This is a visit record from 2017 of a restaurant near Joshoji Station that used to serve ramen only for lunch, but as of May 2020, the signboard and flags are gone. The restaurant originally used to be a traditional Japanese dish restaurant, but during my visit, they served ramen for lunch on weekends and chicken dishes for dinner. The classic soy sauce ramen was recommended, but it turned out to be a light broth made with bonito and kelp, not the expected pork soy sauce ramen. The vegetable-rich soy sauce ramen was surprising with a light and flavorful broth. The chicken creamy ramen, on the other hand, was a bit disappointing with a lack of chicken flavor and unbalanced toppings. The restaurant is interesting but still has room for improvement.

Located about a 2-minute walk from Kami-Katsura Station, this shop is situated just before the Yamadaguchi intersection. Recently, there has been an increase in ramen shops around the Kami-Katsura area, bringing more energy to the area. However, all of these shops are a bit far from the station along Route 9. This shop, on the other hand, is close to the station and seems to be aiming to attract new customers. When I visited, it was past 10 p.m. and there were many people who seemed to be stopping by for a meal after drinking. This shop's main target audience is probably those customers. I ordered the soy sauce ramen, but it was lacking in flavor and richness... It was quite bland. With the high level of ramen shops nearby, I wonder if this shop will be able to survive. I hope they continue to work hard and become established in Kami-Katsura!

The ramen was average.

On my way back from participating in the "Kyoto Round Trail Run North Mountain Tournament," I stopped by this cozy and stylish restaurant called "苔寺・鈴虫寺." The warm lighting and wooden tables created a welcoming atmosphere. The menu offers a variety of dishes from vegetable-based options to chicken and pork dishes. I started with a strong Highball and ended up enjoying a full bottle of red wine. The thick-cut roast pork with Kujo green onions in Yama ponzu sauce was a standout dish. The warm vegetable platter was beautifully presented and delicious. The charcoal-grilled Kyoto red chicken thigh was tender but could have been cooked a bit longer. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience, and I look forward to returning in the future.

The ramen was delicious, and the service was polite, kind, and friendly. They were still open at 2:00 PM, so I also ordered some sake and got to try a rare kind. They also gave me some appetizers and extra sake as a service, which made me feel really good! Thank you so much!