"I often change devices." I also thought so on the last day of my thirties, when the camera that had been acting up suddenly broke. It was definitely due to aging. I had been wanting to try Inoda Coffee for a while, but unfortunately, their morning set was only available until 11 am. Feeling like fried food was a pass for the day, I decided to try the chicken soba at the original Nishio Yatsuhashi Hachijo-guchi store. The light chicken soba for 1,000 yen (tax included) was recommended by the staff, who explained that the yuzu flavor was prominent in the lighter version. The thin noodles were nicely entwined with the Shiragane onions, and the soup was gentle and easy to drink. The tender chicken chashu was also delicious. The staff kindly offered to pack the Yatsuhashi as a souvenir, but surprisingly, there were only a few men of my generation or older who were not eating it, which was a small mystery to me as someone working in Tokyo. As someone experiencing stomach fatigue, I opted for a take-out for a snack. The soup without noodles may allow the yuzu flavor to stand out more. I was curious about how to explain this place to English-speaking tourists who love Kyoto and Osaka. The gourmet magazine I had bought came in handy, with a catchy phrase about ramen reviews being important. The English translation mentioned "fine noodles" and the delicate balance of the soup, noodles, and toppings. Perhaps Americans who love ramen might start with tonkotsu, but I used to be the same. Thick noodles could be described as "strong noodles" in English, but customers also consider factors like cooking time in evaluating a ramen shop. The skill of the chef is crucial in Japanese. I realized that while the noodles didn't have a distinctive character, the soup at the Hachijo-guchi store was very unique. It made me feel like eating at an airport or station waiting area.

This place is recommended for those who want a casual atmosphere, where they can quickly eat something delicious and be done. I had cold noodles with duck meat in it. The cold noodles were tasty enough, but I thought it would have been even better if it was warm so I could drink the soup.

My body must be craving salt because I keep wanting to eat ramen! (laughs) Tamejiro's ramen is just my style, thin straight noodles! This time, I chose the light chicken soba. It's so delicious (laughs), I had to resist the urge to drink it all up, so I settled for three sips of the broth.

The fact that they are open from noon until late at night is convenient because you can have a meal at odd hours. The food also comes out quickly! It's definitely a restaurant near the station. I love paitan soup, so I had the paitan soup soba.

I thought clear soup would be light, but it was actually very rich. The flavor of the chicken was condensed in the broth. The green onions added a nice touch. It's a bit pricey at 1000 yen in Kyoto Station, but if it were 700-800 yen, I would give it a rating of over 4.

Inside the store, you can hear a promotional video for Yatsuhashi. I ordered the "Chicken Ramen (White Broth Soup)". It was served in about 5 minutes and came with grilled Yatsuhashi. The noodles were very thin, the broth was rich, and the chashu was delicious.

On the last day of my 3-night, 4-day trip to Kyoto, I relaxed at the hotel before visiting Nishi Honganji Temple and then heading to Kyoto Station. I wanted to quickly buy some souvenirs, so I was hoping to grab a quick lunch. Luckily, I found a nice place to eat on a Sunday afternoon around 1 pm. I ordered the light chicken ramen for 1000 yen, which came with a plain, crunchy senbei. The chicken broth was delicious and I finished it quickly!

It was bustling at Kyoto Station after a long time. Even after 2 pm, there were other customers waiting besides me, but thanks to the efficient staff, I was seated in about 10 minutes. And in another 5 minutes, my duck soba arrived. There were two types of duck soba, light soup and white soup, and I chose the light soup. However, as someone from Kyoto, I found the taste quite strong. I secretly thought I made the right choice by not choosing the white soup (laughs). The original Nishio Yatsuhashi is the oldest Yatsuhashi shop in Kyoto. As a bonus, Yatsuhashi was included. The sweets like matcha parfait also looked delicious.

There is a shop inside Kyoto Station where you can eat soba and ramen. It seems to be run by Nishio from Yatsuhashi. In fact, Nishio and Kono Tamejiro share the same space, so it's the same management. When you are served ramen, a Yatsuhashi stick is placed on the tray. They say, "We are a Yatsuhashi shop, so please enjoy it afterwards." It's quite interesting. There are two types of ramen available: a clear chicken soup and a creamy white soup. I decided to try the white soup this time. The service was quick. A chicken white soup with a milky color was served. It seemed to be light and not too thick. When I tasted it, the saltiness was somewhat mild. It had a gentle flavor throughout, focusing on being consistently delicious until the end. The noodles were straight and slightly soft but still had a good texture. There was plenty of chashu and boiled egg on top, almost to the point where it could be called chashu-men at some shops. As someone who loves ramen and has tried it in many places, I wonder what the general public would think of this flavor.

I visited a restaurant in front of Kyoto Station to find lunch and luckily was able to slip in without waiting. The herring soba and chicken soba seemed to be popular, but after walking around and working up a sweat, I didn't feel like eating warm soba, so I opted for cold soba. Next time, I would like to visit again to try the warm soba.

Mr. Nishio, the owner of the oldest Yatsuhashi shop in Japan, with a history of 300 years! I tried the traditional fresh Yatsuhashi and Shiramochi made with rice flour. This time, I had the Houjicha set. I have received them as souvenirs before, but it was my first time eating them at the shop! The Shiramochi, topped with kinako and kuromitsu, was soft and chewy, making me feel happy. Thank you for the delicious meal! ❤️

Due to Golden Week, I had to wait for an hour for the Shinkansen back home. Although the station bento looked tempting, I decided to try something Kyoto-style instead. I opted for "Nishin Soba" at Gion Tamejiro Hachijo-guchi store near Kyoto Station. It was a light broth with soba noodles, topped with sweet simmered herring and fragrant Kujo green onions. It was delicious!

"Nishio Yatsuhashi, a famous store in Kyoto, operates the ramen restaurant 'Gion Tamejiro' at the Hachijo-guchi store. They also sell Yatsuhashi at the store. They offer Kyoto specialties such as 'Kamo Nanba Udon' for 1,000 yen (tax included) and 'Nishin Soba' for 1,000 yen (tax included). These are recommended for those who want a light meal while waiting for the Shinkansen or after purchasing souvenirs. They also have 'Kyoto-style Ramen' made with a secret broth. Don't miss out on the special parfait 'Nishio Matcha Parfait' for 1,000 yen (tax included) made with Kyoto green tea and black sesame Yatsuhashi. They also serve 'Oshiruko' with hojicha for 650 yen (tax included). Feel free to stop by and enjoy a relaxing sweet treat."

I arrived in Kyoto after a long time and felt like eating herring soba, so I came to this restaurant for lunch after arriving at the station. Kyoto Station has become quite beautiful, with many cost-effective restaurants even on the Kintetsu side. The options have increased. This restaurant specializes in Yatsuhashi, but they also serve ramen and soba. The herring in sweet soy sauce was soft and didn't have a strong fishy smell. The broth was lightly seasoned with salt, but as you eat, the sweetness of the herring gradually transfers to the broth. The soba was slightly overcooked, but still delicious. They even gave me a grilled Yatsuhashi as a bonus. How thoughtful.

This is a soba and udon restaurant that serves delicious dishes. After sending my nephews to Kyoto Station, we came to this restaurant. We had herring soba and duck udon. It was lunchtime when we visited, but we were glad to have arrived before the busy hours. Many restaurants may be closed during the New Year holidays, but around the station, most are open. This restaurant, located near the station, was also open for business.

Before getting on the Shinkansen, I hurriedly searched for a soba restaurant and found one. They were out of chicken soba, so I ordered duck nanban soba. The broth was a little sweet, but I like sweet flavors so it was delicious. I learned that in Kyoto, the green onions are not thinly sliced. The meal also came with Nishio's Yatsuhashi, which made it feel like a good deal!

I had never been to a shop in Kyoto Station before, as I usually only go to shops in Tokyo Station. However, this time I tried Tamejiro for the first time in Kyoto. It was very crowded, probably because it was a Sunday, and I had to wait in line for about 10 minutes before getting in. I ordered the herring soba. The strong flavor of the herring matched well with the green onions and soba, making it a simple yet delicious bowl of soba.

I was planning to have ramen for a light lunch at Kyoto Station, but it seemed to be sold out, so I ended up getting herring soba instead. I got a large serving as a bonus. It was okay, not exceeding my expectations. I also had Yatsuhashi for the first time in a while. It came with a little extra.

This is a review of a restaurant in the Kansai region. This time, due to limited time, I chose the herring soba. After ordering, the dish was served surprisingly quickly, in less than 3 minutes. The soba was hot, with large pieces of herring on top. The soup was a Kansai-style bonito dashi, not too strong but with a refined taste. The noodles were crispy and cut easily in the mouth. I feel like I've had this kind of soba before. Lately, I've been eating a lot of soba like this. I think the herring would taste good if shredded and mixed with the soup, but I'm not sure about the etiquette. Compared to a light broth, the strong flavor of the herring is delicious, but it may be a bit lacking. It seems like the herring is cooked in a slightly lighter seasoning to balance with the soup, as the flavor is not as strong as expected. Lastly, I had a Yatsuhashi and it was a nice way to end the meal. The waitress speaking in Kyoto dialect was also a nice touch. Thank you for the meal.

A noodle shop in Kyoto Station. They serve udon, soba, ramen, and desserts. I tried the Duck Nanban Soba. It's listed as udon on the menu but can be changed to soba. The broth is delicious! I want to keep drinking it! The ramen also looks tasty, so I want to come back again.

I found a place to have breakfast at Kyoto Station and randomly decided to try their herring soba, which I rarely get to eat in Tokyo. It was incredibly delicious! The broth was tasty and I could drink it forever. The herring was well-marinated, and its flavor blended into the broth, enhancing the umami. The soba noodles were soft, but overall, it was really delicious! I even finished the chestnut yokan dessert. Thank you for the meal.