Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

  • Food Tours
  • Ramen School
    • Tokyo School!
    • Osaka School!
  • More
    • News and Events
    • Area Guides
    • Best of the Best
    • Print and Media
    • Ramen T-Shirts – Ramen Books
  • Ramen Map
Primary
  • Food Tours
  • Ramen School
    • Tokyo School!
    • Osaka School!
  • More
    • News and Events
    • Area Guides
    • Best of the Best
    • Print and Media
    • Ramen T-Shirts – Ramen Books
  • Ramen Map

天下一品総本店 (Tenkaippin in Kyoto)

Rating3 Star
0 Reviews
Add Photos
Write a Review
天下一品総本店
Well, I finally made it here, to Tenka Ippin. This was part of my hunt for great ramen in Kyoto, and I just had to pay a visit to this institution.

This is one of Japan’s most famous chains of ramen shops.

 

The first restaurant was opened in 1981 in Kyoto by Tsutomu Kimura. Since then it has been rapid expansion, and there are over 240 shops nationwide.

 

They serve a few styles, but the thick こってり is the one that most people swear by.

Before I show the bowl, a quick story. Personally, I stay away from the chains. I have no problem with tasty food, but chain shops make their soup in a factory, ship it to the shops, and employ minimum wage students to serve it to you. It’s organized and consistent, but lacks the emotion and personal story that I look for in ramen shops.

One time I was asked on a Japanese TV show about Tenka Ippin, and I said that I never went. The next day, my mailbox was full with anonymous hate mail from Japanese people who said I had no right to speak about ramen if I didn’t worship the ground that their beloved Ten-Ichi was built upon.

 

Anyways, this one is Kyoto-style, meaning a thick chicken soup with thin, Kyushu-style noodles. Think of it as East meets West, replacing creamy pork for creamy bird.

 

It’s actually, as the name こってり suggests, super thick.

Great with a little added spice.

This is their original shop, so I felt it was part of my journey to come here. Will I visit other shops? Probably not. But I’d have no problem eating this again.

Website here.

 

 

Rate & Write a Review

Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

ramendb.supleks.jp
Get Directions

Nearby Shops

    Ramen Adventures is 3rd-party ad free and has no cookie tracking nonsense. If this makes you happy please consider supporting for $1 on Patreon.

    Login

    Lost your password?

    Next Up
    ラーメン大栄 (Daiei in Kyoto)

    ラーメン大栄 The fine folks at the amazing Anteroom Kyoto boutique hotel suggested this shop, about a minute from their front…

    Previous
    かたぐるま (Kataguruma in Kyoto)

    あいつのラーメン かたぐるま Kyoto ramen adventure! Kata - 肩 - shoulder. Kuruma - 車 - car. The Japanese word kataguruma, or…