Tokyo Ramen Trip 2008 - Day 2 (Part 1)

SHINYOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM (Part 1)

Someone once told me that the ShinYokohama Raumen Museum was tsumannai (boring). They obviously weren't a fan of ramen! This museum is great! Only us ramen crazies can truly appreciate an establishment like this. I'll try to do my best to bring the museum to you in the pics and paragraphs that follow. I might also be going back during the week, since it was just way too crowded on this Sunday. Plus, they only serve gyoza during the week. (Forgive me if the pics don't look very good. I don't have any editing software on this computer since it's not mine.) Also, ShinYokohama is about an hour outside of Tokyo so don't let my title mislead you.


Featuring 8 different ramen shops from around Japan labeled as the "new generation of ramen," the ShinYokohama Ramen Museum has something every ramen fan can enjoy. Too crowded and too enamored to try them all, I did manage to wait in 30-minute lines for 2 of the 8 ramen shops. All of the shops serve "mini-ramen" so don't worry about wasting any if you feel like trying them all.


Here is the lineup:

1. Ido Shoten - A unique mild tonkotsu shoyu broth from Wakayama.


2. Shinasobaya - Considered "the Demon of ingredients," owner-chef Minoru Sano is notorious for being a devil on all fronts. He'll even kick you out of his shop if you're cell phone rings while you're in there. His mild broth is prepared with several kinds of chicken and tonkotsu.


3. Keyaki - A miso flavored soup from Sapporo prepared by chef Hideki Nitori, who has a mission of creating a dish which appeals to all five senses.


4. Ryushanhai - Features the unique "karamiso ramen" invented in 1960 from Yamagata.


5. Hachiya - Grilled lard never sounded so good. From Asahikawa city.


6. Harukiya - Founded in 1949 after WWII, this is the oldest ramen shop in Tokyo. Featuring a home made hand-kneaded noodle in a shoyu-based fish broth.


7. Fukuchan - Hakata-style ramen with a sharp, rich taste. They invented the tradition of adding raw garlic to your ramen.


8. Komurasaki - A mild tonkotsu-based soup with grilled garlic chips, originating from Kumamoto.

To be continued...