In Kyoto, when it comes to impactful ramen shops, "Shinfukusuke" and their "Chuka Soba" are definitely one of the top choices. This is the main branch of the nationally known "Shinfukusuke" chain. The taste at the main branch is distinct from other locations. I went there for lunch. It is located near Takakura Koushinbashi in Kyoto. I arrived around 2:30 PM and there was already a line forming outside the shop. I have visited a few times recently, but the lines have been longer than usual, so I often gave up. However, I decided to try waiting this time. After about 15 minutes of waiting, as I was dining alone, I was seated at the counter first (sorry to those who were waiting in line). I ordered the "Chuka Soba (small)" with firm noodles and the "Yakimeshi." Starting from January 2, 2022, ordering extra green onions costs an additional 50 yen, and ordering extra vegetables costs an additional 100 yen. After about 5 minutes of waiting, the Chuka Soba arrived, followed by the Yakimeshi 3 minutes later. First, I took a sip of the soup. It is a blend of chicken and pork bone broth with Shinfukusuke's secret soy sauce seasoning. Although it looks rich, the soup has a sweet soy sauce flavor with a nice kick. It's incredibly delicious. Next, I slurped the noodles. They are thick, straight noodles that give a strong texture. I like my noodles firm, so I always order them that way. The toppings included chashu, bean sprouts, and crunchy Kujo green onions. The chashu was tender and flavorful, making it delicious. Moving on to the Yakimeshi, while it may not be as dark as before, it still has a deep umami flavor. It's also incredibly delicious. I finished every last bite. The payment is cash only. Eating both the Chuka Soba and Yakimeshi costs 1,250 yen (as of November 2022), but it's so good that I will definitely eat here again.

When I visited Kyoto last time, I ate at the ramen shop next to this store, so this time I decided to try Shinpukusaien for the first time! I went around 4 pm and there was a wait for 2 people. Surprisingly, we were able to get in pretty quickly. I ordered the regular ramen (with extra green onions). The pitch-black soup was rich and slightly bitter. The slightly thick noodles paired really well with it. There was a surprisingly generous amount of chashu pork in the bowl. Just when I thought I had finished eating, there was still quite a lot left, so it was very filling. Personally, I prefer a milder, more mellow flavor with less bitterness, so it didn't quite match my taste. But it was delicious!

I was prepared for long lines during the consecutive holidays. Around 10:30, there were about 10 people lined up. After that, the line continued to grow, and by the time I left, there was quite a long line. The appearance of the soup looked quite rich, but it was surprisingly light and the soup was incredibly delicious. Of course, I also recommend the fried rice, which went well with beer. The staff efficiently circulated around the floor, and the service was excellent. Thank you for the meal.

Visited on Saturday at 12 o'clock. Waited outside with 5 people for about 10 minutes before being seated. The turnover is fast, so for around 5 people, it's quick. There is also seating on the second floor. The Fushimi branch apparently has no line, but we chose this one because it's a bit far from the station.

A ramen shop within walking distance from Kyoto Station. Next door is that ramen shop. While the neighboring shop had a long line, this one was almost full but you could sit down without much of a wait. I visited around 9 am on a weekday, so I can imagine how busy it gets at lunchtime. I ordered the regular Chuka soba for 850 yen as soon as I sat down. The menu wasn't too overwhelming, which was nice. There are only seats for 3 people at the counter, so you end up sharing a table with others. The person I shared the table with also ordered the regular Chuka soba and we were served at the same time. The soup was pitch black and looked spicy, but it wasn't as spicy as it appeared. However, it was quite salty so I left most of the soup. The person I shared the table with finished all of theirs, so I silently applauded them. I just realized that this shop is no longer in the top 100 ramen shops list, but that's actually a good thing as it's less crowded. Thank you for the meal.

For breakfast one morning, I decided to have a leisurely start and headed out to find somewhere to have breakfast. As I drove onto the main street, I noticed a parking lot attached to a restaurant and hesitated for a moment, but ended up going in. I had morning ramen at the place next door before, but this time I went for the ramen shop itself. Just like when a colleague took me here many years ago, I enjoyed a delicious bowl of ramen. I ordered the regular size of their Chinese noodles. After a short wait, the bowl arrived with its pitch-black soup, but the taste was unexpectedly gentle and inviting. I devoured the generous serving of char siu on top, and slurped up the noodles from the gaps between the meat slices. You could add extra green onions as a topping, but the regular portion already had plenty of char siu, making it satisfying for an old guy like me. Waiting outside in the heat in the morning was tough, but once inside, the coolness was a welcome relief. It was a good experience at Gocchan.

On Tuesday at 6:45 PM, I was able to smoothly enter Shinpuku Saikan without waiting in line, but I still felt nervous sitting at a shared table as usual, haha. The staff were quiet, which made me even more nervous. It seems like they are no longer a Michelin-starred restaurant. The regular ramen costs 850 yen. Their business hours are from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. I used to think they were open from early morning, but maybe they changed it. You have to get your own water. I used to share a table with the person next to me and ordered a small size, but this time the person next to me was temporarily closed, so I ordered a regular size without temptation, haha. The table has tissues, shichimi (Japanese spice blend), pepper, toothpicks, etc. placed casually. The customers are diverse in age and gender, with many foreigners as well. The ramen looks traditional but tastes lighter than it looks. I sat with a woman at the shared table, and although the distance was close, I felt more relaxed compared to the first time. Thank you for the meal.

Around 3 o'clock, the parking lot and seats were empty. There were customers lined up next to me, but... The first bite of the soup was delicious, but the second bite tasted like soy sauce. I tried the soup a few more times, but couldn't find the deliciousness. The fried rice had a strong flavor, which I like. I had high expectations for this long-established ramen shop from Hyogo, but I won't be going back. Maybe Island Food's chilled ramen is good enough.

The store opened at 9 am. I arrived about 20 minutes early and was the 4th in line. The neighboring restaurant, Daiichi Asahi, had quite a long line already. This place holds memories of starting my career as a working adult in Kyoto. Now that I'm grown up, I always order the extra-large portion of Shinpuku Soba. Daiichi Asahi is also delicious, but there's something about the taste of Shinpuku Nakan that I feel can only be experienced at this main store. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I visited around 11 o'clock. There was a line of about 10 people, and I entered the store in about 30 minutes. I had Menma Chuka Soba and a small bowl of rice. It was a delicious soy sauce-based ramen with a rich color. I was able to conquer both this place and the neighboring Daiichi Asahi! I would love to visit both of them again!!

Visited this restaurant in Kyoto due to its proximity to the station and good reputation. Ordered a ramen with lots of meat and fried rice. The fried rice was decently tasty, but I feel like you can find similar quality elsewhere. The ramen was not to my liking, the soy sauce flavor was too strong and the soup aroma was off. The restaurant was crowded and the service felt rushed, with touristy prices. Overall, it fell short of my expectations. I probably won't be going back again.

I stopped by when I visited Kyoto on a business trip. It was around 7 pm, but there was a long line at the ramen shop next door as well! I sat at a shared table and ordered a small ramen and fried rice. When you want to have both ramen and fried rice, I recommend getting the small ramen. The broth is black but not too salty. The fried rice was delicious and perfectly cooked.

The rumored pitch-black soup ramen was not as intense or burnt-tasting as it looked. It had a rich soy sauce flavor that coated the noodles well, and the juicy chashu was a highlight. The generous topping of green onions added a nice touch. However, when I tried to add some spice by putting in doubanjiang halfway through, it was a big mistake. The taste completely changed, losing the soy sauce flavor. If you want to add some heat, a light sprinkle of pepper might be better. The black fried rice was also visually striking, but it had a milder taste than expected and was a delicious, moist fried rice.

This is a slightly elegant jet-black Kyoto ramen, different from Toyama Black. I will never forget the excitement I felt when I first tried it at the FURITSU IMAI UNIVERSITY MAE store during my student days. The main store is as popular as Ichiasahi. Even on a weekday after the Obon holiday, there was a constant line of customers. It is a very easy-to-eat and gentle ramen that exceeds expectations in appearance. It may be a classic Kyoto ramen that is distinct from the recent violently delicious ramen. LOL

It had been about ten years since my last visit. I went during snack time, and while the Asahi next door had over ten people waiting in line, here the line was constantly appearing and disappearing. Maybe it's because there are many branches in the city. Even the small size ramen has plenty of meat in it. With prices rising in many places, it feels like a good deal here.

Korean pickles, Shinpuku soba, fried rice. The Korean pickles are delicious kimchi, which is already amazing on its own. The fried rice is like junk food. The Shinpuku soba is incredibly tasty. Although the soup looks very black, it has a rich flavor of pork and chicken. It has a taste similar to paella, and the condiments on the table complement it well. The noodles are like champon noodles. It's unique and delicious, but I recommend ordering it firm. Although there was a long line at Daiichi Asahi, I had never been to Shinfuku Sakantei before. I was extremely satisfied!!

Noodles: 3.3, Soup: 3.3, Ingredients: 3.2, Cost-Performance: 3.3, Originality: 3.6 When I tried to go to the famous neighboring main store, there was a long line, so I decided to eat at this branch. I had already researched both stores in Tokyo. I wanted to experience the unique taste of the main store, but I didn't really feel much difference compared to the Tokyo branch. In other words, although the Tokyo store is a bit more expensive, you can eat the same thing as the main store.

I went a little before the morning opening time. I had char siu ramen, fried rice, and Korean pickles. The soup is dark but not too rich, with a gentle flavor. The fried rice has a strong soy sauce flavor and is very delicious. It's a very nice restaurant that is also friendly to families with children.

I visited Shinpukusaikan Honten while on a trip to Kyoto. I had soy sauce ramen and fried rice. Despite its pitch-black appearance, the ramen was not overly rich and was easy to eat, making it delicious. The chashu was also satisfying with a decent amount in the bowl. The fried rice had a burnt soy sauce flavor that was addictive. The interior of the restaurant may not be very clean, so some people may feel hesitant, but I would like to visit their Tokyo branch as well.

I visited Shinpukusai-kan for the first time in a while. It was my first time visiting the main store. There was a short wait outside, but the turnover seemed good so I decided to line up. After about 10 minutes, I was seated inside and after a few more minutes, I was asked for my order. I ordered the Special Extra-Large Shinpuku Soba (1000 yen tax included) and the Yakimeshi (600 yen tax included). The ramen seemed less spicy than before and had a nice touch with the raw egg. The Yakimeshi also had a milder flavor than I remembered, but I added a bit of pepper to adjust the taste. Overall, it was delicious and filling, and I managed to finish it all. The restaurant's continuous operation makes it convenient, so I might consider revisiting when there's no line. There are a few parking spaces available on the north side of the restaurant. Just for your reference.

Visited around 2 pm. No waiting time, but the restaurant was full. I sat at the counter. Got my ramen in about 5 minutes. The black soup looked salty, but it wasn't. I ordered a small size, but it was satisfying. I also ordered fried rice, but I'm glad I didn't get a regular size. Many people at the main branch order a small ramen and fried rice.