When our family came to visit us, we wanted to ensure we had at least a few special restaurants booked. Unless you’re familiar with an area, it can be difficult to find somewhere to eat on a whim which can sometimes result in eating another konbini onigiri or Coco’s curry. Not that there’s anything wrong with either of those options!
So, we made sure to plan ahead for a few of those nights so we could have something to look forward to. This is one of the places we had the pleasure of visiting!
Located in Kyoto TowZen is a speciality ramen restaurant established in 2004. Since turning fully vegan in 2018, they are renowned for their soy milk ramen and have become a popular spot for locals and travellers to visit. So much so that they’ve even become one of the top-rated spots to visit in Kyoto on HappyCow!
Let’s take a look at everything TowZen has to offer, and figure out whether it should be on your Japanese food itinerary. Hint: If you like ramen, it absolutely should!
At a glance:
V/VO: Vegan
Payment: Card and cash accepted. Payment at the end
Reservation required?: Required
How to order: Server will take your order at the table
Finding TowZen Ramen
Tucked away on a quiet residential road is this hidden gem serving vegan ramen in Kyoto! We actually got lost down the residential street but a kind lady took pity on us and showed us the way.
The restaurant is sandwiched between two properties and has a very cute entrance, like something out of a Ghibli film, you can’t miss. You walk down the quaint narrow pathway filled with plants and take your shoes off before you enter the restaurant.
During busy times, you may have to wait outside on the benches whilst your table becomes available.
The space
The restaurant is cute and cosy with seating for about 16 people. There are a couple of tables and chairs as well as traditional seating on tatami floors and a single row of seating available at the counter.
TowZen is a charming and homely restaurant. So much so it’s like you’ve stepped into someone’s house for a spot of lunch. The walls are filled with books, photos, leaflets and local information. It gives out crazy cottage-core vibes, or whatever the Japanese version is!
They also have memory books around the restaurant, going back years, where customers can leave messages. All of which were incredibly fun to flick through while we waited for our food.
We felt lucky to have been given the table tucked away in the back corner on the tatami floor. I feel sitting at the low table really grounds you, and the view of the Japanese garden was very peaceful and relaxing which really added to the overall atmosphere of the place.
TowZen menu
The menu may look confusing at first glance but it’s actually very easy to navigate. They have only two ramens to choose from but each one is very customisable. Each one starts at ¥1,200 yen and could be more depending on how you customise your ramen.
They have a great selection of sides and drinks but what really got me excited was seeing there was a dessert menu as well!
Going to a lot of vegan Japanese restaurants, it’s very rare to have a dessert menu like this one. It’s normally some fruit to end the meal which, don’t get me wrong, I do love but it felt exciting to have cake and ice cream on offer.
The Principle
They create dishes with the principles of Shojin Ryori, a traditional Buddhist vegetarian meal.
Shojin Ryori:
Traditional Buddhist cooking is made with seasonal vegetables and mountain plants. No five pungent roots are used (onion, garlic, chives, green onions, shallots) as well as any animal products making it suitable for those who are vegetarian and vegan.
What we ordered at TowZen
Musashi |ムサシ
What we went for – Musashi ramen, regular spice, 180g of noodles, thin noodles, standard flavour.
Musashi is a creamy mushroom and nori seaweed soymilk ramen which was presented beautifully in what looked like a handcrafted bowl. The bowl of ramen was so delicious and rich but, not so much that you couldn’t enjoy the ramen.
Ramen is topped with greens, mushrooms, nori and yuba (tofu skin). The latter of which is one of the top vegan foods you should try when you visit Japan!
¥1,200 (£6.62/ $8.47)
Tantan | 大豆ミートの坦々風
What we went for – Tantan ramen, regular spice, 180g of noodles, thin noodles, standard flavour.
Another rich and creamy ramen but this one has a bit of a kick to it which balances out the soymilk-based broth. It tastes super delicious and cosy and is topped with greens and soy meat which adds a great texture to the dish.
The noodles were cooked to perfection – not too hard or soft but with a nice chew. If you’re looking for more vegan tantan ramen come to this vegan restaurant in Tokyo!
¥1,200 (£6.62/ $8.47)
Soy meat rice bowl | 大豆ミート丼
A bowl of rice layered with lettuce and topped with the same soy meat from the tantan ramen as well as a sprinkle of spice which added a slight kick to the dish.
I’ve got into a habit of eating rice with ramen so I wanted to order this side dish. The soy meat has a nice added texture and the lettuce gave a refreshing crunch which broke up the creaminess from the ramen.
¥500 (£2.76/ $3.53)
Gateau Chocolat and ice cream | ガトーショコラとミニアイス
As it was a vegan gluten-free cake, it did have a slightly dry and crumbly texture to it. However, I didn’t mind as it went down nicely with the creamy vanilla ice cream.
¥700 (£3.86/ $4.94)
H.C Black sesame ice cream | ミニ麻炭の黒胡麻アイス
If I remember correctly this was hemp charcoal black sesame ice cream made from soymilk. We were curious about the unique flavour combination which was rather nice. The ice cream is creamy and not overly sweet.
¥250 (£1.38/ $1.77)
How to make a reservation
TowZen uses a reservation-only booking system and to do this you need to contact them via Line. Line, for those who don’t know, is one of the popular messaging services in Japan, similar to WhatsApp.
Don’t worry about not being able to speak Japanese. The staff understand English but I would advise using clear and short sentences so it’s easy to understand and avoid confusion.
Things that are close by
- Shimogamo-jinja Shrine | 50 min walk | 34 min by train
- Kyoto Botanical Gardens | 17 min walk | 9 min by train
- Kyoto Imperial Palace | 30 min walk | 23 min by train
- Kiyomizudera | 38 min by train
- Takaragaike Park | 48 min walk | 33 min by train
Vegan Options Close to TowZen
V = Vegan, VO = Vegan Options
- Natural Food Village | V | 21 min walk
- Natural Foods Donguri | VO | 12 min walk
- Uno Yukiko | VO | 21 min walk
- Pettirosso | V | 22 min walk
- Falafel Garden | VO | 20 min walk
How to get to TowZen
Address:
13-4 Shimogamo Higashitakagicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-0865
Nearest station:
15 mins from Matsugasaki Station
Open:
Monday, Tuesday: 11:30 – 16:00
Wednesday, Thursday: Closed
Friday – Sunday: 11:30 – 16:00, 18:00 -21:00
TowZen is such a unique place for lunch or dinner to get one of the best soymilk ramen dishes in Japan! The cosy and homely interior makes for such a cute atmosphere, unlike anything else I’ve experienced since living here.
As we ordered sides and desserts, the medium-sized noodles were the perfect portion for each of us. If I get to visit again, I really want to try the eggplant sushi as it has raving reviews online!
Although this ramen restaurant is slightly out of the main area of the city, it’s definitely worth the visit. Get yourself to the northeast region of Kyoto to see for yourself. I guarantee you’ll leave feeling very full, happy and dreaming about when you can eat it again!
If you want a special eating experience in Tokyo, why not consider Bon, a traditional vegan restaurant?