🍜 The Ultimate Kyoto Ramen Guide — Choose by Broth Type
Kyoto isn’t only temples. It’s a ramen theme park: refined chicken broths in Kawaramachi, bold regional bowls at Ramen Koji (Kyoto Station), and hardcore thick styles on Ichijoji Ramen Street. Pick by broth type and you’ll always land your perfect bowl.
How to Read Flavor Profiles
Richness: Light ⇄ Heavy
Saltiness: Mild ⇄ Strong
Mouthfeel: Clear (Chintan) ⇄ Creamy (Paitan)
Aroma: Chicken / Pork / Seafood / Miso / Soy
Noodles: Very thin ⇄ Thick · Straight ⇄ Wavy · Soft ⇄ Firm
Example: “Rich, creamy chicken broth with medium-thick straight noodles and a savory soy finish.”
🐔 Chicken Paitan — Creamy, Savory & Velvety
Chicken bones are boiled hard to emulsify collagen → thick, silky white broth. Richness: High · Saltiness: Medium–High · Aroma: chicken-forward · Best noodles: medium-thick, straight.
🥇 Gokkei (Ichijoji)
Spoon-standing viscosity. A pilgrimage bowl for paitan fans.
Tenkaippin HQ (Chayama)
Almost chicken-potage texture. Add house garlic-chili for a second act.
Gion Ramen Kyo (Ramen Koji)
Drinkable, clean finish — perfect for first-timers.
TenTenYu (Ichijoji)
Sits between clear and creamy — Kyoto comfort in a bowl.
🧂 Clear Chicken Shoyu (Chintan) — Light & Elegant
Gently simmered chicken/umami stock for a clear broth with depth. Richness: Low–Medium · Saltiness: Medium · Best noodles: thin–medium straight.
🥇 Janomeya (Kawaramachi)
Beautifully restrained flavors; also offers creamy and niboshi bowls (see Hybrid).
Yukou (Kawaramachi)
Mineral, oceanic finish; a great “drink-the-broth” experience.
🐷 Tonkotsu — Milky Pork Comfort
Pork bones emulsified to a white, creamy soup. Richness: Medium–High · Saltiness: Medium–High · Best noodles: extra-thin (Hakata) or medium-thin (Kyoto).
🥇 Hakata Ikkousha (Ramen Koji)
Clean, creamy profile; choose firmness from very hard to soft.
Kogane-ya (Ramen Koji)
Beginner-friendly pork bone ramen with a gentle finish.
Takayasu (Ichijoji)
Pork + chicken “double” — cozy, balanced, very Kyoto.
🐷🧂 Pork Shoyu / Power Styles — Jiro · Iekei · Tokushima
Bold soy-driven pork broths with back fat and thicker noodles. Richness: High · Saltiness: High · Mood: bring an appetite.
🥇 Ikedaya (Ichijoji)
Say “garlic / extra fat / saltier” to level up. Share toppings if you’re new.
Ramen Todai (Ramen Koji)
Sweet-salty pork with raw egg — eat “sukiyaki-style” with white rice.
Akutagawa (Demachiyanagi)
Classic Yokohama family-style pork shoyu; dip nori, bite with rice. Win.
🐟 Seafood & Double Broth (incl. Tsukemen) — Umami Layers
Animal stock (chicken/pork) × seafood (bonito, niboshi) for depth and aroma. Richness: Medium–High · Saltiness: Medium.
🥇 Takematsu (Ramen Koji)
Elegant double broth; the tsukemen highlights wheat aroma and a long fish finish.
Tsurukame (Kawaramachi / Ichijoji)
Comforting dip-style noodles with a rounded, rich profile.
Jukou Gundan (Ichijoji)
For seasoned ramen fans who want dense, sticky seafood-pork intensity.
🧂 Shoyu / Black Shoyu / Chuka Soba — Kyoto’s Soul
Soy-led broths built on chicken or pork. Kyoto classics are cleaner; Toyama Black is intentionally salty and best with rice.
🥇 Shinpuku Saikan (Kyoto Station)
Legendary black soup; pairing black-on-black is the Kyoto move.
Daiichi Asahi (Kyoto Station)
Bright, invigorating shoyu; open early — perfect pre-train bowl.
Toyama Black — Menya Iroha (Ramen Koji)
Jet-black soy. Salty by design — a must-try regional style.
🧡 Miso — Hokkaido Richness & Aroma
Red/white miso blended with pork/chicken stock; often stir-fried veg and butter for aroma. Best noodles: medium-thick, wavy.
🥇 Kotekichi (Ramen Koji)
Classic miso comfort; add butter & corn for the full Hokkaido vibe.
Ginjou Ramen Kubota (Gojo)
Intense miso dipping sauce with thick, fragrant noodles.
🌀 Hybrid / Modern — Multiple Broths, One Shop
Perfect for groups: clear vs creamy, chicken vs seafood — everyone wins.
🥇 Janomeya (Kawaramachi)
A flexible lineup that covers light→rich without losing finesse.
Yukou (Kawaramachi)
Gentle, mineral umami; stylish and approachable for first-timers.
🕌 Halal Ramen — Pork-free, Alcohol-free
Kyoto offers chicken-based halal ramen with no pork or alcohol used. Many venues are Muslim-friendly and may offer a prayer space. Always confirm current hours and certification.
🥇 Ayam-YA Karasuma (Central Kyoto)
Popular brand serving chicken-based ramen (spicy miso, potage-style, tsukemen). No pork/alcohol policy by the brand.
Naritaya Gion (Gion)
Famous halal ramen brand’s Gion shop; chicken-based ramen and halal rice bowls. Verify hours before visiting.
🌱 Vegan Ramen — Plant-based Bowls
Fully vegan ramen avoids animal products (no pork/chicken/seafood stock, no fish flakes). Kyoto has both dedicated vegan shops and vegan options at select ramen bars.
🥇 Vegan Ramen UZU (Kyoto)
Creative bowls (e.g., green miso, tea/kelp/shiitake broths). Highly popular — reserve ahead.
TowZen (Kyoto Univ. area)
Beloved pioneer offering silky soy-milk ramen and gentle, drinkable broths.
🧾 How to Order Ramen（オーダーの仕方）
Even without Japanese, these short phrases work. You can read them out loud in romaji.
🥢 Noodle firmness（麺のかたさ）
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Very hard | バリカタ | barikata |
| Hard | かため | katame |
| Normal | ふつう | futsuu |
| Soft | やわらかめ | yawarakame |
Men wa katame de onegaishimasu.
🧂 Flavor strength（味の濃さ）
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | 味濃いめ | aji koime |
| Normal | ふつう | futsuu |
| Light | あっさりめ | assarime |
Aji wa assarime de onegaishimasu.
🫕 Oil level（油の量）
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| More oil | 油多め | abura oome |
| Normal | ふつう | futsuu |
| Less oil | 油少なめ | abura sukuname |
Abura wa sukuname de onegaishimasu.
🍥 Toppings（トッピング）
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Extra green onion | ねぎ多め | negi oome |
| No green onion | ねぎなし | negi nashi |
| Extra pork | チャーシュー多め | chaashuu oome |
| No pork | チャーシューなし | chaashuu nashi |
| Extra egg | 味玉追加 | ajitama tsuika |
Chaashuu nashi de onegaishimasu.
🥚 Full order example（実践例）
「麺はかため、味はあっさりめ、油少なめでお願いします。」
English: “Hard noodles, light flavor, less oil, please.”
Romaji: Men wa katame, aji wa assarime, abura sukuname de onegaishimasu.
🕌 Dietary requests（ハラール・ビーガン）
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| No pork | 豚肉なしで | butaniku nashi de |
| No egg | 卵なしで | tamago nashi de |
| No fish stock | 魚だしなしで | sakana dashi nashi de |
| Halal menu, please | ハラールメニューをください | haraaru menyuu o kudasai |
| Vegan option, please | ビーガンメニューをください | biigan menyuu o kudasai |
Butaniku to tamago nashi de onegaishimasu.
🗺️ Suggested “Eat & Explore” Routes
Balanced “3 Bowls / 1 Day”
- Morning (Kyoto Station): Daiichi Asahi or Shinpuku Saikan — shoyu wake-up
- Afternoon (Chayama): Tenkaippin HQ — creamy paitan
- Evening (Ichijoji): Gokkei or Ikedaya — thick or power style
One-Stop Regional Tour (Ramen Koji)
- Toyama Black (Menya Iroha)
- Tokushima (Ramen Todai)
- Sapporo Miso (Kotekichi)
All inside Kyoto Station — perfect for tight itineraries.
📖 Useful Ramen Words
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 替え玉 (kaedama) | Extra noodles (Hakata style) |
| 麺のかたさ | Noodle firmness (very hard / hard / normal / soft) |
| 味濃いめ | Stronger seasoning |
| 油多め | More oil |
| 背脂 | Back fat |
| チャーシュー / メンマ / ねぎ / 味玉 | Roast pork / bamboo shoots / green onion / seasoned egg |
| ごはんセット | Rice set (great with Toyama Black & Tokushima) |
🚨 Dietary & Allergy Notes
- Most broths use animal products (pork, chicken, seafood). Vegetarian/vegan bowls are limited but growing.
- If avoiding fish: say “No fish products — no bonito, no dried fish, please.”
- Eggs (boiled or raw) and pork toppings can usually be omitted on request.