Kyoto

It is a hot noodle soba dish with a tender, sweetly flavored herring cut in half. The herring tastes so good. I got to know this dish while spending my school days in Kyoto. As a lover of herring and soba, I was obsessed with the distinctive sweet taste. I eat my New Year’s Eve Soba at home with sweetened boiled herring. The “Sohonke Nishin Soba Matsuba” restaurant is famous and exceptional.

（Hiyo）

I have it for lunch at home. In Kyoto, we can find vacuum-packed sweetened boiled herring at an affordable price; all we have to do is top the hot soba with it. The high-end restaurants serve the dish with a whole half of the herring, but the robust flavor allows you to enjoy the deliciousness with just two or three slices. Note that the spice of choice is definitely the sansho Japanese pepper from “Shichimi-Ya-Honpo!” It is different from shichimi or ichimi pepper; whether you use high-grade sansho or not determines the taste of the Nishin-Soba.

（Kiku）

When I visit my parents in Kyoto at the end of the year, my mother makes Nishin-Soba as the New Year’s Eve Soba. But my mother actually doesn’t like sobaーshe enjoys Tempura-Udon for herself.

（Nakamegu）

There is a restaurant along the road to Heian Shrine with few tourists and many locals; I don’t prefer to have Nishin Soba anywhere else. The firmness and texture of the herring and the taste of the broth are so exquisite that it makes me satisfied every time I have it.

（Kai）

Having Nishin Soba makes me feel that the end of the year is approaching. I recommend the “Sohonke Nishin Soba Matsuba” and “Ukiya” restaurants.

（Chiaki）

I first had it during my school trip, and I was amazed by its deliciousness. I eat it every single time I get a chance to visit Kyoto.

（Akatsuki）

The tenderly cooked herring, Kujo spring onion, and broth make an irresistible dish. The Nishin you can have at “Teuchi-Soba Fujimura” in Yamashina, Kyoto, is superb.

（Suzudon）

Located in Kyoto, where the water is excellent, the ramen at “Shimpuku Saikan,” with its dark soy sauce broth and plenty of green onions, is delicious and something you cannot find in Tokyo.

（Hassaku）

The black soup at “Shimpuku Saikan” is the best. Be sure to try it with the black fried rice made with this soup!

（Gacchan）

“Tenkaippin”’s “Kotteri” rich ramen is so addictive that you won’t want to eat any other ramen.

（leopon）

The richness of “Tenkaippin”’s “Kotteri” ramen and the tale of the founder's success in life are worth enjoying. Having it at the Tenkaippin restaurants in the Kanto region is also good.

（Denbura Sanbagarasu）

In Kyoto, we call the Kitsune-Udon with starchy sauce “Tanuki-Udon.” The gentle broth, ginger, and starchy sauce warms you up inside and out. I recommend eating the hot Kyo-Udon at a restaurant without haste.

（Mogu）

It is a simply-made dish with starchy sauce made of broth on top of super soft udon noodles. Carefully enjoy it with some ginger, and it will warm you up from the inside. It also keeps your stomach full for a while.

（Haniwa）

“Keiran,” with thin noodles in an extra soft texture served with egg-bound soup, starchy sauce, and ginger is the perfect dish for the cold winter months. You can find the dish at just about any udon restaurant in the city, but Keiran at the “Fumiya” restaurant is exceptionally delicious.

（Suzudon）

Kyoto’s typical relaxing taste. My recommendation is the “Kyoto Gion Okaru” restaurant.

（Paulnobu）

It is the Kyoto-style ankake-udon. I was impressed when I had it for the first time at the school cafeteria back when I went to a university in Kyoto.

（Gonta）

I had it during my trip to Kyoto. I still remember how delicate the broth tasted!

（Hina）

As far as I know, it is known as the locals’ favorite dish in Fukuchiyama in northern Kyoto. The color of the chewy yakisoba noodles reminds us of “gomu” rubber bands.

（maple）

Traveling with my mother around Kyoto in the cold winter, we stopped by at “Mimikou” to warm ourselves up. The curry was appetizing and the aroma of the soup was comforting. I was impressed by how soft the chicken tempura was. My mother also seemed happy and satisfied with the meal, and it warmed us up enough to sweat a little. Since then, I always visit the same restaurant whenever I go to Kyoto, and savor the elegant and spicy taste as I did before.

（Shiu）

The Curry Udon at “Hinode Udon” that I had for the first time during my visit to the real-life movie locations. It reminds me of the good memories I had with my mother during the trip. We were able to select the spiciness of the dish, and the soup was delicious with the taste of the soup stock.

（Udondaisuki）

Kamonanban at “Kawamichi-Ya Ginka” in Kyoto. The soba is thin and light-tasted, and the light soup if full of duck flavor, that becomes even better with the aroma of Japanese pepper. It is also delightful to enjoy the duck meat with some Japanese sake.

（Tama）

Whenever I feel tired, I go to eat the Nabeyaki-Udon at “Fumiya” to refresh myself. I first had it when I left my parents’ house and started university. The udon noodles are cooked in an earthenware pot, filled with delicious Kyoto broth. There is also an egg and a rice cake in it. The egg is raw at first, so you eat the other parts of the dish and wait until it becomes soft-boiled; by the time you start eating the egg, you are completely warmed up inside and out, feeling energized.

（Dora）