Jarinko Ramen

I decided to explore places in Kyoto where we can get ramen in the morning, so I went to a shop called Jarinko Ramen near Kintetsu Jujo Station. It’s a relatively new ramen shop, having opened in February 2023, but amazingly, they open as early as 6 AM. This way, you can leisurely slurp down some ramen in the morning and still make it to work or school with plenty of time to spare, right?

Still, it’s different from the Original Daiichi Asahi Takabashi Main Store… On a certain weekday morning just past 6:00 AM, this is what Jarinko Ramen looked like…

I visited Jarinko Ramen around 6:10 AM on a weekday. It was still pitch dark outside, and unsurprisingly, there was no line at this hour. But through the glass, I could see many customers already seated inside. Inside, there are 26 seats total, including 8 counter seats. Just 10 minutes after opening, about two-thirds of those seats were already filled, showing it’s quite popular. However, the clientele was mostly local guys reading newspapers and salarymen heading to work. It definitely had a different vibe compared to the Original Daiichi Asahi Takabashi Main Store, which also opens at 6 AM… I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I like the atmosphere here – it lacks the flashy feel you often get at famous spots, and it’s just a simple place to slurp down some ramen.

The bliss of extra chashu from morning… How was the regular ramen with extra meat I ordered at Jarinko Ramen?

So, let me introduce the regular ramen with extra meat I ordered at Jarinko Ramen that day (price: ¥800 + ¥250 tax included). After waiting just over 5 minutes after ordering, the ramen brought before me looked like this…

The chashu was arranged like petals along the rim of the ramen bowl, creating a visually luxurious impression at first glance. The aroma of pork bone broth wafted strongly from the bowl, making it easy to imagine this was an incredibly rich ramen.

Taking a sip of the soup while imagining this… it was exactly as expected: a rich, pork bone flavor. It’s a so-called “Akira-style” soup without back fat. The umami seasoning flavor is also quite strong. On the other hand, the saltiness from the soy sauce is restrained, making it a soup that you drink for its umami. However, it doesn’t have that strong pork bone odor like Hakata tonkotsu ramen, so rest assured on that point.

The noodles paired with this are the familiar Kyoto-style low-water-content straight noodles. Compared to the noodles at the Honke Daiichi Asahi, these are thinner, making them lighter and easier to slurp. They’re cooked slightly firm, offering a satisfying bite despite their thinness. It felt like they were designed to be easy to eat even during the morning when your appetite might not be strong.

And the chashu, made extra generous with the meat upgrade, came with a total of 12 slices. Dipping these thin slices of chashu deep into the broth before eating fills your mouth with rich pork flavor, creating the ultimate happy feeling first thing in the morning. Plus, with 12 slices total, it’s perfectly fine to grab several at once and pop them into your mouth. While it doesn’t quite match the meat-heavy ramen from Ramen Miya, eating this much chashu first thing in the morning should set you up for a day filled with happiness, right?

Other Menu Items at Jarinko Ramen (Prices Include Tax)

• Rice (Regular) 200 yen
• Ramen (Regular) 800 yen
• Roast Pork 850 yen
• Fried Chicken 600 yen
• Fried Rice (Regular) 550 yen
• Gyoza 300 yen
• Spring Rolls 300 yen

Set menus featuring ramen plus one side dish are also available… Access to Jarinko Ramen is a 3-minute walk from Jujo Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line.

At Jarinko Ramen, set menus featuring ramen plus one side dish are also available. The set contents are…

• Set A: Ramen + Fried Rice (Small) 1100 yen
• Set B: Ramen + Gyoza (5 pieces) 1100 yen
• C Set: Ramen + Fried Chicken (3 pieces) 1100 yen
• Jarinko Set: Ramen + Fried Rice (Regular) + Fried Chicken (2 pieces) + Gyoza (4 pieces) 1600 yen

Four types in total. Adding a side dish to your ramen will fill you with energy from morning to tackle your work. It’s a bit far from Kyoto Station, but why not wake up a little early and enjoy morning ramen at Jarinko Ramen?

Now, here are the shop details…

P.S. If you are looking for delicious ramens in Kyoto, please stop by this article below…