On a Saturday after the end of the self-restraint period, Daigoji Temple, with its cherry blossoms in full bloom, was crowded with people. Feeling hungry along the way, we decided to visit Shimo Mura, a restaurant I had looked up in advance. We were prepared to wait in line, but luckily we were seated right away. There were always a few people waiting behind us. The restaurant was not very large, but it had a Kyoto-like atmosphere. The vacant seats were carefully disinfected. We ordered the large serving of zaru soba and the mountain vegetable grated soba. We waited for over fifteen minutes due to the crowd. The soba noodles were thick and had a good texture, exceeding our expectations. The large serving was quite substantial. The only disappointment was the dipping sauce, which was thin and lacked flavor or richness. It had the aroma of bonito flakes, but... We wanted some soba broth, but the staff took a while to come over, so we gave up as others in line were waiting.

I visited a restaurant near the famous weeping cherry blossoms at Daigoji Temple, where the cherry blossoms were said to be 80% in bloom. I ordered the herring soba, while my companion ordered the wild vegetable grated soba. There were four other groups of customers, all of whom remarked that they had never been able to enjoy the cherry blossoms at such a leisurely pace before. Perhaps due to COVID-19, there seemed to be fewer people compared to previous years. The soba had a refined and elegant Kyoto-style broth, and we enjoyed our meal. Thank you for the delicious food.

Visited Daigoji Temple as part of the Kinki 36 Fudo Pilgrimage. Started with a meal at Kochirashimo Mura, a nostalgic Japanese house turned into a cozy restaurant. The quiet atmosphere, dim lighting, and friendly service created a soothing space perfect for calming the mind before passing through the temple gate. Ordered: - Zaru Soba 800 yen - Yuba Soba 1,000 yen The yuba soba arrived first, with yuba on top of the noodles, creating a beautiful presentation. The zaru soba followed, with thin, firm noodles and a slightly sweet, mild broth. Both dishes were delicious and satisfying. The friendly owner added to the pleasant experience. Will definitely return when visiting Daigoji Temple again. Thank you for the meal.

Daigo-ji, a World Heritage Site and one of the Western Japan Pilgrimage Sites. This is a soba restaurant located right in front of the temple gate, often recommended in guidebooks. I had lunch here when visiting Daigo-ji. I ordered the "yamakake soba," which was the same price as the herring soba or mountain vegetable soba... 1000 yen including tax. The restaurant is not very spacious. The staff seemed to be helping out in the kitchen as well, as there was a shortage of people. The overall atmosphere was dark. The soba had a good texture and was cooked well. However, the broth was thin and unsatisfying. It felt like a typical touristy soba restaurant right near the temple gate. Currently, Daigo-ji has several affordable cafes within the temple grounds. You can also eat and drink there, and the prices are cheaper... The soba itself was good, but there were various disappointing aspects. I'm sorry for the harsh rating. Thank you for the meal. by Sunao.

I took a leisurely stroll around the area near Yamashina, exploring Daigo-ji Temple, Zuishin-in Temple, and Kanshu-ji Temple. The lotus flowers and Hange-sho are in full bloom, but the moss is also shining brightly this season. For lunch, I visited Shimomura, a hand-made soba restaurant located in front of Daigo-ji Temple. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is cozy and calming. As expected in Kyoto, there were customers from overseas enjoying the soba. I chose the Nishin Soba, which is currently my favorite, while my companion opted for the Zaru Soba. This restaurant also offers delicious desserts. The Nishin Soba arrived, and surprisingly, it came with shichimi (seven spice) without having to ask for it. The soba noodles were thin yet had a good texture. I tried a bit of the Zaru Soba, and it had a pleasant aroma. The sweetened herring on top was well-seasoned and had a nice flavor. It reminded me of the dish I had in Kamigamo. Enjoying delicious Nishin Soba while thinking about the cherry blossom viewing party hosted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his later years at Daigo-ji Temple is quite an experience. It was a delightful meal.

A soba noodle restaurant located across from Daigo-ji Temple, near Daigo Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway.

I visited this restaurant after visiting Daigo-ji Temple as part of my pilgrimage to the Thirty-three Kannon temples in the western part of Japan. The restaurant had a quaint exterior facing the old Nara Highway. Despite not having any appetizers on the menu, I decided to enter and ordered pickled herring with a bottle of beer. The pickled herring was just right to accompany the beer, and when I finished it, the cold soba noodles arrived. The soba noodles were firm and the dipping sauce was not too sweet, unlike many others I have tried in the Kansai region. It was a satisfying meal on a Sunday afternoon with no other customers around.

I visited this place after hearing it was delicious, but couldn't find any food shops around Daigo-ji Temple. The soba shop right in front of me seemed to be popular among tourists for a meal. However, the soba was just average and nothing special. It's a place where you can enjoy the atmosphere, but don't expect to be amazed by the food.

I visited the Goryo-ji Temple and witnessed the annual offering of mochi, which I have seen on the news in Kansai every year. It was quite enjoyable to watch. For lunch, I decided to have soba at Shimo Mura, a hand-made soba restaurant located near the main gate of the temple. The restaurant had a large table seating area on the right, regular table seating on the left, and tatami seating in the back. I chose to sit in the tatami area. This restaurant also serves desserts, and my child had vanilla ice cream. I ordered the herring soba, made with high-quality buckwheat flour from Hokkaido, which was perfectly cooked with a good texture and aroma. The broth was light and refreshing, typical of Kyoto style. The sweetened herring complemented the soba well. It was a delicious meal that warmed my chilled body. Thank you for the meal!

I visited this restaurant with my family on the way back from seeing cherry blossoms at Daigo-ji Temple. The location is right in front of Daigo-ji Temple. The store looks like an old traditional house. It is a small restaurant with one tatami table, one table for four, two tables for two, and one table for eight. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is very calm. I ordered my favorite grated radish soba (850 yen) with extra noodles (+300 yen). The noodles were firm and chewy. The grated radish had a slight spiciness to it, and the dipping sauce was subtly flavored. The combination of soba and radish had a sophisticated taste. By the way, the soba tea had a strong flavor and a pleasant aroma, it was delicious.

Visiting Daigo-ji Temple is an experience that only those who have been there can truly understand the feeling of. Along the way, you can greet the turtles and take a break at the spot where Fudo-san is located by the waterfall. After paying respects to the Junicho Kannon, when you finally reach the Five Great Powers, you feel a sense of courage and energy restored to you, bringing back your usual calm state of mind. There is also something to learn from the many people passing by, which is the concept of "continuation". Many people climb up and down this steep mountain path every day, as part of their daily routine. Most of them are around 60 years old, and there are even some who are older, like a 76-year-old man who commutes from Kyoto city by bus. If a team were to be formed with the morning climbers here, they would surely win any sports competition this season. Now, let me introduce a soba and sweets shop located near the entrance of Daigo-ji Temple called "Shimomura". Shimomura offers soba made from Hokkaido's Ni-hachi buckwheat. The shop has been around for about 5 years, and the owner has always maintained a consistent atmosphere. The first time I entered this shop about 4 years ago, the aroma of the soba was delightful. Even though a lot of time had passed since my last visit, the aroma was just as wonderful as before, maybe even more pronounced. When people say that an aroma is "standing out", I personally feel a bit uncomfortable with that expression. The aroma of something can be strong or subtle, and whether it "asserts itself" or "subtly envelops" its surroundings depends on its inherent nature. The balance between these factors determines whether you truly enjoy it. The soba at Shimomura has a fragrance that is not typical of Ni-hachi soba, and the taste has been consistently excellent since the beginning. I highly recommend it. In addition to soba, Shimomura also offers sweets. The voices of the ladies enjoying these treats make them seem delicious. Here is a menu listing for your reference: - Zenkai (soba and shiratama dumplings) - 500 yen - Cream Anmitsu - 700 yen "Amazake Handmade Soba Shimomura" 890 Daigoshinjo-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City 075-573-4755 Opening hours: 11:00-16:00 Closed on Tuesdays Returning to Kyoto's soba.

This is my second time. I have never been to Daigo-ji Temple by car, so I have never visited the tea shop inside the temple (which car visitors may not know about). When you go to this temple for lunch, it feels like you should go to this soba restaurant. The first floor has only table seats. The slightly dim interior, with no TV or radio, feels quiet, with only faint signs of people coming from the kitchen, making you realize, "Oh, this is a soba restaurant." The wife used to serve before, but this time the elderly husband took care of us. The menu includes warm soba (2-3 types with herring) and cold soba (about 5 types: zaru, oroshi, sansai, oroshi sansai), which feel refreshing and somewhat carefully selected. (I ordered oroshi sansai soba). The soba that came out was delicately handcrafted and white. Topped with mountain vegetables and grated daikon, sprinkled with roughly chopped bonito flakes and sauce. It was delicious. It had a moderate texture and a refined taste. The sauce was a bit thin though. I didn't get it, but apparently soba-yu (soba water) also comes with it. It's really a somewhat indifferent place (maybe it depends on the time, but both times there was only one other customer, and it was quiet...), so you might be surprised, but it's one of those intriguing places.