OWL Magazine Korea

Kyoto Nishiki Market Ramen Shop – Kunton Akutagawa

Kyoto’s Nishiki Market, known as the Kitchen of Kyoto, offers a diverse array of foods and ingredients for sale. While you can purchase ready-to-eat foods from the market, there are also restaurants within the market where you can enjoy a meal.

Upon arriving in Kyoto, we decided to have our first dinner at Nishiki Market. Given the rainy weather, visiting other places wasn’t very appealing, and Nishiki Market’s covered ceilings made it convenient to explore even on a rainy day.

Among the various options, we chose a ramen shop called “Kunton Akutagawa.” Priced at around 1,000 yen per person, it was a cost-effective restaurant offering a satisfying meal.

“Kyoto Nishiki Market Ramen Shop – Kunton Akutagawa”

While Kunton Akutagawa may not be well-known in our country, the reviews were quite favorable. Many highlighted the restaurant’s excellent value for money, providing high-quality food at a price point below 1,000 yen.

The shop is located within Nishiki Market, not amidst the market stalls but in an arcade running north to south. Fortunately, when we visited, there were no long queues, allowing us to enter the restaurant without waiting.

“Purchasing Tickets from Vending Machine and Bar-Style Tables”

Tickets for your meal can be purchased through a vending machine near the entrance. After obtaining the tickets, we sat at the tables arranged in a row, experiencing the ambiance of a typical Japanese ramen shop. Although the scale of the restaurant wasn’t large, it perfectly captured the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese ramen establishment.

The food we ordered was quite satisfying. However, overall, Japanese cuisine tends to be relatively salty, and after the meal, I found myself continuously feeling thirsty. Of course, the significantly hotter weather in Japan compared to Korea likely contributed to this sensation.

During my time in Korea, I rarely drink water, but throughout my travels in Japan, I needed to continuously stay hydrated due to the noticeable difference in weather, especially in September.

Regardless, the restaurant, although not very spacious, provided a reasonably priced option for a ramen meal. If you’re looking for a cost-effective eatery in Nishiki Market, Kunton Akutagawa is worth a visit.

“Kyoto, Japan – Nishiki Market, Kunton Akutagawa”

  • Address: 264 Shikibucho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8061, Japan
  • Phone: +81752213620
  • Operating Hours: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM / 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
  • Twitter: Kunton Akutagawa Twitter