The flaming Negi Ramen, which uses plenty of Kyoto-grown Kujo green onions, is very popular among foreign tourists! This ramen specialty shop is operated by Japan Food Entertainment Co., Ltd., led by Mr. Kazunari Miyazawa. The shop has 4 directly managed stores (Men Baka Ichidai, Men Baka Ichidai Singapore Store, Ramen Factory, KAMOGAWA BAKERY) and also expands overseas. Men Baka Ichidai was founded by Kazumichi Miyazawa and is currently managed by him. The shop is located about 60m southeast of the Marutamachi Chieko-in intersection along Marutamachi Street. The nearest station is a 13-minute walk from Nijo Castle-mae Station (or a 15-minute walk from Nijo Station). Business hours are weekdays 11:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00, weekends and holidays 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00, closed on Tuesdays. There are 26 seats available, all at the counter. Reservations are not accepted, so you may need to wait if the shop is full. I visited around 5:00 pm on a weekday and it was crowded with foreign customers, with several groups waiting in line. The popular menu item is the flaming Negi Ramen, so I naturally ordered the Negi Ramen. It uses plenty of fresh and sweet Kujo green onions from Kyoto, with various efforts made to ensure the ramen stays hot even when topped with lots of green onions. Inspired by French cuisine's flambé, they came up with the idea of sprinkling "charred green onions" just before eating, using hot Negi oil (ramen's flavored oil) to bring out the sweetness of the onions and create a fragrant aroma, resulting in the Flaming Negi Ramen. The sight of flames rising in front of you is also a well-known feature of the shop, and the taste is also delicious. Foreign visitors should definitely give it a try.【Order】◇Negi Ramen 1,350 yen

The restaurant was filled with foreign tourists, and the staff were surprised to see a Japanese customer. I ordered the A set (Negi ramen and mini cha-han) for 1640 yen, which was priced higher for tourists. I had to wait quite a bit for the flaming performance. This might not be a place for the general public to visit.

I was surprised by the impressive performance with more flames than I expected, and it was fun to watch. There was a setup to fix the smartphone for recording videos, and they recorded it for me! The ramen had a lot of Kujo negi (green onions) on top, and it was delicious without being spicy at all! There were many tourists, and the owner talked to me, so I was able to ask various questions for sightseeing later.

Today, I decided to visit a ramen restaurant near Nijo Castle that is popular among foreign tourists. The restaurant is known for its unique cooking method where flames rise up, earning it the nickname "Fire Ramen" in the media. Due to the impact of the coronavirus, the restaurant had been closed, but it reopened on March 2nd, so I decided to check it out today. The menu is simple, offering only one type of ramen called "Negi Ramen". Side dishes like gyoza and karaage are also available, and the set menu with fried rice seemed like a good deal. I ordered the A set, which came with Negi Ramen and fried rice. The cooking process was entertaining as they poured hot Negi oil, causing flames to shoot up. The Negi Ramen was delicious with plenty of Kyoto leeks and flavorful broth. The fried rice was also tasty with generous toppings of diced chashu and egg. Overall, it was a unique and entertaining dining experience that I highly recommend!

I went to Performance Ramen in Nijo, where the performance is just as important as the food! It's probably been since Jojo Ramen that I've come for a performance like this. The place was closed for a while due to Covid, but finally reopened on 3/2! Some rules to follow: 1. Let them know if you're taking a video with your phone, so they can adjust. 2. No photos or videos when the flames are high, for safety. 3. Don't put anything on the table and don't leave your seat. 4. Cross your arms behind your back and keep your legs inside during the performance. 5. Absolutely do not touch the bowl. The ramen tasted like soy sauce with lots of green onions. It was a fun experience! Thank you! (´▽`)/

After the Soiree at Kyoto Travel 8, we went to see the illuminated "Nijo Castle". Nijo Castle is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a World Heritage Site, and they are holding "flowers by naked 2019 - Kyoto Nijo Castle -" with projection mapping, which was very beautiful. After that, we went to "Menbakai Dai" nearby to eat ramen. I ordered the FIRE ramen, also known as "Negi Ramen". The manager placed a bowl on the counter and poured oil into it, creating a huge pillar of fire. The ramen then had a crispy and fragrant taste. Honestly, it's more of an attraction-focused ramen than a taste-focused one. Everyone except me was a foreign tourist, and they applauded this attraction. If you give your smartphone to the manager, they will take a picture of the attraction for you.