Ramen in the Ichijoji area

The famous Ramen in the Ichijoji area of Kyoto is wonderfully presented up by ‘Why Kyoto?‘ who offer a comprehensive guide to the area and the various customs surrounding the ubiquitous Japanese dish.

“People hold that one of the reasons for the high number of ramen shops in Kyoto is the equally high number of students who reside in the city. There are many universities in town, and it is said that students account for ten percent of the population. To satisfy these hungry stomachs, the culture of the “cheap, quick and delicious” ramen emerged and is continuously evolving. In Kyoto, there is an famous one kilometer stretch of road in Ichijoji known as “Ramen Street” which is packed with ramen shops.

The typical Kyoto broth is a pork-based soy sauce soup that is blackish in color. The noodles are cooked until soft and topped with char siu (sliced roast pork), menma (pickled bamboo shoots) and scallions. The seven shops that make up KAIRIKIYA in Kyoto use chintan soup (clear soup) made from the bones of Japanese chickens. The various soy sauce blends and high quality back fat combine to form a mild flavor with a refreshing aftertaste. On the other hand, both Tsukemen (noodles dipped in broth) and Toripaitan (the rich and clouded chicken bones-based broths) have gained popularity over the last few years. Some shops have even crafted their own original broth and noodles. Each bowl served is an expression of the Kyoto tradition of tireless attention to detail. If reading about all this delicious ramen is making you hungry, maybe it is a good time to head down to Ichijoji. But remember, it is custom to order one bowl of noodles per person…” (Via Why Kyoto?)

Address (Ichijoji Station): Japan, 〒606-8115 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Sakyo Ward, Ichijoji Satononishicho, 102 (Google Maps)