Noodle House Kiryu Michi

Noodle House Kiryu Michi is a ramen restaurant in the Higashimachi district of Kiryu, Gunma, specialising in Kiryu-style ramen — a distinct regional approach to Japanese noodle soup characterised by a clear or lightly coloured broth that contrasts with the heavier, pork-bone-forward soups of Takasaki and other Gunma cities. Kiryu's ramen culture developed alongside the city's textile industry: practical, affordable, and calibrated to the tastes of factory workers who required a filling but not heavy midday meal. The shio ramen (salt broth) is the lightest preparation: a nearly transparent broth built from chicken bones and dried shellfish stock, seasoned with sea salt rather than soy or miso, which allows the underlying stock flavours to be tasted clearly. The Kiryu tori ramen (chicken broth) is slightly fuller in body — a pale golden colour from extended chicken-bone simmering — with a deeper poultry character and thin straight noodles that absorb the broth evenly. Both preparations use thin, straight noodles in contrast to the thicker, wavy noodles found in the richer Takasaki styles. Chashu pork rice is available as a side: sliced braised pork belly on a small bowl of rice, intended as a supplement to the noodle soup rather than a standalone dish. The restaurant operates a lunchtime and evening service with a break between 2:30 PM and 6:00 PM; it is closed Tuesday. The interior follows the functional ramen-shop format: counter seats facing the kitchen, a few table positions, and a simple menu board. Kiryu is reached from Takasaki by the Tobu Kiryu Line in approximately 45 minutes, making the restaurant accessible as a day trip for Gunma travellers.