Only locals in Kyoto know about this hidden gem serving ultra-warming sake lees tantan noodles

Text and photos by /Paperclip 'Food Photography Joy'

Travel preferences are actually a process of navigating and compromising between two extremes. A true travel enthusiast can’t possibly live like a hermit, forever seeking only the most remote and untouched places, nor can they blindly follow the crowd and their recommendations all the time.

In Japan, we inevitably end up shopping for cosmetics, visiting shrines and temples, and eating lots of ramen, coffee, cakes, and ice cream that everyone recommends—as if planting a flag to declare “I came, I saw, I conquered.” But we’re also willing to try some lesser-known street-side shops, hoping for the delightful surprise of discovering a hidden gem. On my winter trip to Kyoto, I stayed in an apartment-style Airbnb near Nijō Castle.

ThisAirbnb-listed apartmentcost less than NT$1,000 per night, had all the essentials, and was conveniently located midway between Nijō Castle Station and Karasuma-Oike Station. Not far from the apartment, tucked away in a nearby alley, there was the beloved Taiwanese spotMarukyu Koyamaen Nishidoin Chaho Gen’an(a must-visit), as well as this local-only spot, “Gouriki Tantanmen.”

Tantanmen originated in Sichuan, China, and has become hugely popular in Japan. Aside from ramen, you’ll also find many “tantanmen” shops. I walked past Gouriki several times without ever noticing it. It was too unassuming, too hidden—had it not been for the lunchtime banner they hung or me curiosity-searching “Gouriki,” I’d never have known there was such a noodle shop near my Airbnb.

Anyway, I chose a cold, rainy noon to go eat. Winters in Kyoto usually don’t have much snow, but the rain can be really miserable. I’d take snow over rain any day. I looked at the ordering machine by the entrance, then noticed photos next to it, and eventually ordered what seemed to be the most distinctive item: “Sake-Kasu Tantanmen.” After getting my ticket, I went inside, the owner showed me to a seat, gave me a cup of water, and I handed her my order ticket—thus completing the ordering process. All that was left was to wait for my hot lunch to arrive.

The shop was filled with office workers and students, mostly men eating alone, so it wasn’t surprising to see manga placed near the counter. Maybe because I’m used to eating alone back in Taiwan, I didn’t feel uncomfortable doing the same abroad. Though I do remember in 2004, when I booked a fancy local restaurant in Edinburgh, UK, by myself—it drew stares, and I had to endure the sidelong glances of other diners while trying to enjoy my Western meal with poise... Sitting in Gouriki, waiting for my tantanmen and looking around, I couldn’t help but think how naive—and pretentious—I’d been back then. Ha.

Eating noodles was way more relaxing. The bright red sake-kasu tantanmen warmed me up just by looking at it. I slurped it down like the locals do—well, they were living authentically, while I was putting on airs, trying hard to eat like them. A bit like learning to walk in Handan: not quite right, but at least I had the form down.

This bowl of tantanmen cost ¥850. It was fairly standard overall, but the sake-kasu flavor warmed me up and gave me the courage to face the cold, harsh weather outside—and the price wasn’t bad either. Before heading back to the Airbnb, I stopped by Marukyu Koyamaen for a matcha cake roll.

Gouriki (ゴウリキ) Tantanmen

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Address: 545 Nishi-Nishidoin-chō, Nishidōin-dōri, Nakanochō, Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (10-minute walk from either Karasuma-Oike Station or Nijōjō-mae Station)
Phone: +81-75-241-7724
Business hours: 11:30–15:00 / 17:30–22:00 (Check Facebook fan page for holidays)

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