I had hand-cut soba noodles and ramen at Koikuchi.

After cycling in the mountains, this is the perfect meal. I ordered the thick soy sauce ramen.

Kanbayashi no in Ayabe: Koikuchi Shoyu Ramen. This ramen shop, located in a traditional Japanese house with no background music, has been serving the most unique ramen in Kansai for 15 years. The custom-made noodles are beyond imagination, made with pork, chicken, and a mysterious ingredient. The soup is also unimaginable, but still loved by many. Every dish is a delightful surprise, with flavors that have remained unchanged since the opening. This place is truly one of a kind, where even the ringtone on your phone feels out of place! #Kanbayashino #JapanNoodleLiftAssociation

Take National Route 27 and turn onto Prefectural Route 1 at the "Yamake" intersection. Drive for about 20 minutes, passing the entrance to Ayabe Onsen, and then turn right at the "Kamiichiba" intersection. The restaurant is on the left shortly after. You can also take the Nakanada Kuroiki Farm Road to get onto Prefectural Route 1. There are signs at the Kamiichiba intersection and in front of the restaurant with banners for soba and ramen. The parking lot is in front of the restaurant and can fit about 7-8 cars if parked properly. The restaurant itself is a traditional old house with a cozy atmosphere. Upon entering, you will see the kitchen straight ahead. Since there is only one chef running the place, you can either call out loudly at the entrance or walk to the kitchen and greet them. I chose the latter and was directed to a room at the back. The layout of the house is traditional with a sunken hearth in the front room and large tables in the tatami room, suitable for group seating. The menu is displayed next to the tables, offering soy sauce and miso ramen, as well as handmade soba. I ordered the miso ramen and it arrived in a large bowl after a short wait. The soup had a unique taste that grew on me with each sip. The noodles were thin and curly, but tended to stretch out quickly. The toppings included green onions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and flavorful chashu. The meal left a pleasant aftertaste and there was a mysterious black powder left in the bowl after finishing the soup. I also tried the soba, which had a distinct aroma and was made from a mixture of buckwheat flour. The dipping sauce was sweet and the owner mentioned that they used to grow their own buckwheat but were thwarted by deer. The owner seems to want visitors to experience the local charm of the area. The restaurant had a warm atmosphere with customer feedback notes and children's drawings displayed. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience.

Now that I realize it's already February, I really want to start writing reviews somehow, but I just can't seem to get in the mood. As I mentioned before, the casualness of Instagram always wins. In addition, work is keeping me busy, even on holidays like today, I have to work. In between work, I decided to write a review after a long time. I had a bowl at "Kibi" in Toyooka, and while heading to Kyoto, I thought I'd eat another bowl somewhere, maybe in Fukuchiyama or somewhere else... After considering various options, I remembered a restaurant that had been on my to-do list for years, "Kanbayashi" in Kyoto. It would be quite a detour to return to Kyoto, but I thought why not. I checked online and as I heard from others, it looked like a very ordinary house in a mountain village. If I didn't know, I wouldn't have noticed. It's not as extreme as "Ito" in Akita, but it's a place where you wouldn't eat unless you happened to pass by. I timidly entered the entrance and the owner came out from the back, welcoming me to sit wherever I liked. Of course, the inside of the house was very ordinary, with no feeling of being in a "restaurant". It felt like visiting a countryside grandfather's house. There were drawings by kindergarten children hanging, creating a heartwarming atmosphere. They had shoyu and miso ramen, with two types, rich and light. Being a soy sauce lover, I immediately chose the "rich" soy sauce. Later, I found out that this was the recommended dish at the restaurant. I was a little surprised by the completely black soup. I never expected to encounter this type of ramen in this place! It was a black soup that could rival "Shinfukusenkan". When I tasted it, I was surprised again. It was not your typical "chuka soba", but truly "ramen". The pork and chicken broth was strong with a slightly savory aroma. I wonder if that savory aroma comes from soy sauce? Soy sauce in this area is said to have a unique taste, and it reminded me of the soy sauce at "Kujikara". The chashu was thickly hand-cut pork belly, full of meaty flavor. The seasoning was light, with little saltiness, emphasizing the umami of the meat. The ramen was simple, with only menma and green onions. The medium-thin, slightly curly noodles were quite unusual. I haven't encountered this type often, and it was interesting. Could this be homemade noodles? The noodles had a slightly mysterious feeling, and honestly, I didn't think they matched the soup very well, but both the soup and noodles were uniquely distinctive. If the noodles were a little thicker and less hydrated, I would have loved it personally. Overall, the restaurant's unique design, seating arrangement, and of course, the delicious ramen, made it a lovely place. I really love this kind of place. I may not be able to come often, but I definitely want to come back. Thank you for the meal~

Outing with ZZR, at Kanbayashi's in Ayabe City, Mutsuyorimachi Shoukoukai on September 14, 2013 (Saturday). We went out with ZZR and headed to the dam. Suddenly, a four-wheeler was approaching us closely. It turned out to be an acquaintance. After chatting for about an hour, we finally departed. However, we couldn't find the key to the BMW for a while, but luckily, it was found. We then headed towards Miyama for some leisurely ramen. Along the way, we encountered road closures and had to take a detour. After a break, we arrived at a cozy restaurant and ordered soy sauce ramen and some delicious fried chicken. The atmosphere was interesting and the food exceeded our expectations. After lunch, we headed towards Miyama for a snack at a milk center. We enjoyed some treats before heading back, feeling satisfied after a day of good food and great company.

Arrived at the restaurant in the outskirts of Aya-cho, a very rural area, at 1:40 PM. The quaint farmhouse exudes a rustic charm, with the pleasant sounds of birds chirping and the scent of fresh greenery carried by the wind. Upon entering, I was greeted by the laid-back, sun-kissed voice of the master in the dimly lit interior of the house. I was guided to a table in the back room with no other customers before or after me. The recommended dish was the soy sauce ramen with a rich flavor (630 yen), so I decided to order that along with a side of rice, which is said to be the specialty of the house. After a short wait, the ramen arrived. It had a subtle herbaceous aroma, a savory char siu flavor, and a rich soy sauce broth that complemented each other well. Despite the rustic atmosphere, the broth was well-seasoned and flavorful. The noodles, which seemed to be homemade, had a unique texture that I had never experienced before. They were very thin with minimal bounce, indicating a low water content. Unfortunately, they weren't to my liking. The side of rice, which is considered the house specialty, was delicious. The pickles were also likely homemade. Overall, I had a pleasant dining experience.

This shop had been on my list of places to visit for a while, so I decided to go on a holiday morning. I arrived at the shop around 1:00 PM. There were several motorcycles parked in the front parking space. When I entered the shop, I was greeted by what seemed to be the owner in the kitchen, who then showed me to my seat. The shop had a unique atmosphere, almost like a regular house. They offered two types of ramen, soy sauce and miso, with variations in the soy sauce base - dark or light. This time, I chose the soy sauce with a strong flavor. After a short wait, a bowl of ramen was served. The soup had a relatively dark soy sauce color, with a smooth texture, and a unique herbal aroma. The taste was rich soy sauce flavor with a hint of bitterness. The noodles were thin with a slight wave, cooked slightly firm with a chewy texture. The chashu was a large slice with a light seasoning, allowing the meat's flavor to shine. The toppings included green onions and bamboo shoots, keeping it simple. It felt like eating ramen in a rural home, with a simple and rustic bowl of ramen. I would definitely like to visit this shop again if I have the chance. Thank you for the meal.

(Animal-based + Soy Sauce 630 yen) ★★★☆ Kyoto Tango Ramen Tour - Part 4 The soup is a rich soy sauce flavor based on chicken broth. The noodles are medium-thin straight noodles with a wavy texture. The toppings include pork belly chashu, green onions, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts. The soup is made from a combination of chicken broth and pork bone broth, with a moderate amount of oil added, and seasoned with a rich soy sauce base that gives it a slightly bitter taste and a rich flavor. It comes with a large piece of seared chashu that is well-seasoned and delicious. Enjoying this ramen in a cozy countryside atmosphere adds to its charm. Main Menu: Soy Sauce Ramen (Light/Strong): 630 yen Miso Ramen (Light/Strong): 630 yen Handmade Soba (Cold): 650 yen Gyoza: 300 yen

This is a place I was taken to by a friend in the past. I ended up going to Ayabe Onsen on the way to or from Miyama Youth. I thought it might be hard to find a single house, but when I returned from Ayabe Onsen, I saw a sign... so there was no way to get lost. The shichirin-yaki (grilled chicken) requires an order for two servings, but it seems that only the owner does it on weekdays. He said they only serve it until they run out, but the pine needles are delicious so I want to go back again. The ramen comes in soy sauce and miso flavors, with options for strong or light flavor. I personally like the soy sauce with strong flavor. The chicken wings are only lightly fried and not tasty. I heard the soba is recommended, but it was always sold out... The atmosphere is nice. You can relax as if you were visiting your grandparents in the countryside. The tank that used to have a Japanese giant salamander in it was empty... I wonder where it went...

I went on my bike to get freshly ground, freshly made, and freshly cooked soba noodles in the midst of what looked like imminent rain. The soba noodles were delicious but the portion was small. Next, I had miso ramen (on the richer side), but I forgot to take a photo of it. The miso ramen had a unique twist to it, leaving a lingering delicious taste in my mouth. Unfortunately, I had to leave some soup behind due to my high blood pressure, which was a bit of a regret. After that, we shared some fried chicken, chicken wings, and dumplings among three people. The local chicken had a great texture and flavor. The atmosphere of the restaurant felt like visiting an old grandmother's house, with a veranda where I felt like taking a nap after eating to my heart's content.