This Sunday, I had to work in the morning. The cafeteria at my workplace is open on Saturdays but closed on Sundays, so I decided to have lunch in Kyoto city. I went to a soba restaurant called "10 Soba" located in Gokomachi-dori, Gojo, just a minute walk from Kyoto City Hall. This restaurant offers 100% buckwheat soba starting from just one coin. It is operated by the famous "Yojiya" group known for oil blotting paper. This was my second visit. I arrived after 1 pm and the restaurant was quite busy, with 80% of the seats occupied. Similar to a self-service udon restaurant in Kagawa, I chose the toppings at the counter and ordered the "zaru soba" in a large portion. I added green onions and tenkasu as condiments, and I made sure to add plenty of wasabi to the soba. I first tried the broth, made with a secret "kaeshi" aged carefully, which had a gentle flavor. The soba had a rich aroma and a refreshing texture, and when eaten with wasabi, it became even more delicious. After finishing the meal, I enjoyed the soba broth by adding hot water to it. If this restaurant were closer to my workplace, I would want to visit every day. I heard that you can have tempura and beer for 500 yen, so I would like to try that too.

Cheap, but not particularly delicious soba, with no aroma, just hard and chewy noodles. If you're looking for affordability, there are Marugame Seimen or hamburger chain restaurants nearby that might be better options. The tempura was okay, but if you want to eat soba, there are proper soba restaurants in the area. I wouldn't go back. When I saw it, the rating was 3.3, but...?

The portion of the large serving of zaru soba (with free extra serving) was too much. Normal size would have been sufficient. The noodles seemed to be pressed out into round shapes, which I didn't really like the texture of. I think it's made with 100% buckwheat, but I'm not sure. It might taste better with some wheat flour added. The tempura of spring chrysanthemum was just too hard, it felt like it was attacking the back of my gums. It might taste better if dipped in the soba broth. The spring chrysanthemum was chopped too finely, so I couldn't really taste it. I probably won't go back for a second visit.

There's less than an hour until my appointment, but I'm feeling hungry. Maybe I should get some onigiri. I checked on Tabelog for a place around Teramachi Oike to eat. I found a place that seems like a udon shop, with tempura and onigiri lined up at the counter. It's a bit south from Oike Street. Even though there's a line, the three of us decided to wait. We ordered the Lunch Set A, which came with shrimp tempura, a small bowl of zaru soba, and a small bowl of rice. The tempura was freshly fried and the shrimp was big and juicy. You can add extra sauce if you want. The soba was made with 100% buckwheat and had a nice texture, with green onions and tempura flakes available at the counter. You can help yourself to the tempura sauce and wasabi as well. Even though there was a line, the service was quick and efficient. The first floor was small, but there were seats available on the second floor too. It's not the type of place where you can leisurely eat, as most people finish quickly and leave. So, no need to rush.

It had been quite a while since I visited Kyoto on a weekday and was wandering around when lunchtime arrived. I found this restaurant nearby in Teramachi-Kyogoku, and according to other reviewers, it is operated by that famous chain. Oh, really? Well, that's not the main reason, but I suddenly felt like having zaru soba after a long time, so I decided to visit. I arrived around 11:40 am on a weekday. Wow, the table seats are almost full even before noon. It's quite lively here with locals and office workers. I wonder if tourists also come here. The ordering method is similar to the Sanuki udon style. You pick your tempura and other sides, order your soba, and then pay at the counter. Since it was a weekday, I decided to go for the weekday special "Curry Rice Set for 850 yen with zaru soba option and egg tempura for 130 yen". You can choose between cold or hot soba, and I went for the zaru soba. And since upsizing is free, I opted for that. The zaru soba is quite generous in portion, with thin noodles that have a nice firm texture. As someone who isn't a soba expert, I can't really tell the difference between 100% soba and others. I'm sorry. But for 500 yen, being able to enjoy zaru soba is quite satisfying, especially considering nearby soba restaurants charge double the price. Now, let's try the curry rice. Oh, I just realized I forgot to grab a spoon. It's too much trouble to go back through the line to get one, so I'll just use chopsticks. The taste is like the familiar retort curry I've known since childhood. It's basically curry rice in the form of a curry bowl. But it's a bit difficult to eat with chopsticks (laughs). The tempura coating is a bit darker than usual. I wonder if there's some special touch to it. The yolk is runny and I really like it. The soba broth is self-serve from a pot and it's quite rich and thick. It's really good. After finishing my meal, I felt full and satisfied. By the time I left, a line had formed. It was mostly local workers. If I can have a reasonable lunch soba here, I'll definitely visit again. Next time, I'll try the hot soba. Thank you for the meal.

The restaurant is famous for its oil blotting paper, and they also offer self-service 100% buckwheat soba. I decided to have a light lunch there. I noticed they had a dish called "cold kitsune soba" which seemed interesting, so I ordered that. My companion added an "18-grain salt rice ball" to their order. The soba noodles were unexpectedly firm, but I don't think it was because they were 100% buckwheat. The fried tofu topping was too sweet for my taste, maybe because they used the type meant for hot soba... I think I would have preferred chopped kitsune for the cold soba. Also, being clumsy, I found it difficult to pick up the soba with the plastic chopsticks they provided... I ordered the soup-style soba, but I think it would have been better to choose the cold soba instead.

The extra-large portion was free. I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it and declined, but I ended up eating it all! It was so easy to eat, I regretted turning down the extra-large portion. The vegetable tempura was crispy and delicious. Thank you for the meal.

On a Saturday afternoon, a little after 3 o'clock, I had a late lunch with my daughter at a soba restaurant affiliated with the Yojiya group. They serve 100% buckwheat soba at a reasonable price, which had piqued my interest for a while. The kitchen had a display of tempura, and you could help yourself before ordering at the register. Once you placed your order, you waited at the serving window to pick up your food before finding a seat. The first floor had a lively atmosphere, but the second floor had a more relaxed vibe, with tatami seating by the windows. Just be careful as the stairs are steep. The cold Genovese soba exceeded my expectations with its rich flavor. This time, I chose based on my daughter's taste, but next time, I want to try the classic zaru soba.

I had lunch in Kyoto city for the first time in a while. I went to a restaurant that I had been wanting to visit for a while. It is called "10 Soba," a soba specialty shop that serves 100% buckwheat soba starting from only one coin. It is operated by the famous "Yojiya" group, known for oil blotting paper. I knew about their sweets and lunch offerings at "Yojiya Cafe," but I didn't realize they also operated multiple dining establishments, including a soba shop in Gion. "10 Soba" was opened to cater to a wider range of customers, including locals. You can enjoy 100% buckwheat soba for one coin, and they even offer free extra-large servings. I visited around 11:30 am, and the restaurant was quite busy. They also have seating on the second floor. Similar to a self-service udon restaurant, you choose your toppings at the counter, select your soba type, pay, and then take a seat. During lunchtime, you can add a "kakiage-don" for an additional 350 yen. The soba menu includes zaru soba, oroshi zaru soba, kake soba, bukkake soba, oroshi bukkake soba, nikubukkake soba, tororo zaru soba, tororo bukkake soba, niku soba, nikutama soba, yamakake soba, kitsune soba, wakame soba, nikutama bukkake soba, karai pakuchii tsuke soba, and curry soba. I ordered zaru soba with kakiage-don. They also have a selection of alcoholic beverages, but I refrained since I was working. This restaurant has a self-service style with many counter seats, making it easy for solo diners to enjoy. I also had some water and soba-yu (soba dipping broth) at my table. The 100% buckwheat soba was delicious, with a rich flavor and aroma, and a refreshing texture. The kakiage-don was also tasty. After finishing my meal, I enjoyed the soba-yu with the remaining broth. If this restaurant was closer to my workplace, I would want to visit every day.

A new restaurant opened last year. It's like Marugame, where you can pick your own tempura and order the main dish. The staff were very friendly. They had self-service for tea and soba broth. I went at 3 pm and there were quite a few customers coming in. It's a clean soba restaurant where you can dine alone. It's nice that you can get a large portion for free. The taste was also simply delicious.

There are many restaurants that serve 100% buckwheat soba, but I had never visited a self-service 100% buckwheat soba shop before. And to think that a 100% buckwheat zaru soba is only 500 yen. I can't help but worry about whether they can make a profit with this location so close to the Kyoto City Hall subway station and at this price. In terms of taste, when compared to traditional soba shops, both the soba and broth fall a bit short, but considering the price of 500 yen, it's more than enough. It's a good place to stop by when you feel like having soba for lunch. In addition to zaru soba, there are many other soba menu options, as well as various tempura and rice dishes. They also have set menus and drink options. It seems like they recently opened, and the staff are a bit inexperienced, causing slightly slower service for a self-service restaurant, but I'm sure they will improve over time.

On December 31st, I parked my car in a coin parking lot to buy dessert for everyone to eat on New Year's Day. As I was looking around, I noticed a soba restaurant. It was still early for lunch, but they were already serving New Year's Eve soba. I tried the chicken tsukune with kuzu-an sauce soba (680 yen). It was soba noodles topped with tsukune meatballs in a warm kuzu-an sauce. It was delicious! They also offer zaru soba for 500 yen. I would like to go back again to try other dishes. The restaurant has a spacious second floor and is a nice place to dine.

November has arrived, and something is finally opening. In various ways, it seems like it will be quite challenging... As for the monthly theme for November, following last month, it's all about the "500 yen lunch." The 500 yen lunch for November, Part 1: "Yojiya," famous for oil blotting paper, also has cafes and crepe shops. However, on June 1st, they opened a new concept store called "10 Soba" (Kyoto, in front of Kyoto City Hall). This new venture by the Yojiya group is a specialty store for soba made with 100% buckwheat flour. But this time, the focus is not on soba... While it may be called an original "tendon," all you do is order rice and then add your favorite tempura toppings to finish it off. This time, I ordered rice (regular, 100 yen), squid (140 yen), chicken breast (160 yen), and chikuwa (100 yen), totaling 500 yen.

Yojiya's soba specialty shop is managed by Yojiya-san. Surprisingly, the soba here is made with 100% buckwheat and is priced from 500 yen. The system is similar to a certain udon chain store with a self-service style. You order your soba, choose tempura or onigiri, and then pay at the counter. Not only is the water self-service, but the soba broth is also free-flowing. I ordered the following: - Zaru Soba (Cold soba noodles served on a bamboo draining basket) Large Size for ¥500 I was amazed to find out that the large size was free! So, I immediately ordered the large size without hesitation. The soba noodles were traditional black soba, with a fragrant and savory aroma. When lifted, they were slightly stuck together, but that's acceptable for the price of 500 yen. Despite being 100% buckwheat, the soba noodles were firm and not easily breakable, which was a bit surprising. I first tried them with rock salt, and the soba's aroma was strong. The texture was chewy with a rustic flavor that made me want to keep chewing. The soba dipping sauce was slightly spicy with a strong bonito flavor. I preferred dipping about half of the noodles to fully enjoy the soba's taste. The large size was just the right amount for me. - Vegetable Tempura for ¥170 The tempura here is gluten-free, which is a nice healthy touch. The tempura had a thin and crispy batter with finely cut vegetables. Although it had cooled down, the sweet potato and pumpkin were tender and delicious. Mixing it with the soba noodles made for a smooth and enjoyable experience. No wonder it's the popular No.1 tempura! Overall, great value, delicious taste, and this shop is likely to become more popular. The down-to-earth atmosphere makes me want to come back again. Thank you for the meal.

Located about a 5-minute walk from Kyoto City Hall Station, this place offers 100% buckwheat soba noodles. It operates on a self-service system where you order your soba using a tray and pick your favorite fried foods to accompany it. I ordered the Niku Tamabukkake Soba (780 yen), chicken thigh tempura, small shrimp tempura, and a beer (450 yen) to cool off. The freshly fried tempura was delicious and paired well with the beer. The soba noodles were thin and slightly darker in color, with a firm texture that slid smoothly. The flavor of the soba wasn't very strong, but it was still enjoyable. The restaurant is open all day, operates on a self-service system, and serves food quickly, making it convenient for those short on time.

I saw this restaurant on TV where they said their 100% buckwheat soba is 500 yen, so I decided to go check it out. I ordered the zaru soba for 500 yen, kakiage for 170 yen, and a bowl of white rice for 100 yen. We also tried the tempura on top of white rice, which is apparently called "tendon," as shown on TV. The zaru soba portion seemed a bit small, but it was still enough for a woman. However, men might find it not filling enough unless they order a larger portion. The soba itself was delicious, but I didn't really get the full flavor of 100% buckwheat soba that I was expecting. It was cheap for 500 yen, but I wouldn't specifically come here just for the soba. If I happen to be in the area and craving soba, I might consider coming back, but it's not a must-visit place for me.

Zarusoba (large serving) for 500 yen. This self-service soba restaurant run by "Yojya" was good. It was actually more like "morisoba" since it didn't have chopped seaweed on top. Setting aside the issue of whether it was 100% buckwheat soba, being able to casually eat soba like this for just a coin is great. I was able to satisfy my hunger with this. Thank you for the meal. P.S. It would be even better if they had some alcohol available.

Visited in July 2022 ◎ At the time of posting, the restaurant had a rating of 3.11 on Tabelog (from 14 reviews). ■ Oroshi zaru soba 600 yen (tax included) *Large serving for free When you think of souvenirs from Kyoto, the famous "aburatorigami" from "Yojiya" comes to mind, right? Well, now "Yojiya" has entered the restaurant scene! A new spot called "10 Soba," specializing in 100% buckwheat soba, opened on June 1st. You can enjoy 100% buckwheat soba starting from just one coin, making it a place to watch out for. The nearest station is "Kyoto City Hall Station," but it's also about a 5-8 minute walk from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station or Sanjo Station. There is a large parking lot right in front of the restaurant, and you can refer to the parking fees from the sign in the photo. The restaurant has counter seats, table seats, and even a second floor, so it seems quite spacious. You order the soba first, then help yourself to toppings and pay at the register before taking your seat. This time, I ordered the "Oroshi zaru soba" in a large serving for free. I didn't get any toppings, just kept it simple. But I did use the free toppings of tenkasu, green onions, and wasabi that were available. By the way, the fried toppings are made with soba flour, so they are gluten-free and have a light and crispy finish. The soba didn't quite look like 100% buckwheat soba at first glance; it seemed more like regular soba noodles. Typically, you can tell 100% buckwheat soba by its rough texture, but this one didn't have that distinct feel. When I tasted it, it didn't have the unique slightly gritty texture that 100% buckwheat soba usually has. The flavor and aroma were a bit different from 100% buckwheat soba, but personally, I actually prefer 80% buckwheat soba, so it was totally fine with me. The free tenkasu toppings were those crispy bits that come from frying toppings, and they had a nice crunch to them. I got a large serving, so there wasn't much soba broth left to enjoy as sobayu, which was a bit disappointing. However, I heard that if you ask, the restaurant can add more broth or adjust it to your liking, so it might be worth asking for next time. Overall, it was a delicious soba experience. Thank you for the meal.

Kyoto, Teramachi-Oike, I had the zaru soba (large serving for free) (500 yen) and vegetable tempura (170 yen) at 10 Soba. Delicious! This restaurant was relocated and renovated by the famous Aburatorigami Yojiya last month. I have been curious about this place since their previous location in Gion. Finally had the chance to visit. The machine-made soba noodles have a firm texture and a smooth, fine quality. The taste of the soba is rich and simply put, it's super delicious! Looks like I'll be getting more work in Kyoto.

This restaurant is a soba shop opened by the famous oil blotting paper brand "Yojiya". I entered around 11 am on a weekday and it was quite crowded, living up to its reputation as a popular spot. The atmosphere of the restaurant is more on the affordable side, and a simple zaru soba cost 500 yen. Most men opted for the large portion, but it was not overly huge, and even women could easily finish it. I ordered the meat soba with a large portion, along with rice topped with shrimp tempura, turning it into a tempura donburi. You can add green onions, tenkasu, and sesame as toppings, and most customers seemed to prefer turning it into a tempura donburi. The taste was average, and with the tempura donburi modification, the total cost went over 1,000 yen. The location is a bit inconvenient, but I would like to visit again if I have the chance.