I come from Kumamoto, Kyushu. For me, ramen means Tonkotsu ramen. If you visit Fukuoka (Hakata), you have to try rich pork broth Tonkotsu ramen.
Tonkotsu ramen was born in Hakata and is very popular throughout Kyushu island. Tonkotsu ramen has a rich and fascinating history. Initially considered a low-class worker’s food, Tonkotsu ramen has transformed into a culturally significant dish that is now an important part of Fukuoka’s culinary landscape. More links below about Ichiran Ramen and Ramen, in general, are below.
As I remember when I was a child, ramen places were dominated by working-class males and were dingy and dirty small shops. It was a very masculine culture, and it was intimidating for women to eat there.
The ramen culture also has a perfectionism about improving the dish’s taste. You can see this in the film Tampopo (recommended) which is all about the taste of ramen.
A short Tampopo clip of a ramen master ,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WrkdTrrwew
Ramen still has its core culture, but it’s very different now.
Ichiran Ramen
International website – https://en.ichiran.com
US branches of Ichiran ramen – https://www.ichiranusa.com
The branch we visited – https://goo.gl/maps/zbrayfnf4cNUM6bN7
The original branch – https://goo.gl/maps/rWyJZMBUqnKc3G8n8
Alternative ramen recommendations
Taiho ramen – https://www.taiho.net (Japanese language website)
Taiho ramen “We Go East” Youtube review – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0khmM_l5AB4&t=458s
Taiho ramen – Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/eZ5YAXkXhN1Mih3W8
London ramen suggestions
Ippodo – https://www.ippudo.co.uk
Kanada ya – https://www.kanada-ya.com
Shoryu – https://www.shoryuramen.com
Aggretsuko
The office ladies having a quiet peaceful lunch alone reminded me of the Aggretsuko anime.
Tampopo Film (1985)
Directed by Jûzô Itami and starring a young Ken Watanabe
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092048
Time codes
00:00 Introduction
00:58 Ordering with ticket machine
02:25 Sitting down at the booths
02:40 Selecting ramen preferences
05:01 Wooden block help system
06:30 Ramen arrives
07:10 Eating ramen
07:35 First ramen impressions
11:19 Leaving Ichiran Ramen
12:02 Conclusion and final verdict
13:40 Alternative Ramen recommendations
13:47 About the branch we went to
14:51 About booth eating experience
15:41 Mark didn’t get ill from ramen – big achievement
16:32 London ramen recommendations