Japanese ramen restaurant serves noodles with a heartwarming side of history

Unique visitor’s record tells the story of a ramen dish that remains unchanged for decades.

“Tsukihi wa hakutai no kakaku ni shite, yukikau toshi mo mata tabibito“. These are the words that came to mind when our reporter Seiji Nakazawa was waiting to get a seat at the main branch of Ramen House Aoba, a long-established ramen restaurant in Asahikawa on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

These words form the famous opening line from “Oku no Hosomichi” (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”) by revered Japanese poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), and they’ve been translated as: “The moon and sun are eternal travellers. Even the years wander on.”

This poetic outlook on time passing like a traveller sprang to Seiji’s mind as he sat in a place where his surroundings had been worn by time, 77 years in fact, which is how long the ramen restaurant had been in business.

▼ Ramen House Aoba

The fact that the restaurant has a waiting room, where Seiji had to wait before being seated, is a testament to just how popular it is. Located in the old “Femme Chic” boutique next door, which is vacant now and therefore able to be used as a waiting room by the restaurant, the place is staffed by an elderly lady who hands out menus to customers so they can make their selections while they wait.

Seiji wasn’t sure what to order, so he asked the lady for her advice, and she told him the restaurant was known for its soy sauce ramen.

▼ Asahikawa is a region that’s famous for soy sauce ramen so that’s what Seiji decided to order.

As he waited, an old, tattered notebook caught his eye. “Travel Memories Book No. 1” was written on the cover, and it was so worn it looked like some sort of ancient document.

Upon asking the lady about it, she told him it was from 1989, and she handed him the latest version, which was book number 114.

She suggested he add his own note to the records, so he left a simple message that read: “This is RocketNews24, from Tokyo. It’s amazing that the first notebook is from 1989! Such history!! Seiji Nakazawa”.

After snapping a photo for memory’s sake, he turned his attention back to that first volume from 1989, and he found himself excitedly flipping through the pages. Back in the ’80s, customers appeared to have more time to leave thoughtful messages and even sketches, using brush pens instead of biros.

▼ This customer left a sketch of heavy snowfall in Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture.

The quality had certainly changed over the years, and Seiji found himself in awe of the restaurant’s past customers, who all left such impressive, well-written notes. He felt the passage of time in the huge difference between the handwriting used then and now, and felt touched by the record of human history tucked away in this humble waiting room.

Once he was able to step into the restaurant and taste the ramen, he found it had a flavour that was evocative of the long history behind it. The soy sauce broth had been made with seafood and chicken bones, with a pork bone stock providing further depth of flavour, giving it a rich yet refreshing taste that was immediately addictive.

The firm, medium-thick noodles paired well with the broth, and according to staff, it’s a dish that hasn’t changed for over 70 years. When you hit upon a recipe this good, there’s no need to change a thing, and it’s easy to see why this ramen has remained a local favourite for so many decades.

It was a deliciously hearty meal, and the passion to continue honouring the flavour inherited from the first-generation owner was just as heartwarming. In case you’re wondering what the exact dish was that Seiji ordered, it was the “Shoyu Chashu Ramen“, priced at 1,050 yen (US$6.84), which was a great deal.

▼ The chashu pork was particularly flavourful and delicious.

There’s a lot of good taste here, not only in the meals but the interior of the restaurant, the kindness of the staff, and the history behind the business.

▼ It’s such a famous store that you’ll even find ads for it at Asahikawa Station.

Seiji was incredibly glad to have visited such a hidden gem, which not only served up an excellent example of the region’s representative ramen, but a whole lot of local history as well. As the years continue their journey from the past towards the future, so do Seiji’s life’s travels, and if it comes with ramen as good as this, he looks forward to what the years will bring.

Restaurant information
Asahikawa Ramen Aoba main store / 旭川らぅめん青葉 本店
Address: Hokkaido, Asahikawa-shi, Nijo-dori 8-chome left 8
北海道旭川市二条通8丁目左8
Open 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; 3:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Closed Wednesdays
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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