table seats. The energetic staff and warm atmosphere create a comfortable environment that warms both body and soul.
This shop offers only one type of ramen: pork bone soy sauce ramen. The soup, concentrated with pork bone umami, is rich yet light, perfectly intertwining with the very thin straight noodles. The char siu (roasted pork) topping is sliced thick, well-marinated, and has a rich flavor. It's an exquisite ramen with a perfect balance of noodles, toppings, and soup.
Located near Kyoto Station, it's conveniently accessible. Do visit! The menu is available in English and Chinese, making it easy for tourists to order.
<Basic Information>
- Address: 1F Emblem Kyomon, 1-3 Higashikujo Kamitonda-cho, Minami-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: 11:00 - 15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 18:00 - 21:00
Sundays 11:00 - 15:00
- Closed: Irregular (Check the official Instagram for hours and closure days)
- Phone: 075-691-7997
- Official Instagram
Mensho Takamatsu Kyoto Station Building Ramen Koji Branch
source：Tabelog
"Mensho Takamatsu Kyoto Station Building Ramen Koji Branch" is popular for its delicious ramen and quick, polite service. Located on the 10th floor of the Kyoto Station Building in the "KYOTO RAMEN KOJI," it's just a 1-minute walk from the west ticket gate of JR Kyoto Station, making it convenient for tourists to visit between sightseeing and travel.
The recommended menu item is the "Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen Noodles) (Chicken and Seafood)." The noodles, made from stone-ground whole wheat flour, are fragrant and pair excellently with the rich chicken and seafood dipping sauce.
Here's the recommended way to eat:
1. First, taste the noodles alone.
2. Dip the noodles in the sauce and eat about half, then add finely chopped onions to the soup.
3. Squeeze Sudachi (a citrus fruit similar to lime) over the remaining noodles and sprinkle a small amount of Black Shichimi (a Japanese spice blend featuring black sesame seeds and chili pepper) for a refreshing sourness and spiciness.
4. Add soup from the pot on the table to the dipping sauce, add a little Aosa (a type of green seaweed), and drink it all.
If the dipping sauce cools down, ask the staff to reheat it to enjoy it deliciously until the end. The "Tsukemen," which allows you to enjoy four different ways of eating in one meal, is exquisite and recommended even for beginners. Don't miss it!
<Basic Information>
- Address: 10F West Zone, Kyoto Station Building, 901 Higashishiokoji-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: 11:00 - 22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
- Closed: New Year's holidays
- Phone: 075-352-0003
- Official Website
- Official X
Recommended Ramen Shops in Arashiyama Area
Arashiyama Tenryuu Ramen
source：Tabelog
"Arashiyama Tenryuu Ramen" is located near Togetsukyo Bridge in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto. Their signature dish, "Arashiyama Tenryuu Ramen," is a Kyoto-style back fat soy sauce ramen. It features a rich chicken and soy sauce soup that pairs well with the firm, thin straight noodles.
My recommended menu item is the "Kujo Negi Ramen." It's topped with plenty of Kujo green onions on the rich soup and chewy straight noodles. The thickly cut Kujo green onions complement both the soup and noodles perfectly, with their freshness melding into the soup, making it enjoyable to the last bite without getting tired of the flavor.
They also offer half-sized ramen on weekdays, perfect for when you're not too hungry. With its convenient location for tourists, it's definitely worth a visit!
<Basic Information>
- Address: Arashiyama Square West Park, 3-25 Sagatenryuji Susukinobaba-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: [Mon-Fri] 11:00 - 16:00, [Sat-Sun] 11:00 - 16:30
- Phone: 080-3838-1351
- Official Instagram
Ra-Men Semmon Ten Dai Ki
source：Tabelog
"Ra-Men Semmon Ten Dai Ki" is a ramen shop established in 1982 in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto. Famous among ramen lovers, Dai Ki always has a queue, so weekday visits are recommended. With over 40 years of history, this shop offers traditional pork bone soy sauce ramen.
My recommended menu item is the "Shoyu Ramen." While the soup has the umami of pork bones dissolved in it, it's characterized by its light taste. The homemade char siu (roasted pork), which is particularly well-reviewed, is fatty and melt-in-your-mouth, with its saltiness and umami dissolving into the soup, making it exquisite. The fresh Kujo green onions sourced in the morning and the soft medium-thin straight noodles blend well with the soup, making it very delicious.
The char siu rice bowl is also popular, so I recommend having it with your ramen if you're particularly hungry.
<Basic Information>
- Address: 16 Umetsu Nishiura-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: [Tue-Fri] 11:00 - 15:00, [Sat-Sun] 11:00 - 15:00, 17:30 - 20:00
- Closed: Mondays, 3rd Sunday of the month
- Phone: 075-882-9897
- Official Website
Ramen Arashi
source：Tabelog
"Ramen Arashi" in the Arashiyama area offers salt tonkotsu ramen, which is rare in Kyoto. It's located a 14-minute walk from the nearest station, "Kurumazakijinja Station." Situated along a large road with parking spaces, it's easily accessible by car. The staff is very friendly, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
The recommended menu item is "Arashi Ramen." It features a salt pork bone soup that perfectly balances the refreshing taste of salt ramen with the richness of tonkotsu. The toppings are also creative, including mizuna (Japanese mustard greens), shibazuke (pickled vegetables), and wakame (seaweed). The noodles are very thin and straight, blending well with the soup to create a delicious ramen!
For those who want to try a new Kyoto ramen experience as an evolved tonkotsu ramen, this shop is highly recommended!
<Basic Information>
- Address: 12-2 Saga Hirosawa Minamino-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
- Hours: [Tue-Sun] 11:30 - 15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 18:30 - 22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
- Closed: Mondays
- Phone: 075-881-9551
- Official Website: None
- Reservations: Accepted
- English menu available
Summary
Kyoto is a globally renowned tourist destination and is also known as a city of gourmet cuisine. Ramen is no exception, with numerous famous shops scattered throughout Kyoto where you can enjoy exquisite ramen. Among them, the eight shops introduced here are all highly recommended.
In Kyoto, you can particularly enjoy ramen with rich, thick broth infused with chicken or pork fat. If you prefer ramen with a robust and deep flavor, you'll undoubtedly find it to your liking.
When you visit Kyoto, be sure to try the unique and appealing ramen at the shops introduced here.