Ichiran - Kyoto Kawaramachi

Record of the late autumn trip to Kansai in November 2019~ When you arrive in Japan, you must check in at Ichiran Ramen. From the hotel, I slowly walked to Ichiran Ramen Kawagencho. It is inevitable to queue, but this kind of fast food turns over very quickly. First select the category on the machine and pay the bill. When you queue, you will check the taste, side dishes, etc. on the bill to improve efficiency. One person per person, contactless service is very suitable for social phobia, haha. The taste is actually quite good. After eating all the bowls, the bottom is left. For a bowl of ramen, this taste is very satisfactory.

Each person has a small compartment, and the partition can be removed if there are several people traveling together. I ordered ramen and almond matcha tofu. The ramen was not bad, the soup was very rich, the ramen was thin, and the barbecued pork was very tender. But it was all very salty, so I had to drink a lot of ice water.

The 24-hour Kawaramachi store often has long queues, but the turnover is fast and you won't have to wait too long. The price of the standard ramen has increased from 790 to 930. The rich soup is magically not greasy after adding the secret spicy sauce, and you can drink the soup to the bottom. I want to have a bowl every time I go to Japan~

Ichiran Ramen is a must-try in Japan. While I was waiting in line, I noticed that almost all of the people eating at Ichiran were tourists. But their ramen is truly delicious, and the small, per-person seating area is incredibly comfortable. I also order a soft-boiled egg with my ramen and add it to the broth. It's delicious!

The legendary line at Ichiran Ramen was surprisingly non-existent. After ordering at the self-service machine on the second floor, a waiter handed out a detailed order card once you were seated, detailing your desired flavor and preferences. The dining area was a small, individual booth, perfect for solo dining, with hooks at the back for hanging items.

There was a long line outside. A trip to Japan without trying Ichiran would be a complete waste, so after waiting for two hours, I finally got my wish and had the best ramen. Ichiran's noodles were evenly thick and looked like they were machine-made. I was initially skeptical about the taste, but after savoring the last sip of the broth, I realized it lived up to its reputation.

This Ichiran Ramen is located in Shijo Kawaramachi. You have to queue up to eat there after 10pm. After entering the store, you need to order food on the machine, pay first, and then press the button to eat. You can queue up after getting a small card. It took us about 20 minutes to get to the line. While queuing, there were foreigners in kimonos handing out ramen orders. For ramen, it is recommended to order light flavors. Japanese ramen is quite salty. Ichiran is already good. For heavy tastes, you can order normal or strong flavors. Those who can eat spicy food must order the red secret sauce, which tastes great. A bowl of ramen and a soft-boiled egg cost 1020 yen in total, and you can eat in various ways.