TowZen Ramen

Eat & Drink

What We Like

  1. World’s first vegan ramen, with strong following among vegan fans in Kyoto.
  2. Offers food based on a philosophy of World Peace.
  3. Also acts as a focal point for community building.
  • SOC★2
  • ENV★1
  • SOC 2★:
    Open source recipe for the purpose of spreading “peace”.
  • ENV 1★:
    Vegan ramen minimalizes impact on environment.
  • (About Sustainability Impact Score)
We love the philosophy of the ramen embracing world peace. Ever since the ramen restaurant TowZen started, the owner, Minoru Yonezawa, has been set on creating a ramen that is kind for the environment and healthy for customers.

Animal broths are the standard for ramen, often based on pork or chicken. Therefore a lot of research went into creating a vegan broth that avoid animal ingredients and that is still tasty. Yonezawa succeeded with a soy milk based broth, and the result is vegans from Kyoto and all over the world make a trip to TowZen when they visit Kyoto..

TowZen also doesn’t have a long menu, and it doesn’t need to. It is part of the restaurant’s philosophy to care for the welfare of customers, including their minds. Customers avoid getting troubled by not knowing what to choose from the menu; a complex menu would only complicate and frustrate.

TowZen also impressed us when we learned that the restaurant plays a part in community building. With a modular setup in a modest space, TowZen is able to create an event space so that nearby communities can use it to hold events. We see a hint of sharing economy here, as TowZen realized that it could offer its space outside of opening hours, so that communities, who sorely needed locations, can use. Till today, the restaurant has hosted numerous events, such as music performances, cooking classes and rakugo sessions.

To know more about TowZen, read our interview here.

What we would like to see

None at the moment.

Details(updated 6 Sept 2022)

Brand nameTOWZEN RAMEN RESTAURANT
GenreRestaurant, Japanese
WebsiteHomepage(EN)
Address13-4 Shimogamo Higashitakagi-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-0865, Japan
Google MapView Map
Opening HoursOperates from Friday to Tuesday. Closed on Wednesdays and Thurdays.
LUNCH: 11:30am~6pm (LO 5pm)
Cafe time begins from 3pm~. 
DINNER (reservation only): 6pm~8pm (LO 7:30pm)
Note the hours are adjusted for safety in view of coronavirus.
Instagram AccountInstagram URL
Facebook AccountFacebook URL
X AccountX URL
YouTube ChannelYouTube URL
ParkingNot available
Children-friendlyYes

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