Strange bamboo noodle shop in Japan, Vietnamese customers wait 3 hours to 'take a number' to enjoy

During her trip to Japan last July, Nguyen Thuy Trang (born in 1995, from Hai Phong) was delighted to experience many interesting destinations and activities. Among them, the female travel blogger was most impressed with Kifune - a cool green place suitable for "escape from the heat" in the summer, located about 16km from the center of the ancient capital of Kyoto.

“Among the popular tourist destinations in Kyoto, I feel that Kifune deserves to be the top choice for those who love natural beauty, experiencing sacred temples and enjoying unique dishes,” the 9X shared.

Along the cool stream and rows of green trees covering the main road, Kifune makes visitors surprised by the beautiful scenery like in anime movies.

Here, many shops turn on their lights from 10am. The sacred Kifune shrine is open all year round with the “legendary slope” leading up to the shrine always crowded with visitors coming to pray for good luck.

The Vietnamese female tourist also revealed that, not only impressing with its beautiful green natural landscape, Kifune also attracts tourists with its unique bamboo noodle shop - Hirobun, which is only open in the summer and fall. This is also considered the only restaurant in Kyoto serving nagashi somen (somen noodles flowing in bamboo).

Thuy Trang said that the noodle shop does not allow reservations. Although the shop opens at 11am, by 9:30am, there were already nearly 100 people lining up around the stream bank waiting to get a number.

Thuy Trang (left) and a long line of tourists in front of the noodle shop patiently and happily wait in the cool air even though it is summer.

Arriving at this noodle shop at 9am, luckily there weren't many customers yet, there were only about 35 people in front so Thuy Trang got number 14. However, the girl from Hai Phong still had to wait 3 hours to get to sit on the mat because the noodle dish is served in turns, each turn is only for 10 people.

“The number of customers is constantly increasing, they even patiently queue up to 2km long, waiting 1-3 hours just to enjoy this unique noodle dish,” the female travel blogger recounted.

A space that blends into nature at the unique flowing noodle shop in Kifune

9X also revealed that, not only do they have to wait in long lines and spend hours waiting, visitors who want to enjoy the unique noodle dish at this shop also have to go through a rather arduous process before being able to "approach" the bamboo tube and bowl of noodles.

First, after lining up and getting your turn to enter the restaurant, visitors go to the reception desk to pay for 1,300 yen/meal (more than 210,000 VND) and receive a fan with their order number. Visitors should note that losing the fan will result in a fine.

Next, customers move down to the shop and wait on the waiting mat. Right below the customers' sitting area is a cool stream, making everyone feel comfortable and relaxed.

After the previous 10 people have finished eating, the staff will hold up a numbered board to serve the next group of guests. As they get closer to their number, they will switch to another waiting mat, getting closer to the bamboo tube area and starting a fun and exciting time of eating.

In the past, the proper way to eat nagashi somen was to have the noodles flow through a clean bamboo tube with cold water. But now, to ensure hygiene and suitability for all visitors, Hirobun noodle shop has switched to using aluminum tubes designed and decorated to look like bamboo tubes. Each diner will use a separate tube.

Although Thuy Trang did not appreciate the taste of the noodle dish, she was satisfied because she had many other interesting experiences.

When the noodles arrive, diners will pick up the noodles into the bowl and dip them into a Japanese-style broth called tsuyu, doing this about 4-5 times. Visitors can also eat the noodles with a special type of jelly from the region covered with matcha, slowly feeling the refreshing taste, overpowering the salty taste of the tsuyu broth.

“This unique culinary tour will officially end when the noodles flowing from the bamboo tube turn purple/red/yellow. That is the signal that the amount of noodles has run out and your service session has ended,” Thuy Trang added.

The female blogger admitted that the journey of nearly 2 hours by public transport to get here, plus about 3 hours of waiting in exchange for 15 minutes of eating instant noodles was quite a satisfying experience. With this noodle dish, the 9X has the opportunity to better understand the uniqueness and interestingness of the Japanese way of eating.

In Kifune, Thuy Trang spent half a day walking and exploring the area. In addition to experiencing bamboo tube somen noodles, she also went to Kifune Shrine to pray for luck, then walked around eating mochi, ice cream and wandering around to enjoy the fresh, green natural space.

Phan Dau - Photo: Nguyen Thuy Trang

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