Recommended bowl: Clean Kyoto shoyu

Not far from the bamboo forests of Arashiyama on the western side of the city, Ramen Daiki serves simple, old school Kyoto-style ramen. The shop has been open for over 30 years and has a strong local following —many taxi drivers in the area seem to know it. The bowls are straight-up Kyoto-style: a clear, 100% pork-based soup with a shoyu tare. Medium-straight noodles, pork chashu slices and lots of chopped green negi. Most customers opt for the large (oomori) size or order rice on the side.