I remembered that due to the coronavirus, Kyoto State Guest House was not open for tours for a while, but when I checked online, I found out that it had reopened. I made a reservation and went to visit. It costs 2000 yen, but it is a wonderful building that showcases the essence of Japanese architecture. The tour ended at 11 o'clock. I walked to a soba restaurant I had been wanting to visit. There were about 30 people waiting just 20 minutes after it opened. I waited for an hour to get a seat on the second floor. This place originally started as a traditional Japanese confectionery shop in the Muromachi period, and later began serving soba noodles as well. I ordered their specialty "Houroku Soba for 2970 yen." It is a multi-layered soba dish where you can customize each layer with your favorite toppings. The tempura shrimp was cut into small pieces, making it easy to eat, and everything was delicious. The soba noodles were thin and fragrant with buckwheat. Lastly, you drink soba-yu (water used to boil soba noodles) from a teacup, which had pickled cherry blossoms in it, a unique experience for me. Half of the customers were foreigners, and I think it's a great place to enjoy the traditional Japanese atmosphere. I had a delicious meal again today. Thank you for the meal.

Visited with family during summer vacation. Arrived after 1 PM, but there was a long line of overseas tourists. Waited for almost 30 minutes. It was my first time, so I ordered the famous Hoorai soba and seasonal eel tempura. The Hoorai soba was served like a mix of Izushi soba and Wanko soba, with toppings on each plate to pour the broth over. It was tricky to adjust the amount of broth. Mixing and eating the toppings felt like eating somen noodles. In conclusion, I enjoyed it a lot. The eel tempura was also delicious. It's understandable why there's a line, but if it's this busy on a weekday, you might need to be prepared to wait even longer on weekends.

I went around 11 am on Monday, but there was already a line at the restaurant. The atmosphere of the restaurant made me feel like I was going to eat soba in Kyoto. I had the Hamo Tempura Soba, and it was delicious. The soba itself was good, but what stood out was the soba dipping sauce, which was excellent. The Hamo tempura was fluffy and tasty, and combined with the delicious dipping sauce, it was a perfect meal. I was excited before eating, but the actual taste did not disappoint, so I rated it 3.5. This is definitely a delicious soba restaurant.

There is a coin parking nearby. Even on weekdays, there are tourists lining up before the store opens. The store is actually quite spacious, so it may be possible to enter compared to the waiting line, but the turnover rate is not very good, so in the end, you may still need to wait. Recently, there is a new system where customers wait in line in front of the store, and the staff guides one group at a time for entry. The second floor requires climbing up and down steep stairs, so women, families with children, and elderly people often request to be seated on the first floor. You receive tea and a hand towel at your assigned table while you look at the menu, and then you call a server to place your order. The food takes a while to arrive. The "Oyakodon" with a small bowl of soba (¥1375 + 350) is a good choice, as the price has increased since May 31, 2023. The good thing about this dish is that you can choose either udon or soba. The soba comes with a small bowl, and the bowl comes with a small dish. The Oyakodon has the desired flavorful broth, tender eggs, chicken, and green onions. You can also add tenkasu to your liking. The soba in the small bowl also has the same delicious broth. The portion size is decent, with a hint of green onions. The atmosphere and the broth make this a treat. However, the Horaite soba is not my favorite. I recommend enjoying the broth. The location allows for a variety of sightseeing options, such as visiting the Manga Museum, shopping at Owariya for souvenirs, trying traditional Kyoto sweets at Kamejimaya or Matsuya Tokiwa, catching a glimpse of the Imperial Palace, and enjoying fresh castella cake while admiring the garden at Nenbutsushu Shorenin Temple. How about planning your day like this?

There were three men lining up before the store opened, which surprised me. This is a historic shop that is famous not only in Kyoto. I tried the Kyoto specialty "nishin soba," which is simmered herring with Kyoto-style broth. The bonito is Kyoto's Fukushima bonito and kombu is from Rishiri. It was delicious until the last bite.

☆Ebiten Seiro☆ I arrived before noon on a weekday when the restaurant opened at 11 am, but there was already a line of customers. I think I waited for about 30 minutes. There were many tourists. The restaurant had both a first floor and a second floor. I dined on the first floor so I'm not sure about the atmosphere on the second floor. The soba noodles were thin but chewy and delicious. The tempura was crispy and not greasy, making it easy to eat.

It was lunchtime on the weekend and there was still travel support available, so there was quite a line. However, I wanted to eat soba in Kyoto and it was delicious. The atmosphere was relaxing, with both tatami rooms and tables with chairs. There were also many foreign customers.

I went on Monday. I waited for about 5-10 minutes. I ordered herring soba (¥1430). The herring was delicious, soaked in the broth. The soba was smooth and easy to eat. The menu was varied, so I would like to try a different soba next time. Thank you for the meal.

The famous soba restaurant in Kyoto that appeared multiple times on a travel TV show, "Honke Owariya Honten," has a long history that dates back even before the Onin War. The establishment began during the Muromachi period when ancestors of Owariya came from Owari Province (Nagoya) to Kyoto as confectionery artisans. In the mid-Edo period, they started making soba influenced by the soba cutting technique introduced from China and enjoyed at Zen Buddhist temples in Kyoto. The current 16th generation owner, a woman, rebranded the establishment as a confectionery shop. The restaurant is housed in a traditional townhouse with a grand atmosphere, featuring a large yamazakura tree as its trademark. Their signature dish, the "Hoshirai Soba," is served in a five-tiered lacquerware called "warigo," accompanied by eight condiments. The soba served on the day of the visit was from Oitaneppu in Hokkaido. The "Nishin Soba" ordered was hot and comforting, although the sweetened herring topping was a bit too strong, overpowering the delicate broth. The ambiance inside the restaurant is calming, with a lush garden visible, offering different seating options on the second floor. As a souvenir, the famous Owariya confection, "Soba Mochi," was purchased, a sweet treat created by the 13th generation as a baked good with a subtle soba aroma and a perfect balance of sweetness from Hokkaido red beans. It was a delightful way to end the meal. Overall, experiencing the flavors of this over half a century old Kyoto establishment was a true delight.

After enjoying sushi at Gion Shijo, it was time for the annual tradition of eating Toshikoshi soba at Karasuma. I finally visited the main branch of the original Owariya store, which has been in business for an incredible 558 years! The line outside the store was long, with people from all over the world waiting to get in. Luckily, we didn't mind waiting after having sushi. The interior of the store was quite spacious, so we were able to get in relatively quickly despite the line. We ordered the famous Takarai soba, which is a five-layered soba dish with various condiments and toppings. You can customize it with your favorite condiments and toppings. The condiments and toppings included wasabi, seaweed, green onions, sesame seeds, grated daikon radish, shredded egg, fried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms. The broth was poured directly over the soba. The slightly sweet broth paired well with the chewy soba noodles. The price of the Takarai soba was around 3000 yen, but it's a dish worth trying on special occasions like New Year's or anniversaries. After paying, we received soba mochi as a gift from the store. It was probably because it was their first day of business. Thank you for the delicious meal!

"Oyakata Soba-ya Hontei Owariya Main Store" in Kyoto City ☆ Gion - A traditional soba restaurant with a great atmosphere and excellent customer service For lunch on the second day in Kyoto, let's study at the traditional soba restaurant "Oyakata Soba-ya Hontei Owariya Main Store". First, let's take a look at their website. The establishment originated as a confectionery shop in Owari Province before moving to Kyoto, where it started serving soba in the mid-Edo period. The soba cutting technique was introduced by Zen monks from China (Song Dynasty), leading to orders for soba making from temples. For sixteen generations, they have been dedicated to meticulous craftsmanship, embracing Kyoto's history. Upon arriving around 12:00, there was already a line. People mentioned that there is a large room inside. After waiting for about 20-30 minutes, we were guided to the second floor. We were seated by the aisle where there was constant movement, but the seating area was spacious. Looking at the menu... Although the specialty "Hokurai Soba" is tempting, today I decided to try the "Duck Nanba" set for 2,200 yen with an additional "Chirimen rice set" for 550 yen. And for dessert, let's study the "Soba Warabi Mochi" for 450 yen. The "Duck Nanba, Chirimen rice set" arrived. The broth had a Kansai-style flavor that went well with the duck. The duck meat was thick, but slightly overcooked, making it quite tough. The sinew between the fat and meat was a bit bothersome. Well, instead of taking photos, I should hurry up and eat, right? The Soba Warabi Mochi was deliciously soft and the kinako (soybean flour) topping was tasty. At 450 yen, it was quite affordable. The customer service was very polite and traditional, typical of a well-regarded soba restaurant with a great atmosphere and excellent service. Oyakata Soba-ya Hontei Owariya Main Store Address: 322 Niomon Tsukinuke-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0841 Phone: 075-231-3446"

Established in 1465, this long-standing soba restaurant serves delicious soba made with a secret broth. The building has a traditional Kyoto atmosphere, resembling an old folk house. Though the stairs are steep, there are seats on the first floor as well, and the staff are attentive and friendly. Personally, I highly recommend the tempura soba. The tempura is perfectly fried and goes well with the soba broth, which is refreshing yet flavorful. The highlight is the oyakodon made with the same delicious broth. I suggest ordering it as an additional dish no matter what you order. I would love to go back, but be aware that it gets very crowded, so timing is key. I waited about 30 minutes when I went around 1:30 pm, but when I arrived 20 minutes before opening, I was the third in line and able to enter as soon as they opened.

No matter which day you go, there is always a line at this long-established soba restaurant. As soon as you enter, there are 5-6 seats, and beyond the charming steep stairs, there is a Kyoto-style space with over 30 seats, 90% of which are chair seats and 10% are tatami seats. They don't take reservations, so where you sit depends on timing. Their famous dishes are the Takarai Soba and Ten Seiro, but they also have tempting limited items like Yuba Soba and Duck Soba. The tempura is crispy and delicious, and they offer 5-6 types of rice bowl dishes as well, including fried tofu, yuba, kimon, and egg. When you order soba shochu, it surprisingly comes in a triple serving, which costs around ¥600. Considering it's soba shochu, it feels like a pretty good deal.

I arrived around 11:30 on Sunday and there were already 3-4 groups waiting in line at the storefront. However, there were plenty of seats available and since it was a soba restaurant with fast turnover, I was able to get in before lunchtime. I was guided to a window-side seat on the second floor. The interior of the restaurant was intricate, with seats even further back, where other customers were also seated. It wasn't too cold that day, so I ordered the duck soba. It was served relatively quickly after ordering. The soba and dipping sauce were delicious, but the duck was a bit tough to chew. At the time of payment, I noticed karinto (a type of snack) and soba boards lined up next to the cash register, so I bought both. I tried the karinto, which wasn't too sweet and had a delicious flavor from the soba and black sesame.

It's still hot, but when I saw the autumn limited menu, I felt like eating it. The second floor was relatively empty that day. It's mushroom season, so I chose the mushroom soba with enoki, shiitake, and shimeji mushrooms. It's usually available year-round, but it would be nice if it also had maitake mushrooms. It also had large shrimp tempura and plenty of green onions, very satisfying for 1760 yen. I usually have warabi mochi soba, so instead of kinako, it had roasted buckwheat flour sprinkled on top, not sweet but the mochi was chewy and delicious. Even though I was already full, I decided to have the standard dish because it's a must-try. Later, I thought maybe I should have skipped it, haha. They also sell souvenir versions of the dish.

I came to this restaurant to try their specialty Takarai Soba. I arrived a little before opening time and there were already about three groups waiting in line. I ordered the Takarai Soba for 2805 yen (including 10% tax) and the Hamo Tempura for 1210 yen (including 10% tax). The soba is served in a five-tiered container with various condiments. You're supposed to pour the broth directly into the container and eat it that way, but I prefer to eat it with wasabi and seaweed like usual (laughs). The shrimp tempura is also delicious. And the Hamo Tempura is so fluffy and tasty!

I went to the Gion Festival and lined up for about an hour from around 12:15 to get in. I chose the famous Takarai Soba and conger eel tempura. It was delicious with plenty of condiments. It was my first time eating soba by pouring condiments and dipping sauce on the soba side, and I enjoyed it for 5 servings while changing the condiments like a bowl of soba. There were cherry blossoms in the teacup, and you are supposed to enjoy the cherry blossom flavor by pouring soba soup at the end, but honestly, it didn't have much taste or fragrance (lol). Overall, I was satisfied with the meal. It was hot while waiting, but there was water provided inside, and I occasionally took a break to cool down in the restroom. Next to the soba restaurant was a confectionery shop belonging to the same group, and their matcha ice cream looked delicious too.

One of the oldest and historically significant soba restaurants in Kyoto. The building dates back to the Meiji era, giving it a charming atmosphere. The menu ranges from high-priced dishes to a simple kake soba for 880 yen. I decided to try the specialty dish, the Takarai Soba, priced at 2,805 yen. It is served in a five-tiered lacquerware with a variety of colorful condiments. You pour the broth over the soba as you eat. The soba noodles were firm and delicious! I enjoyed changing the flavor with the condiments until I finished every last bite. It was tasty! However, the price is quite high. For this amount, I could have enjoyed a French course lunch, which might have been more satisfying.

I don't eat herring soba in the Kanto region. I personally feel that the strong broth and the sweet and salty taste of the herring don't balance well. Among the several soba restaurants I tried in Kyoto, the herring soba here had the strongest broth, to be honest. There weren't many people ordering the herring soba, so it wasn't really promoted on the menu. I guess I didn't do enough research beforehand. Lesson learned.

Kyoto is a place that never gets boring no matter how many times you visit. I wanted to stop by this long-established soba restaurant when I went to Kyoto. On this day, there were some school trip students walking around, and they also came to this soba restaurant. I was guided to the second floor and looked at the menu, feeling a bit indecisive. I wanted to try the specialty soba here, but I completely forgot... I thought the tempura soba looked good, but I decided against it. The second floor is a bit narrow but surprisingly deep, and the view from the second floor was nice. Let's dig in! The taste is delicious but overall a bit light... The dipping sauce was also light and slightly on the sweet side. The soba was tasty, but the scent of the soba was not quite there... The grated yam was flavorful and delicious. I felt like it could use a bit more punch! By the way, the tea was delicious haha.