Located near the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, this long-established udon joint is famous for its appearance in Junichiro Tanizaki’s novel Ashikari (The Reed Cutter) and for making its dashi broth with sacred water from the Rikyu spring, located on the grounds of nearby Minase Jingu shrine.
The menu lists a wide variety of noodle dishes, from standard hot and cold udon with various toppings to the vaunted Kyo no Kodawari Shiromiso to Namafu Tsukemen, noodles topped with yuzu citrus and served alongside a white miso-based soup based on an umami-packed fish broth and thickened with mashed potatoes.
Other eye-catching options include dandan noodles topped with beef sinew (gyusuji tantanmen) and curry udon paired with seared pork. Kagiu’s menu is in constant flux, with new dishes being added at a steady pace.