I had Nishin Soba after climbing up Mt. Kurama. It was delicious to eat when hungry after exercising. Nishin Soba is a type of soba noodles topped with sweet simmered herring, which you can enjoy in Kyoto. The flavor of the herring blends nicely with the soup. I forgot to take a photo, but the tsukudani (preserved food) was also famous and tasted great, especially with beer.

On the second day of my Kyoto trip during the latter half of Golden Week on 22.5.04, I decided to head towards Kurama. To save on transportation costs, I used a subway one-day pass to travel to the end of the line at Kokusaikaikan Station and then walked to Iwakura Station on the Hiei Electric Railway. The walk along the river was surprisingly enjoyable. At the end of the line at Kurama Station, there were several shops along the way. One of them was Kishimoto Shoten. I purchased their specialty, Matsutake Kombu (mushroom and kelp) for 648 yen including tax as a souvenir. When I returned home to Tokyo, I tried it on top of hot rice. The sliced Matsutake mushrooms and thick kelp had a firm texture, and the soy sauce-flavored rice had a sweet and savory taste that was not too overpowering. It had a gentle and pleasant flavor. My companion made ochazuke (rice with tea poured over it) with it, which was also a good idea. Overall, it was a delicious meal! Rating: 3.4 stars.

When you come to Kurama, you must try the Kurama Ramen here! It's a Japanese ramen with a strong flavor of sansho (Japanese pepper). I always add extra sansho to mine. The chashu (pork slices) on top is also very tender and delicious. Eating this ramen the day after drinking really warms you up inside. I always make sure to buy the matsutake mushroom and kinome (Japanese pepper leaf) simmered dish here too. It's great over rice or as ochazuke (rice with tea poured over). It's a must-try for sansho lovers. There are many other menu items, but I highly recommend the ramen here!

I visited Kifune Shrine for New Year's Day and then headed to Kurama Temple. It was around lunchtime, so I decided to eat first before visiting. I went to a restaurant that seemed to have been around for a long time and had the following dishes: - Ramen: It wasn't made with expensive ingredients or complex flavors, but it had a nostalgic, comforting taste with a good balance of soup, noodles, and chashu. - Kitsune Udon: It had a large piece of fried tofu, which is typical of the Kansai region. - Tempura Udon: It was impressive to see two large shrimp tempura on top. Additionally, I was happy to have some Kyoto-style pickles as a palate cleanser. In the past, I remember that food stalls near shrines and temples during New Year's were expensive and not very tasty, but times have changed.

The sprouting buds on this tree here are incredibly delicious!

I realized later, better late than never (bitter smile). There was a discount for unlimited rides on Eizan and Keihan lines with the Kurama-Kibune 1-day ticket. If you are using a special ticket, please be sure to check it out. I tried the Ramen with the scent of sansho pepper on Mt. Kurama out of curiosity. It was cheaper than dishes like parent and child rice bowl, and it was from a tea house near the gate, so I didn't expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a delicious light Chinese noodle soup. At first, I thought there wasn't enough sansho pepper, but there were plenty at the bottom. The spicy kick was delicious. I also tried and bought pickled foods like boiled young sprouts of Japanese pepper, which are specialties of Kurama. They were perfect as rice condiments. Another customer purchased a Tengu mask. It was a handcrafted wooden piece, almost like an art or craft, and it had a high price tag. I wonder what kind of wood it was made from, maybe including famous Kitayama cedar? I think the scent of wooden products is important. I once sniffed a guitar when I was considering buying it at a certain music store, but I ended up not buying it. The person with me at the time jokingly called me a junkie. It's not like I was sniffing illegal drugs! Masks are something you wear on your face, I wonder what kind of smell it has... Thank you for the meal.

I was in Kyoto. I visited Kifune Shrine and on my way back, I found directions to Kurama Temple. Despite the rain and the warning from the receptionist about the difficult path, I decided to go. The route from Kifune to Kurama Temple was quite steep and tiring. But Kurama Temple was worth it. On the way back, I took the cable car down to Kurama Station of Eizan Electric Railway. I was hungry and tired, so I decided to have ramen at a nearby restaurant. I ordered Kurama Ramen for 650 yen. The restaurant was empty, so I was the only customer. The ramen had a subtle flavor of sansho pepper in a light soy sauce broth. The chashu was a bit firm but tasted homemade. I finished it quickly. The portion size was a bit small. Despite feeling like having more food, I resisted and instead went to the nearby Tamon-Do to buy some sweets.

Today, I went to the power spot, Kurama, with my friend. We took the Eizan Electric Railway from Demachiyanagi Station and then boarded the Kirara train. Unfortunately, we missed most of the autumn leaves from the train window, but at least the train wasn't too crowded. We got off at Kurama Station, where we were greeted by many tengu statues. We had lunch at Kishimoto Yanagizou, an udon restaurant. I ordered the Kurama Mountain Ramen, which had a generous amount of sansho pepper on top, giving it a unique and delicious flavor. After lunch, we started our hike up Kurama Mountain towards Kifune. The trail was filled with history and natural beauty, and we enjoyed the fresh air and sense of accomplishment at the end. We also visited Kifune Shrine and prayed for good luck. On our way back, we stopped for some delicious mitarashi dango and warm tea. It was a tiring but fulfilling day, and I even had some ramen at Ichijoji before heading home.

I visited for lunch on a regular day. The shop serves as a cafeteria, souvenir shop, and parking lot. I ordered the Kurama Mountain Ramen (650 yen) and my daughter had the Tempura Udon (700 yen). The Tempura Udon had the usual small shrimp with plenty of batter, but the noodles and broth were quite tasty. The ramen had surprisingly generous portions of chashu and the rich broth was delicious. I realized while eating that it's called "Kurama Mountain" because it contains sansho pepper. There is only a small amount of sansho pepper, so I think it's suitable for children as well.

Category: Deli, Takeout, Convenience Store Before going to Kyoto this month, I was still trying to digest the Kyoto portion from my last visit. This time, I really wanted to go to Ritz (because the prices skyrocket during the autumn leaves season from October onwards). I added an extra day to visit Ritz, Charcoal House (the rooms I wanted at Tawaraya and Higashiya were already booked), Yutone (I should have visited in reverse order), Chimera (an Italian restaurant that caught my interest as it is run by a former Italian chef), Hankawa, Ritz Afternoon, Sasaki (it was a shame it was only lunch), and Chikamata! Of course, I indulged in sweets in between and ate to my heart's content. I couldn't secure a reservation at Oogami yet, so I am currently on the waiting list. I think it will probably be in winter, so at that time, I will enjoy the yuzu bath and yuzu hot pot at Yuzuya. For some reason, they were selling it at Tamamaruya's Horikawa store, but the manufacturer seems to be Kishimoto Ryuzo Shoten. It is thinly sliced matsutake mushrooms arranged on a bed of kombu. The ratio of matsutake to kombu is low (laughs), so there is one slice of matsutake per bowl of rice. I don't usually like tsukudani, but I was able to enjoy this one!

This is a shop located in front of Kurama Station. When you park your car in the station's parking lot, you will have to pay the fee here. When I was paying the fee, I noticed the sign for "sweet sake" inside the shop. The day I visited didn't feel like mid-March, it was surprisingly cold, so I decided to have some sweet sake. The interior of the shop mainly consists of a souvenir shop, with a seating area in the corner or back for dining. The atmosphere gives off a feeling of "we also serve food here". However, there are many similar shops around Kurama, all with a similar vibe. The sweet sake cost 400 yen, which felt a bit expensive. They also served some small dishes of products sold in the shop. The slightly salty taste paired well with the sweet sake. The sweet sake here had a strong ginger flavor, which was evident when drinking it. Thanks to the stove inside, my body also felt warm. Sweet sake is indeed a good choice when it's cold. Overall, the location is convenient being in front of the station. If you stop by to pay for parking, it might not be a bad idea to have a cup of sweet sake, especially when it's cold.

Kyoto Souvenir Series Part 3: After getting off at Kurama Station on the Eizan Electric Railway, I headed towards the approach to Kurama Temple and found a souvenir and dining shop on the far left. I bought their handmade original "Kinome Daki" while my daughter persuaded me to also get a bamboo flute with a picture of Ushiwaka. The specialty of Kurama, "Kinome Daki," is made by simmering mountain pepper leaves (kinome) that have been harvested in the deep mountains around Kurama. It seems that later on, dried kelp was added to the simmering process. It has a shelf life of about 2 months, so I will savor the memories of my Kyoto trip by enjoying it on top of steamed rice. The fragrant mountain pepper and finely chopped kelp, simmered in a rich soy sauce flavor, make for a great accompaniment to rice, onigiri, or as a side dish for sake. Unlike the elegance of "Chirimen Sansho," this dish is full of rustic charm with its intense flavors. The shop also had various other handmade mountain vegetable dishes and mochi, but looking back, I realize I didn't have enough time to browse leisurely. If I have the chance to visit again, I would love to try more of their different flavors.

Last time, when I visited Kurama and stopped by at the shop where I had seen Mitarashi dango, I remembered this place and decided to post about it! (laughs) Hello, I'm Shinji Endo, working at an izakaya in Fukushima, Osaka, and planning to conquer reviews of restaurants all over Japan. About 10 years ago, for some reason, I took the Keihan and Eizan trains to Kurama, and along the way, I stopped by a soba restaurant with a souvenir shop attached. At that time, I wasn't particularly interested in temples, so I have no idea why I was heading there! Maybe I was trying to seek comfort from a tengu after being rejected by that girl I liked. At that time, I vividly remember the udon I had at this atmospheric restaurant... it gently filled my stomach. I think it was Tsukimi udon? (It's a bit fuzzy!!) In the end, I tried to reach the top of the temple, but just before dusk, with few people around, I was walking cheerfully until I saw a small warning in a pamphlet saying "Bears may appear". I promptly turned on my heels and headed back home (laughs). Thank you for the meal. Ton Saiya http://tonsaiya.com By the way, I also draw a mystery manga inspired by gourmet websites. If you're interested, please take a look. http://tonsaiya.com/archives/4229277.html Looking forward to your feedback and comments ♫

It is located in Kyoto city, quite far north from the city center. It's right in front of the "Kurama" station, the last stop on the Eizan Electric Railway. I visited this restaurant after exploring Kurama Temple (after a light mountain hike). The place has simple table seating and tatami mats, giving off a local vibe. I sat in the tatami room with posters of Tacky on the walls. I ordered the Kurama Mountain Ramen and Tempura Soba. The Tempura Soba was delicious. The Kurama Mountain Ramen had a slightly cloudy soup with the aroma of sansho pepper and a perfect level of spiciness. It was extremely tasty. Most importantly, it showcased the unique local character of Kurama, which I found fantastic.

When I got off at Kurama Station for the Kurama Fire Festival, there was a huge crowd of people. I decided to grab a quick bite to eat at the closest restaurant. Despite the large crowd outside, the restaurant was surprisingly empty inside, probably because it had a bit of a mixed vibe between a souvenir shop and a dining establishment. I sat at a table and ordered a parent and child rice bowl, which was served promptly. The table had a bit of age to it, but the red lacquer finish gave it a dignified feel, making it quite cozy. The bowl itself had a beautiful color combination of green onions and yellow eggs, which made me happy. I think it's a really nice restaurant.

Souvenir shop and restaurant in front of Kurama Station. However, please note that eat-in service is occasionally limited to some menu items. The specialties, dried mountain pepper and simmered wood buds, are both reasonably priced. Around 11:00 am on a weekday, no customers were there when I arrived, but one group came in later. I heard from the owner of my regular izakaya that the ramen here is delicious, so I was looking forward to trying it. However, I was told, "The owner is not here right now, so we can't make it." When I asked when the owner would return, I was told, "I don't know." It's a shame, but it can't be helped on a weekday... (^_^;) There are few dining options around here, so be aware of this kind of situation, especially if you have specific preferences. Kurama might be a better choice. [Items purchased] Dried mountain pepper - ¥756. This is a popular item selected by a certain well-known department store, and it is used in popular izakayas. It's delicious on its own, but it's amazing when used in fried rice (*´ω`*) It was so tasty that I bought it again. The price is reasonable, and it keeps well, so it's a great souvenir option. I'll come back for a rematch next time (laughs). Thank you for the meal!

Located right after getting off Kurama Station, this souvenir shop and restaurant is known for its Kurama ramen, simmered mountain vegetables with wood buds, and dried mountain pepper. Due to the lack of dining options in the area, it seems to attract many visitors. On a holiday before 3 pm, there were several groups of customers already inside. With two entrances and a wide storefront, it is easy to choose this place. [Items purchased] Dried Mountain Pepper - ¥756 I heard that this product is used at a popular izakaya selected as one of the top 100 in Japan, so I visited specifically for this. It is delicious simply served over rice, but it becomes exquisite when stir-fried and made into yakimeshi (*´ω`*) This prestigious product has even won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award. It is definitely a great souvenir option. I plan to go back regularly to buy more! Thank you for the delicious meal.

I came to Kurama-dera Temple. I bought the souvenir "Kinome-ni" (simmered young leaves of sansho pepper) at the Kishimoto Yanagizou store. Kinome-ni is made by simmering young leaves and berries of sansho pepper with konbu seaweed in soy sauce for a long time. It is delicious as a side dish with rice or as a topping for ochazuke (rice with tea poured over it). Kinome-ni is said to have developed from the salted sansho pepper and mountain vegetables that Ushiwakamaru, who was training here in the Heian period, used to eat. It was well received as a souvenir.