Chiho no Ie Ganso Nagashi Somen
SaveSaid to be where flowing somen noodles began, an eatery open since 1955.
Water piped from Tamadare Falls runs down four bamboo troughs, and the somen comes with it.
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- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：not checked
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：not checked
- ChangingDiaper changing table：not checked
- Diaper binDiaper disposal bin：not checked
- Family WCFamily restroom：not checked
- Kids' toiletKids' toilet seat & step stool：not checked
- Own foodOutside food allowed：not checked
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
Green = we confirmed it. Grey = not checked yet. Grey with a line through = the place does not have it.
Near here
Worth a look before you go
First-hand
What To Eat in Takachiho Gorge: Nagashi Somen
Sit near the lower end of the chute to see noodles coming. English menus exist; staff speak none.
mytravelbuzzg.com2026
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
How to walk Takachiho Gorge without getting lost: access, parking, route and sights
Down from Araragi No.2 car park via Shinbashi; the loop takes about an hour of steps up and down.
ritocamp.com2025
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Chiho no Ie, where flowing somen began, with the menu
Four bamboo troughs, two each side. Somen 600 yen, grilled fish 700; no bookings, so midday fills up.
shochuumme.com2024
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Too hot out, so we went to the birthplace of flowing somen: Chiho no Ie, Takachiho Gorge
Somen alone 600 yen, set with river fish and rice ball 1,500. 200 g a serving; staff call out before each run.
rocketnews24.com2022
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Takachiho Gorge: car parks, the shuttle bus and how crowded holidays get
On a holiday they were sent to car park 4. Shuttle 200 yen, 100 for schoolchildren, under-6 free; 10 min wait.
komenikusakana-ahaha.com2024
Chiho no Ie Ganso Nagashi Somen · Links & reads ▾
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Basics
- Fee：Prices are not published on the official site. Credit cards are not accepted at the somen place - the souvenir shop of the same company does take them.■■
- Hours：10:00-16:00 with last orders at 15:30, open all year. The Takachiho Tourist Association lists the opening time as 11:00, so the first hour is uncertain. Hours change and the place closes altogether depending on the weather.■■
- Time needed：45 min
- Booking：No reservations are taken at any of the Chiho no Ie eating places; you turn up and are seated in the order you arrive. Cards are not accepted here, so bring cash. Note that this is not the same place as the Chiho no Ie restaurant at 62-1 Mukaiyama, which serves the set meals, or the souvenir shop at the walking-course entrance.■■Official booking site ↗
evidence & sources (1)
In 1955 reporters boiled somen outdoors and cooled it in the cold gorge water to escape the heat. An article about it gave the owner of Chiho no Ie an idea, and trial and error produced noodles sent down running water. Four bamboo troughs still carry spring water from Tamadare Falls. The place is in Takachiho Gorge, where cliffs 80 to 100 m high run for 7 km.
| Stroller friendly | Not checked yet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diaper changing table | Not checked yet | ||||
| Nursing space | Not checked yet | ||||
| Family restroom | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| Outside food allowed | Not checked yet | ||||
| Indoor / outdoor | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Steps & slope caution | Not checked yet | ||||
| Child switch (rider swap) | Not checked yet | ||||
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | In Takachiho Gorge. There is no car park of its own. By car it is 1 hour 30 minutes east on Route 218 from the Matsubase interchange; from Kumamoto airport a taxi takes 1 hour 30 minutes; the Miyazaki Kotsu express bus is 3 hours 30 minutes from Fukuoka and 2 hours 40 minutes from Kumamoto. Kumamoto is the nearer way in, not Miyazaki city. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | chihonoie.jptakachiho-kanko.info |
| Official family-friendly certificationExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Crowding (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Quietness (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet |
Not checked yet (8)
Indoor / outdoor, Steps & slope caution, Child switch (rider swap), Official family-friendly certification, Best-fit ages (guide), Crowding (guide), Quietness (guide), Lost-child support