Nothing is more comforting and satisfying than slurping steaming noodles nestled in a big bowl of steaming rich and savory broth on a cool day. On a rainy day, ramen is even better! And especially when you’re with a couple of friends who are as peckish as you. Cold noodles, soumen, are perfect for hot and humid days, as hot ramen is suitable for breezy, cool, and rainy days. In Kyoto, there are many Ramen shops that are popular amongst adolescents, because of the delicious appeal and affordability of ramen.
Located in the bustling Fushimi district of Kyoto, at just over 400 meters or an eight-minute walk from Fushimi Momoyama Station, is the popular Ramen restaurant, Genya. This restaurant specializes in a chicken and pork broth, setting it aside from other ramen shops that use solely pork broth. The unique taste of chicken is refreshing in a bowl of ramen, as it is not very common. Another great thing about Genya is that it serves three portions - small, medium, and large - so if you are not famished, you will be able to order a small portion and still enjoy the luxury of hot noodles made fresh to order.
Personally for me, the small size was perfect. I am the type of person who will eat smaller portions and multiple meals a day, so the small size portion of ramen was a perfect afternoon snack! The small size is ¥580, the medium ¥680, and the large ¥780 - the price was on the cheaper side for quality ramen, which is always a plus.
I ordered the regular house-recommended ramen, named "Lee's Ramen" because the ramen is of Chinese style, which came with the usual Chashu pork on top and a heaping serving of scallions (you can ask for less or none). And as with most ramen shops, you can order the noodles to be firmer, regular, and soft. The regular noodles were chewy, similar to the Italian al-dente, and perfectly cooked to my liking. The soup was delectable with its hint of chicken, and even better so, the soup was not overwhelmingly rich and I was able to drink all of it!
Drop by this gem of a restaurant after visiting a sake brewery, or one of the sake museums in Fushimi for a satifsying meal. Genya closes a little earlier than regular ramen shops because it is located in a more residential part of Fushimi in Kyoto, so make sure to stop by for lunch or an early dinner!
