Special Selection: 20 Popular Ramen Shops in Kyoto by Tourist Area

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Menya Gokkei Ichijoji Honten is a ramen shop known for its exceptionally rich chicken paitan broth—so thick that a spoon can stand upright in the bowl. Located a five-minute walk from Ichijoji Station, the restaurant uses a ticket system for ordering.

Their signature ultra-thick soup, unique to Gokkei, is especially popular among Kyoto's ramen enthusiasts.

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The signature dish here is the "Toridaku" ramen. The broth is so thick that when you lift the noodles, the entire bowl seems to come up with them. This ramen is known for its rich, deep flavor, packed with the full umami of chicken.

Despite the richness, the thin noodles and light, non-greasy broth make it surprisingly easy to enjoy, which is part of what keeps customers coming back for more.

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The "Aka-daku" ramen is based on GOKKEI's signature "Tori-daku" bowl, topped generously with chili pepper powder.

After thoroughly mixing, the rich chicken broth blends perfectly with the chili, creating a pleasantly spicy flavor. Despite its fiery appearance, the heat is moderate, and many customers find themselves finishing every last drop of the soup.

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Ramen Touhichi is renowned for its signature clear chicken broth ramen, made using only chicken and water. Conveniently located just steps from Shugakuin Station, the restaurant features a cozy layout with counter seating and two tables.

This acclaimed ramen shop is well known not only in Kyoto, but also throughout Japan.

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The signature "Chicken Shoyu Ramen" at Ramen Touhichi features a simple yet exceptional broth that brings out the full flavor of each ingredient.

The aroma of soy sauce comes through first, followed by the rich umami of chicken, creating a taste that is both comforting and easy on the palate.

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The "Niboshi Gyokai Ramen" is a limited offering, available only 10 servings per day at both lunch and dinner.

The first sip of the broth reveals a rich, deep flavor with the aroma of dried sardines filling your mouth. Unlike other menu items, this ramen features curly noodles, which is another reason for its popularity.

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The flagship location of Tenka Ippin, a renowned ramen chain with branches nationwide, is situated about a 10-minute walk from Chayama-Kyoto University of the Arts Station. This iconic shop is considered a pilgrimage site for fans who travel from all over Japan.

Known as the birthplace of "kotteri" ramen in Kyoto, this beloved establishment has been serving customers for over 50 years.

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The signature feature here is a rich broth, simmered slowly with chicken bones and infused with the flavors of more than a dozen different vegetables. You can choose between two styles: "rich" (kotteri) or "light" (assari).

The thin noodles are perfectly cooked, allowing the broth to coat each strand for a smooth, satisfying bite.

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The "Beef Tendon Ramen" and "Beef Tendon Kimchi Ramen" are exclusive dishes available only at the main Tenka Ippin location.

These special ramen bowls feature tender beef tendon simmered in a sweet and savory sauce, which blends perfectly with the soup for an exceptional flavor. The konjac, thoroughly infused with flavor, adds a unique texture, making this a highly satisfying choice.

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A popular ramen shop located just a 4-minute walk from Ichijoji Station, known for its irregular opening schedule. The shop announces its operating days in advance only on its official social media accounts.

Open exclusively in the evenings, Ramenya Akihide does not have bicycle or car parking, so guests are encouraged to visit on foot.

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Only one type of ramen is served here: the "Jun-Noko Ramen" (Pure Rich Ramen). When ordering, you can choose from three levels of broth richness.

The soup is made exclusively from pork and chicken bones, resulting in a thick, intensely savory broth. The bold, meaty flavors are perfectly balanced by a sharp soy sauce base, creating a uniquely satisfying taste.

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The menu is simple, offering three sizes of ramen, extra pork, and rice.

The braised pork is so tender it falls apart with chopsticks and is best enjoyed after soaking up the rich, thick broth. Add a touch of the house chili miso available at the table to deepen the flavor even further.

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Tenten Yuu Honten is a long-established ramen restaurant founded in 1971. Today, the brand has expanded to multiple locations and enjoys nationwide popularity.

The restaurant offers both table seating and traditional raised-floor seating, making it a convenient choice for groups. The warm and nostalgic interior creates a welcoming, old-fashioned atmosphere.

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The signature dish here is the "Chuka Soba (Regular)," a classic ramen featuring a rich chicken paitan and soy sauce broth. Its most distinctive quality is the thick, velvety texture with a natural sweetness from collagen.

Known for its pronounced sweetness and mild seasoning, they say if you eat this ramen three times you'll be hooked.

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This is the "Chashu Ramen (Regular)" with an extra serving of green onions on top.

At Tenten Yuu, you can customize your bowl by adjusting noodle firmness, broth richness, and the amount of green onions and other condiments to your liking. Extra noodles are also available.

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Menya Inoichi is a ramen restaurant located just a 3-minute walk from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station. The shop is renowned for its flavorful broth, made entirely from seafood.

The clean and inviting interior makes it especially welcoming for female guests. Menya Inoichi is popular with both Kyoto locals and international visitors alike.

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There are two types of "Dashi Soba" available: one with a light white soy sauce and the other with a rich black soy sauce.

This Kyoto-style ramen is made without any animal-based ingredients, featuring a concentrated seafood broth that highlights the essence of dashi. Each bowl is finished with a topping of the finest honkarebushi, shaved to an ultra-thin 0.01mm.

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The "Aburi Wagyu Soba" features the same delicate broth as the signature "Dashi Soba," topped generously with seared Wagyu beef.

The gentle sweetness of the Wagyu fat melts into the broth, creating a rich yet surprisingly light flavor. This refined ramen is highly recommended for those seeking an elegant dish with a bold, satisfying touch.

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Shinjuku Menya Fuuka is a specialty restaurant in Kyoto City dedicated to Sio Ramen, a style rarely found in the area. Conveniently located about a 5-minute walk from Shijo Station, this pioneering shop has earned a reputation as one of the most popular places for Sio Ramen in the Kansai region, where the style is not traditionally common.

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The "Natural Sio Ramen" is known for its clear, exquisite broth, highlighting the rich flavors of seafood. The use of salt is subtle, serving mainly to enhance the natural umami of the dashi.

Every element—from the house-made wavy noodles to the carefully prepared chashu pork and menma bamboo shoots—is crafted with attention to detail, resulting in a refined bowl of ramen.

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The "Tororo Sio Ramen" is limited to just 15 servings a day and is a highly sought-after dish that often sells out quickly.

This unique bowl features grated yam (tororo) and a quail egg, offering a fresh new take on ramen. The addition of tororo gives the toppings—green onions, spinach, and chashu pork—a light and fluffy texture.

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Produced by the renowned "Menya Takakura Nijou," this restaurant specializes in both tsukemen and ramen. Conveniently located just a 2-minute walk from Shijo Station.

The elegant, traditional Japanese ambiance—reminiscent of a Kyoto ryotei—adds to its appeal. The restaurant features a counter with 10 seats.

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The signature feature here is a double broth made from both offal and dried sardines. The rich, slightly sweet flavors of the offal blend perfectly with the savory aroma of the dried sardines, creating a truly unique soup.

The classic "Ramen (with Offal)" comes generously topped with tender, fluffy offal pieces.

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You can customize your ramen by choosing from a variety of toppings such as offal and chashu pork, as well as different types of noodles, including whole wheat and yuzu-flavored noodles.

The yuzu noodles offer a refreshing citrus aroma that enhances the rich flavor of the soup. Pictured is the "Ramen (Chashu)" featuring chashu pork as the main topping.

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Nippon Ramen Rin KYOTO is produced by a popular ramen restaurant from Sapporo, Hokkaido. It is located just behind Daimaru Kyoto.

The restaurant features only counter seating, with spacious intervals between seats for a relaxed dining experience. The interior exudes a refined Japanese ambiance.

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Enjoy refined ramen crafted with meticulous attention to every ingredient, from chicken and pork to the soy sauce and salt. The house-made noodles are thin yet remarkably resilient, maintaining their texture and offering a satisfying bite.

Pictured is the Shoyu Wantan Chashu Ramen, featuring chashu made from premium Kyoto pork.

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The "Shio Ramen" is renowned for its exquisite, mellow broth, featuring the rich flavors of chicken and seafood. The soup is perfectly balanced, with the salt blending seamlessly for a refined finish.

The medium-thin noodles are said to have a pronounced wheat aroma and flavor, complementing the soup beautifully.

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Just a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Station, Honke Daiichi Asahi is a renowned ramen shop often considered the quintessential Kyoto ramen destination. Established in 1947, it has become a beloved soul food for many Kyoto locals.

The shop opens as early as 5 a.m., so you can even enjoy a bowl of ramen for breakfast.

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The ramen features a clear golden soup made with a soy sauce base and pork broth. You can fully appreciate the rich flavor and quality fat of the pork, complemented by the natural sweetness of the meat and the sharp finish of fresh soy sauce.

The medium-thick, straight noodles are smooth and easy to eat, making you want to savor every last bite.

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When ordering, you can specify your preferred noodle firmness and the amount of green onions. Kyoto’s famous Kujo green onions retain their crisp texture and freshness even when soaked in the soup, making them a standout ingredient.

These green onions are considered just as important as the broth itself, and it is customary to enjoy your ramen with a generous topping.

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Kaidashi Men Kitada is renowned for its ramen featuring a flavorful clam-based broth made with asari and hamaguri clams. Conveniently located about an 8-minute walk from Kyoto Station, the restaurant is easily accessible from multiple train lines.

Open from the morning, it has earned a loyal following among locals for its light and delicious breakfast ramen.

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The signature "Kaidashi Men" features a rich shellfish paitan broth made with generous amounts of fresh clams. This soup combines the concentrated umami of shellfish with the refined flavors of hamaguri clams and scallops, resulting in a truly distinctive bowl.

The ramen is praised for its balance of clean, refreshing taste and deep, satisfying flavors.

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The "Hamago Ramen" features clams as a topping and is available with either a salt-based or soy sauce-based broth.

From the very first bite, you’ll be captivated by the rich, deep flavor of clams in the umami-packed soup—so delicious you’ll want to finish every last drop. For a refreshing twist, try adding yuzu kosho or black shichimi spice for a hint of heat.

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A historic Kyoto ramen shop established in 1938, Shinpuku Saikan began as a humble food stall. Open from 9:00 AM, the restaurant offers a simple, cafeteria-style atmosphere.

Considered an essential destination when discussing Kyoto ramen, this popular shop is not to be missed.

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The signature dish here is "Chuka Soba," featuring a jet-black soy sauce broth. You can choose your preferred size and toppings.

The soup blends soy sauce with a base of pork and chicken bones, creating a savory aroma and flavor that is lighter than it appears. This addictive taste has made it a longtime favorite among Kyoto locals.

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The "Tokudai Shinpuku Soba" is a hearty bowl featuring a generous portion of noodles, topped with a raw egg and green onions, and packed with an abundance of chashu pork hidden beneath the surface of the savory broth.

The chashu is simmered in a soy-based sauce, giving it a rich, flavorful taste that perfectly complements the dish.

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Located a 6-minute walk from Omiya Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line, Seabura no Kami is a renowned ramen shop that has been repeatedly selected for Tabelog Ramen WEST Top 100.

The restaurant is known for its signature "Seabura Niboshi Soba," featuring a rich pork back fat and dried sardine broth, as well as tsukemen and limited-time seasonal ramen.

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The "Seabura Niboshi Soba" is inspired by the local ramen of Tsubame-Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture, offering a unique twist on the original style. This bowl features a rich niboshi (dried sardine) broth generously topped with a layer of pork back fat.

Only the highest quality pork back fat is used, resulting in a ramen that is both rich and flavorful, yet never heavy. The soup has a subtle sweetness and depth, finishing with a clean, refreshing aftertaste.

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The "Special Seabura Niboshi Soba" comes fully loaded with all the toppings, including chashu pork, nori seaweed, and a seasoned egg.

For the chashu, Seabura no Kami uses low-temperature cooked pork chuck eye roll. When ordering, you can choose between braised or rare chashu. The meat is lean, moist, and perfectly balanced.

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Aitsu no Ramen Kataguruma is known for its creamy, frothy pork bone broth. Located a 10-minute walk from JR Tambaguchi Station, the restaurant offers only counter seating.

One of its unique features is serving the same ramen with different flavors: salt-based broth during the day and soy sauce-based broth in the evening.

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The "Kokuton Ramen" features a rich seafood and pork bone broth, topped with a delicate layer of fish powder that gives the soup a light, foamy texture and exceptional flavor.

The broth is smooth and easy to drink, with an aromatic fragrance that lingers. The foamy soup clings perfectly to the noodles, making each bite irresistible.

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The "Nigotton Ramen" is a specialty menu item popular among repeat customers. The photo shows it topped with extra chashu pork.

The rich, thick broth is said to be packed with collagen, offering a natural sweetness from the ingredients. For the best experience, try dipping the chashu into the soup before eating.

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Just a 5-minute walk from JR Umekoji-Kyotonishi Station, Kobushi Ramen is located along Shichijo Street.

The restaurant is renowned for its Japanese-style ramen, made with locally sourced Kyoto ingredients. The sophisticated interior reflects the elegance of Kyoto, featuring both counter seating and two tables for guests.

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The signature dish here is "Kyoto Duck and Blackthroat Seaperch Niboshi Soba with Seasoned Egg." This specialty features a rich amber broth made from carefully prepared Kyoto duck, enhanced with sea bream and venison bone stock for added depth of flavor.

Despite its delicate appearance, the soup offers a robust, savory taste with a truly refined and satisfying finish.

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The "Rausu Kombu Kake Soba" features a light, refined broth that highlights the flavor of kombu kelp. This simple bowl is praised for its rich kombu aroma and delicately balanced, elegant taste.

The set meal also includes rice topped with gently simmered kombu tsukudani, adding a savory touch to the experience.

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Known for its flavorful house-made noodles and signature ramen infused with sansho pepper, Mugi no Yoake is a popular spot among locals.

Located on Hanayacho Street in Shimogyo Ward, this ramen shop sits away from the tourist crowds, catering mainly to residents. The restaurant offers only counter seating.

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The "Special Scallop and Sansho Chinese Soba" offers a unique experience, featuring the rich flavor of scallops enhanced by the aromatic kick of sansho pepper. The creamy paitan broth, made from chicken, pork, and seafood, is finished with a touch of sansho oil for added depth.

Finely chopped scallops are hidden at the bottom of the bowl, making it a delight to finish every last drop of the soup to enjoy them.

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The "Beef Soy Sauce and Sansho Chinese Noodles" features ramen enhanced with aromatic beef oil. The rich broth is perfectly complemented by the subtle sweetness of the beef oil, while the addition of sansho pepper brings a harmonious finish.

A paste of sansho-flavored kombu kelp is served on the rim of the bowl, allowing you to mix it in gradually and enjoy the evolving flavors.

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Known for its acclaimed chicken ramen made without any artificial seasonings or preservatives, Men Dokoro Toritani is located a 7-minute walk from Yamanochi Station on the Keifuku Arashiyama Line. This popular spot often has lines at lunchtime.

The restaurant also offers a wide selection of chicken dishes and alcoholic beverages, making it a great choice for both ramen lovers and those looking for an izakaya-style dining experience.

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The signature "Tori Soba" features a rich, velvety chicken-based broth with an exceptionally concentrated flavor. The soup is deeply savory yet simple, highlighting only the natural taste of chicken. It's heavy, yet easy to enjoy to the last drop.

The toppings include both chicken and pork chashu, each offering a delicate flavor that complements the richness of the soup.

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The "Aged Shio Chicken Soba" features a rich, double-layered broth made by blending chicken soup with seafood, resulting in a thick and velvety texture.

The distinctive flavor of dried sardines comes through clearly, holding its own against the intensely flavorful chicken broth.

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A six-minute walk from Saiin Station, Ramen Tsurumusha is located along Sai-dori Street. This ramen shop features only counter seating, but its open and welcoming design makes it comfortable for families and women to visit.

The restaurant is known for its Kyoto-style ramen, prepared with locally sourced ingredients and a focus on natural flavors.

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The signature dish at Ramen Tsurumusha is just called ramen, featuring a salt-based chicken paitan broth made from whole chickens. This rich soup is packed with collagen, giving it a jelly-like texture at room temperature.

The deep, savory flavor of chicken fills your mouth, yet the finish is light and refined.

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The "Wafu Ramen" features a soy sauce-based broth made from dried seafood ingredients, creating a classic Japanese flavor profile.

The chashu pork is made from pork chuck eye roll, slow-cooked at a low temperature to achieve a perfect rare finish. Order the "Chashu Ramen" to enjoy seven slices of this tender pork as a topping.

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Located about a 6-minute walk from Marutamachi Station, Menya Takakura Nijou offers a cozy, hidden-away atmosphere that has made it a popular ramen destination. The restaurant features a refined, Kyoto-inspired setting reminiscent of a traditional small eatery.

With only six counter seats available, it provides an intimate dining experience. The restaurant also has several sister locations throughout Kyoto City.

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You can choose your main topping from motsu (offal), chashu pork, or premium kuroge wagyu beef, and further customize your bowl with additional toppings and noodle options.

The soup features a double broth made from seafood and pork bones, offering a light texture while delivering a bold seafood flavor. Pictured is a bowl topped with motsu.

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Classic toppings such as grilled green onions marinated to perfection and thick, crisp menma (bamboo shoots) are all prepared with great care.

You can choose between the signature whole wheat noodles or yuzu-infused noodles. Pictured here is a bowl of ramen featuring "Kuroge Wagyu" with yuzu noodles.

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A ramen restaurant located in the business district of Karasuma Oike, Menya Yuko features a stylish, café-inspired interior that is especially popular among women.

Enjoy house-made noodles prepared fresh every morning, paired with original ramen crafted from carefully simmered broths.

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The most popular dish, "Hachiku," features a delicate broth infused with the rich flavors of oysters, clams, and other shellfish. The distinct umami of the shellfish shines through, perfectly balanced by a light soy sauce.

This exceptional soup, which beautifully highlights the harmony between shellfish and soy sauce, is highly acclaimed by diners.

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Other highlights include their house-made "Kurochiku" ramen, featuring a jet-black soy sauce broth, and "Matake," which combines the rich flavors of seafood and meat in a single bowl.

All ramen varieties are served with their signature firm, house-made noodles and rare, tender chashu pork that is meticulously prepared over three days.