As you will quickly learn in this blog series, each town in Japan I visit is famous for its own unique flavor. This regional variety is the kindling which drives the spirit of the modern day Ramen enthusiast. Japanese-style ramen as we know it today has been around for about 100 years, with the first recorded establishment having opened in Yokohama (a town near Tokyo) in 191o. This shop became famous for serving Chinese-style noodles in a distinctive Japanese style broth based on soy sauce or ‘shoyu’ in Japanese. This gave birth to Shoyu Ramen, hands down the most popular ramen style in Japan and around the world today. Ever wondered what flavor ‘Orginal’ top ramen was? well it’s Shoyu. With its rich yet light taste which the Japanese ‘Asari’ shoyu ramen is without a doubt a quintessential representation of Japanese culinary philosophy.
On our trip for the All Japan Show this summer, the DreamLab Glass crew and myself made it a point to sample the best shoyu ramen the sprawling metropolis had to offer. I had read about this particular shop in a book which showcased Tokyo’s best ramen shops, and felt it was necessary to check it out for our readers. Our glassblowing friend and Tokyo-local, Keisuke Yoshida, picked us up from the Le Deco gallery where the All Japan Show was currently being held for its several day run. After about a 30min drive from the center of town, we found ourselves in the Nerima ward. Keisuke was able to use his GPS to find us a parking spot just down the street. If you are in Japan and plan on taking the train, which works best for most visitors, just hop on the Fukutoshin line at Shibuya Station and take it to Shin-Sakuradai Station.
After such a long drive out into the city we were ready for what can only be described as an ‘irie’ bowl of Shoyu ramen. With dub beats flowing out the speakers, images of reggae’s patron saint Bob Marley hanging on the wall, and the head chef sporting dreadlocks, this is definitely a shop with ‘positive vibrations.’ The interior is awesome. But be sure to look out for all the secret menu items hidden in obscure locations.
If you don’t speak or read Japanese I would most definitely recommend bringing a friend who does to make the whole experience a little easier. The whole menu is in Japanese, but in most shops you can ask them which is the most popular style and they will point you in the right direction. Let me take something back I said previously, there is one item written in english on the menu, Dr.Pepper. I felt like this was a sign, like this soda would be the perfect compliment to my meal. Upon ordering it the shops server pulled a frosty mug from the freezer and loaded it with ice. The chilled mug made a big impression on me, I felt like it somehow enhanced the flavor of the soda and gave the appearance a sophisticated look which is often lost on soft drinks.
Our guide Keisuke ordered the tsukemen ramen, which was honestly the best decision given the time of year. Instead of a hot broth it is chilled and reduced into a slightly more concentrated version of the soup. With tsukemen you dip the noodles in the broth rather than immersing them in soup like traditional ramen. I would recommend ordering tuskemen in the summertime or if you are looking for a very ‘local’ ramen experience. According to the time of year certain shops will offer either a hot or cold tsukemen option.
I was able to get my booked signed by the head chef which was an amazing experience for me. Be sure to join me again on my ramen adventures, who knows where I will be slurpling next!
