Soba, udon, ramen…yup, love them all and have had them all in Kyoto. The experiences were so different consider this post a compare and contrast.

Cold Somen on a Hot Day

One afternoon wandering from one tiny, wrong ceramics place to another we (I) misjudged the length of the final walk and also misjudged the weather. It was hot. Not hot hot hot, and not at all humid, but the final segment was along a busy street and when we finished not finding anything we wanted to buy I was hungry. I was craving cold somen and David agreed and quickly found a place within a few blocks.

It was Sunday, mid afternoon, but there was a queue. Fortunately we could sit on a bench inside and while it looked like quite a wait from the number of parties waiting, it was the end of the lunch rush and all of a sudden everyone was sent up the stairs where the majority of the tables were and we were seated.

This nondescript-from-the-busy-street place made their own noodles (see pictures). David and I ordered different lunch sets and the food came within five minutes. Pickles, rice (mine with a few tempura and a drizzle of sauce underneath), noodles (my set had two kinds, one with grated daikon, one with just green onions and wasabi). A little pot with noodle dipping sauce. And near the end of the meal a large pot of noodle water appeared for us to add to any remaining sauce to make a finishing soup. Need I add it was delicious?

Arashiyama Udon

We had visited this lovely part of Kyoto twice in the past so this time we purchased tickets on the 7 km, 25 minute Romantic Train. You take a regular JR train past Arashiyama, walk 10 minutes through countryside from the JR station to the Romantic Train station, and board for the trip back into Arashiyama. The train trip was fun and funny. The conductor talked, solely in Japanese, the entire way, and a large percentage of riders had no idea what he was saying judging from the Chinese, German, English, etc. passengers. We all enjoyed it when he broke into a Don Ho song in a truly lovely voice. The trip itself followed the river unlike the JR train that sped along a much straighter path. We had chosen seats in the open car (no windows) so felt the 15 degree of so drop in temperature as we entered each of the many tunnels.

After such a grueling journey I was hungry again, so we walked through the bamboo forest and into the tourist area. We weren’t sure what to eat (decisions, decisions) but on google saw an udon place more or less directly in front of where we were standing with comments about the long lines. No line! Ten tables, pretty much all Japanese with a few entertaining families (we miss Poppy!) and excellent food.

Again, large lunch sets. I ordered the udon with duck. Both sets came with a scoop of tofu in a bit of dashi and grated ginger on top, enormous bowls of udon, a bowl of what seemed to be fried rice—it was rice mixed with enoki (?) mushrooms and other things. Yummy. We plowed through the servings and left more than satisfied.

Communal Ramen

Except for our stay in the Tamba ryokan we have booked into Dormy Inns. They all have onsens, so lovely after a day of touring, huge buffet breakfasts (eggs seven ways!) and ramen from 9:30 to 11:00 each night. The ramen was a life saver the night we got to Tokyo, and last night after the late okonomyaki lunch in Nara it was all we needed for sustenance. The hotels supply top and pants sets to wear to the onsen, and, as posted, are appropriate to wear anywhere in the hotel. It is so casual and comfy to see many of us wearing the same beige PJs in the lobby, the breakfast room, the elevators, and for nighttime ramen. We loved it.

Not Noodles: Okonomiyaki Stop in Nara

We were truly tired after a long trek around the Horyu-ji Temple complex—a quick train ride from Nara and where the world’s oldest wooden structure stands—and our plan had been to stop for okonomiyaki in Nara. We picked the one closest to the train station and found ourselves in this little gem named Takomi. Two tables inside and one on the sidewalk. We watched the server, all hustle and smiles, reshuffle patrons several times to make sure every seat was filled and no one was waiting. The food came literally sizzling on metal platters, so hot I had to move each bite to the side dish just to be able to eat it. Our table mates were a New Zealander guy and Thai gal, both now living in Thailand and having a
long weekend in Japan. I tried my best to finish my food and almost did.