山奥に佇む激渋食堂 議員と店主の二足のわらじで地域の味を守る!
Kochi Prefecture “Ekimae Shokudo” Self-service style: Choose your favorite
side dishes from the showcase . Fried rice, omelet rice , hamburg steak. The noodles are tricky to eat—like soba dough. The broth was delicious, though. Hinohikari rice, home-grown . Sweetfish are currently being farmed
too. Deep in the mountains, isolated from
civilization, we follow a long-established
diner run by a couple . Nagaoka District, Kochi Prefecture. A
2-minute walk south from Tosa-Kitakawa
Station. Standing in the quiet mountain valley
Established 1969 “Ekimae Shokudo” 6:00 AM Owner arrives, lights the wood stove . Staff: “It’s pretty cold, huh ? But today’s warmer than usual.” Showa-era interior. Broth made with Rishiri kelp and bonito flakes. This is the parent chicken. Shiitake mushrooms, ginger . Shiitake mushrooms—we make them at home,
so we add those dried shiitake . Owner’s wife : “What else do you grow at home ?” Chinese cabbage, cabbage , potatoes too. We grow all sorts of things . Carrots, tomatoes. We have rice fields . We have an old-fashioned combine harvester
, but now we cut with a binder and dry it . What variety is this? Hinohikari . What kind of rice do you use in the
shop? We grow our own . We also sell our homegrown shiitake
mushrooms and rice . Onions . Since we’re not a set-meal restaurant,
the daily dishes change . It’s kind of like whatever comes to mind
that day . Like what Mom would make at home. Just deciding, “Okay, let’s make this
today .” Staff: By the way, what about today? I was thinking maybe hamburgers. Breadcrumbs . Staff: Is that sound a train? Train? More like a locomotive here. Divide it into equal portions. I had some coffee . Staff) How many years ago did the shop
open ? 55 years. They built a railway bridge here, so the old shop was demolished. We rebuilt it here later . When the expressway was built? Business plummeted. Lots of shops closed
down. They get cut out the middle, haha . Did it decrease significantly? This area too. Within a kilometer , there were three places , and they’ve all
closed. How many years ago did the generational
change happen? About one or two years ago. Grilling the prepared hamburgers. Staff) What did you originally do? I was a consultant too . In Tokyo . Thirty-one years in Tokyo . Left your hometown and stayed in Tokyo
the whole time? I was in Okayama as a student . Four years
there, then Tokyo . I saw my mom on Street View. It was around this time of year . She was dressed for the cold . She looked lonely . That’s why I came back . When things
settled at work . Staff) You came back . What are you
doing now? Now it’s the cafeteria, the fields, the
rice paddies , fishing, and forestry too. I also raise amago trout , or sweetfish. Currently farming them in the upper pond . Then, about two years ago , I ran for office. Everyone voted for me , so now I’m serving as a council member . Pasta seasoned with wakame rice furikake. Making hamburger sauce . Tomatoes. The hamburgers are done. Simmered with yellowtail roe . Konjac simmered in miso broth. Self-service side dishes. The ayu sweetfish were caught downstream.
Ayu. Around here we call it a set net, but nationally it’s called a gill net. You set the net against the current to
drive them in and catch them. Simmered daikon and scallop roe. Nikujaga . Carefully cracking the eggs to avoid
shells . Mixing thoroughly . Simmered greens. Tamagoyaki. One after another , they’re lined up in
the showcase. The shop owner’s uncle. Lots of delicious-looking side dishes
lined up . The day’s menu is written by hand. Staff: How about the flavor of the
shiitake mushrooms your nephew makes ? They’re delicious . Purchased the shiitake mushrooms and left. Tachikawa Soba 650 yen, Beef Curry 700
yen, Miso Ramen 650 yen, Shoyu Ramen 550 yen
(Oden currently unavailable) Today’s Menu: Handmade Hamburger Steak 400
yen, Meat and Potato Stew 250 yen, Simmered Konjac with Sand-like Texture 210
yen, Wild Sweetfish Nanban 700 yen . Nutritional drinks, alcoholic beverages,
non-alcoholic drinks available . Table condiments : Soy sauce,
Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu sauce,
ichimi pepper, white pepper, black pepper,
Sesame Salt, Homemade Umeboshi Homemade Umeboshi Open at 7:00 AM Business Hours 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Closed:
2nd & 4th Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays We keep goats on the premises . The couple enjoys breakfast together. Staff) What do you recommend? We don’t really have recommendations. Everything we serve is meant to be eaten
as a side dish with rice , so there’s no one specific thing . Truck drivers come in a lot , so fried
foods sell well . When older folks come, simmered dishes are
popular. For noodles or rice dishes, which ones
sell best? Ramen and Tachikawa soba. For the ramen toppings, we use green onions grown at home , homemade chashu pork , and boiled eggs. We used to use Tosa Jiro eggs, but since they stopped laying, we now use eggs from a Kochi poultry farm. We raise amego trout behind the shop . They’re cannibalistic, so we have to
feed them constantly . On weekdays, about 5-10 people, and
about 10-15 on weekends and holidays . Staff: I think it’s called Ekimae
Shokudo (Station Front Diner) . The station is over there , on that iron bridge . Did the grandmother run it alone? Yeah, my mom helped out too when she was
young. I guess you could say I took over , but
since there aren’t many jobs in the
countryside, it just sort of happened that
way . So I’m the third generation? Yeah, I’m the third generation . Tosa Jiro. Customer arrived by motorcycle. Ordered Tachikawa soba . Never had soba like this before. Wondered what it’d be like . It’s delicious . Feels a bit different from regular soba
. The noodles are a bit thicker, right? Staff) How’s the shop’s atmosphere? Nice. Thank you. It’s like soba-gaki. The noodles are a bit thick and quite filling. Staff) Quite a strong soba aroma? Yeah. Also, the broth has shiitake mushrooms and things like that. Shiitake, bracken
fiddleheads… The broth was delicious. Packing their own rice into bags . Their home-grown shiitake mushrooms are
thick and have a great aroma. On this day , the second customer arrived . Welcome ! Yes, please. Choose your favorite side dishes and heat
them in the microwave . Tea is self-service. Pour the broth into a pot and put it on
the stove. Miso. Dissolve the miso and add vegetables. Homegrown Hinohikari rice, miso soup, pickles. Staff) Do you come to the shop often? Yeah . How’s the food? It’s good! Please eat. Since you ordered your usual earlier , this combination is pretty much…? Same. They make it when they see your face . Conversation flows, and customers
leisurely savor their meal. Once again , the truck drives off,
returning to work . Time flows slowly at “Ekimae Shokudo. ” Customers who came to buy rice and
shiitake mushrooms. I pass through here
quite often . When it’s not busy, I
thought I’d like to stop by sometime .
Staff) So today is your first time? Yes, this is my first time buying here. Inside, paintings by the owner’s wife are
displayed . She writes the base and then arranges her favorite colors
herself . Sometimes she displays them in the shop.
Shiitake Fried Rice. The owner and his wife’s lunch. Shiitake Fried Rice. Tachikawa Soba . Broth made with bonito flakes and soup made with old hen . We blend these
two types together. Putting the pot on the fire . Yuzu pepper Soba noodles , fried tofu, bracken fern, shiitake
mushrooms, fish cake, simmered egg , and green onions are added to complete
it . Tachikawa Soba: 650 yen. I’m happy it’s loaded with toppings. The fried tofu, soaked in plenty of broth,
is juicy. Egg, here I come . The noodles are quite thick, and the
buckwheat aroma really stands out . What’s on top is shiitake mushrooms. Homemade. They dry the shiitake mushrooms
and simmer them. We add seasoned bracken fern, dried and
rehydrated from local mountains . The noodles’ characteristic is they’re
tricky to eat—they break into chunks . They’re thick , about the size of these
chopsticks , so they feel closer to soba dough. Because they’re thick, the buckwheat aroma
doesn’t escape . Staff: What percentage buckwheat flour
is used? This is 100% buckwheat noodles. Since it’s
pure buckwheat, we add dashi stock and heat it . Dissolve miso paste, add vegetables , pickles , rice cooked with our homemade rice , miso soup. Hamburger steak 400 yen, rolled omelet 210
yen, large rice 200 yen, Miso soup 130
yen. Hamburger steak with a standout onion
texture. The homemade sauce is delicious,
giving it a homey taste. Tamagoyaki . The dashi-rich miso soup is deeply
satisfying. The sweet, steaming hot rice pairs
perfectly with the dishes. It ‘s a nostalgic, comforting taste , like
coming back to your childhood home . This is the chashu. Pork belly chashu. Thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms from our
own garden . Onion. Mixed vegetables. Staff) How did you learn to cook? I’ve always loved cooking. When you love something, they say practice makes perfect
. They generously added extra ingredients as
a service . Stir-fry the freshly chopped vegetables . Eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. Rice. Ketchup . Melt butter in another frying pan. Pour in the beaten eggs. Place the ketchup rice on top of the
omelet . Shape it neatly . Omelet Rice 800 yen (Available depending
on ingredients) Shiitake mushrooms and vegetables . A
classic omelet rice where you can taste
the sweetness of the eggs . “Ekimae Shokudo” is a place where you
can relax and take a breather . The two of
them welcomed us warmly . (Seafood Fried Rice) Second time!
I ate it last time and it was delicious. It’s delicious, so I’m introducing it to
everyone . I definitely come at least once a week . Run by a couple . Champon noodles! Packed with veggies, so I feel zero guilt . Looks delicious! Sweet and Sour Pork. Yep, the sweet and sour pork was
delicious! I’ll have the Mapo Tofu. I’ll have the Green Pepper and Pork . This is tasty. I eat all kinds of
things, but it’s delicious . Located in Teshimachi, Takamatsu City,
Kagawa Prefecture , next to Takamatsu
Minami Post Office . The owner, originally from China, shows
off his skills. ‘Chinese Dining Rei’ Affordable and delicious is their motto. A
beloved local Chinese restaurant. The owner makes the dan dan noodle base. Spicy seasoning. Soy sauce . They meticulously handcraft everything
down to the sauces and seasonings. The homemade dan dan noodle base is
complete. Cutting cabbage cores. Scooping out the cores. Julienne carrots. Salad vegetables. The owner’s wife . There are 72 seats total , but
currently, not all are in use. The small side dishes in set meals change
daily. Today it’s Chinese-style potato and carrot
salad. Garlic chives . Garlic chive omelet for the small dishes. Homemade char siu. Finely chopped for fried rice . The shop is run by just the two of them. They’re no longer in a position to hire
staff . Paying labor costs has become difficult . Ingredient costs have risen, but but we
can’t raise our prices . The owner’s wife, who handles the dining
room, silently prepares the tables .
Staff: How many years has your husband
been cooking Chinese food ? Decades. He worked in cooking for five years in
China , then did other jobs . Came to Japan knowing no Japanese ,
nothing. Started cooking for himself. Opened his own shop. Opens at 11:00 . Family-run , keeping labor costs low to
invest in ingredients . That’s why they
offer affordable dishes. Parking for 7 cars. Counter seats. Table seats . Chili oil, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper. Lunch menu with main choice: ¥780.
Includes salad, small side dish, tofu,
rice or soup, pickles. Chicken karaage 780 yen . Add 150 yen to
upgrade to a set menu . Tianjin rice 750 yen. Five-spice
fried rice 650 yen. Sliced pork with green
peppers 850 yen. Leek and liver stir-fry
750 yen. Dandan noodles 750 yen. Bean
sprout ramen 450 yen . Topping it with the sauce completes the
glossy Tianjin rice. The wife serves it . Sorry to keep you waiting. Sharing a bite together . Pork. Plenty of vegetables . Champon noodles. Bean sprouts. Champon noodles . First, the soup . Packed with veggies, it’s healthy. Twice-cooked pork 850 yen . A man ordered
the twice-cooked pork and the set menu
(+150 yen) . The rich flavor pairs perfectly with
white rice . He digs in heartily . So delicious you just keep going back for
more . I come here like three or four times a
week. When I want to eat a lot , I order the
twice-cooked pork. Champon noodles!
It’s packed with veggies, so no guilt at
all . Ordering the large Champon Noodles gives
you an incredible feeling of having eaten
your veggies. They serve curry about once a month, and it’s highly recommended. The curry with lots of ingredients is the
owner’s pride and joy. The timing of serving the curry is
entirely up to the owner’s discretion. Many customers eagerly await the curry
being served . Frying the pork for sweet and sour pork . Onions, bell peppers , wood ear mushrooms . Sweet and Sour Pork 850 yen . Okay, the sweet and sour pork first. Stir-fry. Gyoza 380 yen
. Gyoza dipping sauce, mustard. Mixed fried rice 650 yen . Comes with a creamy egg drop soup. Here’s the gyoza. If you want chili oil, it’s over there . Here, I’ll put the fried rice here . A lot came . Miso ramen and dan dan noodles . Dan dan noodles without scallions (lunch
set). A bit lighter. Thank you. Looks delicious! Wow, and rice too. This one’s also without scallions. Here
you go. Yes, please . So much! We might have ordered too much. The fried rice portion is huge too . Firmly boiled eggs and curly noodles
that soak up the soup well. The ladies
savor each dish . The sweet and sour pork with its thick
sauce keeps us eating rice… It was delicious! Delicious! I’m so full . The fried rice was about 1.5 servings . Staff: What was the most delicious? I
loved the sweet and sour pork! Yeah, the
sweet and sour pork was delicious! Staff:
How was the dan dan noodles? Just the right spiciness, delicious. They adjusted it perfectly . Thank you for the meal . Staff: Can you adjust the spiciness for
the dan dan noodles? You can choose!
Even the regular tantanmen has a nice
kick. If you like spicy , make it hotter. If not
, tone it down . scallops, green onions, seafood fried rice , egg drop soup, and a small side dish . Here you go. One order of fried chicken, please. One fried chicken, got it. Here you go . Biting into freshly made seafood
fried rice . Chicken karaage. Crispy and juicy fried chicken is one of
our popular menu items . Dressing on the salad. Chicken karaage
ready . Here you go. I came with friends today, but usually I
come with family. My grandkids love bean sprout ramen. I think we come about once a month.
Bringing the grandkids. When there’s some event, we say, “Let’s do
it here !” Nine of us! (From the grandkids) “Grandma, it’s been a
long time since we went. Take us again,
okay? ” Most customers are regulars. A family of
three enters . Two orders of pan-fried
gyoza, sura-tan soup , mixed fried rice
set, and the Tianjin rice lunch set. Tianjin rice
ready . Here’s your Tianjin rice . Fried rice set. Here you go! Scooping it up so full it almost spills
from the spoon , p hew . Can’t resist putting it in my mouth. Here are your pan-fried dumplings. Dip them in sauce and eat them in one bite . Delicious… Sour and spicy soup. Here’s your soup. I’ll set it here . Pork belly for braised pork . Preparing ingredients during breaks
while open. Two dan dan noodles and miso ramen . Here’s your dan dan noodles. You can get a rice refill. From the soup . Mix it well. Slurping noodles. Pork shoulder for sweet and sour pork. Seasoning it . Owner) Japanese-style Chinese. The owner puts effort into flavors
Japanese people prefer . A group of three arrives . Celebrating a birthday. Quenching their
thirst with beer from noon. A moment of bliss. They order sweet and sour pork , miso
ramen , shrimp fried rice, and dumplings. Sweet and sour pork. Here’s your sweet and
sour pork. I’ll leave the rice bowl here,
so please use the jar over here . Shrimp fried rice where plump shrimp
take center stage. Here’s your shrimp fried rice . Is it with
raw shrimp? (Shrimp) Fried rice was delicious. Staff) Do you come to the restaurant
often? All the time . Three weeks straight. Grandma specializes in sweet and sour pork . Staff) Is the sweet and sour pork good? Yes, it’s delicious. It’s tender. Always reliable and tasty. 1:30 PM Homemade chili oil . Dandan noodle base. Slice the boiled egg . Drain well and add to the soup. Arrange the noodles . Bean sprouts . Minced pork with chili sauce . Boiled egg, bamboo shoots . Top with scallions and
done . Manager: Here you go. This is the spicy
noodles. Here you are . Oh, thank you . Let’s eat . Start making the stir-fried pork with
green peppers . Pork . Bamboo shoots, wood ear
mushrooms. Finished blanching . Stir-fry with bell peppers. Stir-fried pork with green peppers.
Stir-fried pork with green peppers . Yes , the spicy dan dan noodles. The owner helps with serving too. Putting the minced pork on rice . Enjoying it with white rice. Can’t stop eating the noodles or soup . Enough stir-fried pork with green
peppers to share. Just the two of us managing the place . Used to have three girls ~4 girls. Ingredient costs are rising too, but we
can’t raise prices , so now it’s just the
two of us managing . Everything here is truly homemade. At first, making the dan dan noodle sauce
took a week. The two of us ate ramen every
day, adjusting bit by bit as we figured out
what needed more of this or that . That’s
how we got here . Cold noodles too. We gradually adjusted
the flavor . Dan dan noodles: 750 yen . Slightly spicy with a sesame sauce
flavor. The flavor is addictive . The sauce clings to the chewy egg
noodles… The aroma of Sichuan pepper is
irresistible! Make sure to mix in plenty of the minced
pork. This dan dan noodle soup is the result of
our trial and error. 14:30 Lunch service ends . 17: 30. Rallying supporters, evening service
begins. A man reading the newspaper orders the
chicken karaage set . Squeezes lemon, adds pepper, and digs in . Eats rice with karaage . An order for a large dan dan noodle
comes in . Large dan dan noodle : Double portion of
noodles. Here you go, sorry to keep you waiting.
Large dan dan noodle . Welcome ! Two people, a man and a woman . Tianjin
rice set, Tantanmen Large. Tianjin Rice . Here you go. Tantanmen Large. Here you go~ . Here you go, sorry for the
wait. Staff) Do you come here often? Yes! This is my third time or so. This one is a
regular. It’s delicious! We come at least once a week. It’s so cozy. Thank you very much. Thank you . We’ll be back. Preparing braised pork belly. Carefully rinse with water to remove
excess oil. Making the sauce. Star anise, bay leaf, green onion, ginger. Turn on the heat and simmer. Twice-cooked pork 850 yen . Add 150 yen for a set . Here you go . Group of four arrives. Red oil-tossed enoki mushrooms, Bang Bang
Chicken . Green pepper and pork strips,
Sweet and Sour Pork, Spicy Mapo Tofu. Perfect with drinks. Spicy and delicious .
Red Oil Stir-Fried Enoki Mushrooms. Red Oil Stir-Fried Enoki Mushrooms. Thank you. That was fast! Taking an additional order for shrimp chili . Let it air out to fry crispy .
Large shrimp coated in a rich sauce. Mapo tofu, spicy . Top with scallions to finish . Here’s your mapo tofu. Here you go. Thank you. Sliced pork with green peppers . Thank you. Here you go. Leek and liver stir-fry . Bang bang chicken . Checking the braised pork belly. Chewy skin dumplings 420 yen . Staff) Do you come to the restaurant
often? Sometimes. I used to go a lot when it was
the previous place . Staff) So you’ve known each other for
over 13 years ? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s just tasty. The owner’s a good
guy, right ? Staff) Do you have a favorite menu item
or anything? I like the stir-fried pork with green
peppers . This is good!
I try lots of things, but it’s tasty. I’m a pro at Chinese food, you know. I
used to run a Chinese place in Osaka . (The portions are) big. Really big. Water dumplings 420 yen. Enoki mushrooms
tossed in red oil 380 yen. Braised pork belly, stewed until tender. Sweet and sour pork 850 yen . Cheap! Delicious! Full of volume!
Chinese Dining Rei, where all three
elements come together, is a Chinese restaurant loved by regulars,
run by a husband and wife team working
together. Menya Teppen, where you can taste the
ultimate bowl of Tokushima ramen . I’ve loved ramen since I was little . Imagining customers coming daily to eat, we serve easy-to-eat Tokushima ramen . We’re particular about ingredients :
pork bone broth simmered for hours, and the essential sweet-spicy braised pork
belly slices . Most popular!
Our signature “Tokushima Ramen” is cooked over high heat for a perfect
finish . Our fried rice is also a
highlight It captivates a wide range of customers ,
from locals to tourists . It has that authentic Tokushima ramen
flavor. It’s delicious! Delicious! We aim for the top (Teppen) when we do
something. We’re following a ramen shop
packed with passion and dedication . Located in Kamojima, Yoshinogawa City,
Tokushima Prefecture , along Prefectural
Route 30. Look for the Tokushima Ramen
sign . Established in 2014 . Menya Teppen Boasting a peak daily customer count of
250, this shop is popular for Tokushima’s
local specialty, “Tokushima Ramen.” It features ample table seating, making it
welcoming for large groups and families . President & Staff: What are you doing
now? We’re about to braise the chashu , so for this batch , we’ll tie it up with
string to keep the shape intact during
cooking . We use pork belly blocks . Staff: How
much meat do you use per day? Since we’re a Tokushima Ramen shop ,
sliced pork belly is popular, but on weekends we use about 10kg per day . Chashu sauce We simmer it in our special chashu sauce . Staff) How long does it take to simmer
the chashu? Simmer for an hour and a half, then turn
off the heat and let it steam for an hour. Preparing the tonkotsu soup for ramen. Add pork spine , knuckles, and pig’s feet . Crack the knuckles . We use about 20kg of knuckles per batch. Put the cracked knuckles into the
stockpot. Add the pig’s feet . Add the knuckles to the tonkotsu soup
prepared the previous day. We remove all the bones used the previous
day, but add new bones this morning. to extract
a fresh, robust broth . (If we don’t remove the bones used the
previous day) sourness develops, and the
broth becomes stale . We want to serve our
customers the freshest possible broth , so
basically, after using it for one day, we
discard it the next. Cook rice. Manager:
Staff) Is the rice mainly for fried rice? Staff) For fried rice and rice served with
sets ? Manager: Does it come out often? Yes, it does . On busy days, we cook up to 6 sho
(approx. 11.2 liters) a day. We cook 2 sho (approx. 3.6 liters) at a
time in a gas rice cooker. For Tokushima Ramen: Slice pork belly . Place the sliced pork belly into a pot
and simmer . The sweet and savory simmered pork belly
slices are a key ingredient characteristic
of Tokushima Ramen . Staff) Is this the chashu cooked the
previous day? We prepare the next day’s portion the day
before It rests in the refrigerator overnight
before use . Cutting the chashu for Chinese-style
noodles. Staff) Is the chashu different for
Chinese-style noodles? Only the chashu for Chinese noodles is
different. It uses a lighter, thinner soy sauce . This darker one is chashu based on dark
soy sauce, used for tonkotsu ramen and such. The chashu prepared earlier is also
simmering. Wrap gyoza. Tokushima Ramen Regular 800 yen Tonkotsu
Ramen Regular 800 yen Toppings Simmered Egg 150 yen Menma 80 yen Chinese Noodles Regular 8 ¥1,300 Tokushima
Ramen Meat Double ¥1,500 Tokushima Ramen Ultimate Supreme
Serving Set Menu Fried Rice Set +¥300 Ultimate Set
A (Small Fried Rice + 3 Fried Chicken
Pieces) ¥550 Gyoza (5 pieces) ¥380 Fried Rice (Large)
600 yen Table condiments : Gyoza sauce, pepper,
chili oil, mustard, garlic powder Before opening : Tables are meticulously
wiped down At Summit, you receive a service coupon at
checkout (Information as of photo date) On your next visit, you can receive
benefits like one free extra noodle
serving (Information as of photo date) It is also an official support shop for
the professional soccer club Tokushima
Vortis (Information as of the date of
photography) Presenting your CLUB VORTIS membership
card grants you special privileges
(Information as of the date of
photography) Generally open year-round (Closed only on
1/1) Weekdays : 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00
PM – 10:00 PM Weekends/Holidays: 11:00 AM
– 10:00 PM ※ Closes when soup runs out. Customers arrive steadily as soon as it
opens. Place dumplings on a hot iron plate, add
water, and cook. Prepare the set fried rice. First,
stir-fry the ingredients. Add eggs and rice, stir-fry all together . Season. Plate it and it’s done. The set fried rice and dumplings are
brought out . A female customer arrives. She sits at a
counter seat. Prepare various ramen dishes . Grill the chashu for Chinese-style
noodles. Boil noodles . Pour specific sauces into individual
bowls . Add homemade pork bone broth, slowly
extracted for deep flavor . Noodles are done, drained, and served in
bowls . Top with green onions, boiled eggs, and
other toppings per order . Chinese Soba (Regular) + Green Onions,
Boiled Egg Chinese Soba (Regular) + Green
Onions Ramen is served . Sweet and savory seasoned pork belly .
Bamboo shoots, scallions, and boiled egg. Tokushima Ramen (Regular) Tokushima Ramen
(Large) Tokushima Ramen ordered by the table-seat
customers arrives. The male customer takes a sip of the soup . He slurps the firm noodles , savoring
the tonkotsu soy-flavored Tokushima ramen
broth. The female customer takes a bite of the
fluffy fried rice cooked at high heat in
one go . She takes a slurp of the thin straight
noodles, savoring them slowly as she eats. Preparing the set’s fried chicken . Fried rice, gyoza . For the tonkotsu ramen , add sesame
seeds and the special sauce . For the Tokushima ramen, add the special
soy sauce. Tokushima Ramen (Regular) Tonkotsu Ramen is an arrangement of a dish
the owner made during his apprenticeship . Tonkotsu Ramen (Regular) Tokushima Ramen was born from customer
requests. The Meat Double features pork
belly and chashu on top . Tonkotsu Ramen Tokushima Ramen Meat
Double The female customer at the counter ordered
a Tonkotsu Ramen (Regular) is brought over . Stir the noodles first, then take a sip
of the rich tonkotsu broth. Slurp the smooth noodles . Sprinkle on the pepper from the table.
Take a bite of noodles. Eat the fragrant grilled chashu . Sip the soup . The flavor is mild enough for women to
enjoy easily . Fried Rice. The owner prepares fried rice
while also making ramen . Set Fried Rice and Set Gyoza (3 pieces) Tokushima Ramen , Chinese Noodles. The chashu prepared earlier is ready. Its glossy sheen is irresistible. Remove
the flavor-soaked chashu . 11:30 A male customer sits at the
counter. Orders Tokushima Ramen (Large)
and Fried Rice Set . Set Fried Rice. The ordered fried rice arrives . Take a bite of fried rice. It contains ingredients like onions and
ham . Take two bites of fried rice, and a
third bite. The ordered Tokushima Ramen arrives.
First, slurping the noodles. Grabbing pepper and sprinkling it evenly. Another slurp of the steaming noodles. Scooping up fried rice with a spoon and
stuffing it in . The rich, savory broth is
irresistible. . Devour the ramen and fried rice combo set
in one go! The set’s fried rice and the Premium Set B
(fried rice + 5 gyoza) Tokushima Ramen / Chinese Noodles Preparing 5 servings of Tokushima Ramen 11:50 A couple enters the shop. They sit at a
table. They take out a service coupon and order
rice (small) and tonkotsu ramen (regular). Their tonkotsu ramen arrives . The broth, simmered for over a day to
extract its umami , spreads its richness—a
flavor that makes you want to keep eating. The male customer hands over his service
coupon and orders extra noodles. Extra noodles. The extra noodles arrive. He drops them
into his bowl. Lets them soak up the broth. Slurps the
noodles . Finishes in no time. Customers of all ages—women, families—keep
coming in one after another . Staff: First time here? First time. We’re from Kochi Prefecture . There was a basketball game nearby. It was on the way, and we’d been curious
since yesterday. We looked it up on our phones , and the
reviews were good . Since we’re in Tokushima anyway, we
thought we should try it . We finally made it today. Staff: How was
the taste? It was delicious! It was authentic Tokushima ramen.
Delicious . Tokushima Ramen with Meat Double Tokushima Ramen Chinese Soba 12:20 PM A pair of two people (male and
female) sit at the counter seats . They study the menu… They order the Chashu Noodles with Fried Rice
Set and the Tokushima Ramen with Meat Double
(Regular) with the Top Set B (Small Fried
Rice + 5 Gyoza). The five gyoza from the Top Set . Even when busy, they make each bowl
carefully . Chashu Noodles, Tokushima Ramen with
Double Meat. The ramen they ordered arrives . First , a sip of the soup . A nod of
approval at the satisfying flavor. Sprinkling garlic powder from the table
condiments . Taking a hearty slurp of the piping hot
noodles, steaming with steam . A bite of the freshly made gyoza, each
carefully wrapped. Staff) Do you come here often? First time today. Used to pass by occasionally but never
went in before . Staff) How’s the flavor? It’s delicious. Staff) Did you try comparing the soups? Yes! Staff) Which one do you prefer? Both. I like both. In search of Tokushima’s soul food flavor.
The counter and table seats are almost
full. Replenishing the pork belly for Tokushima
ramen. Cutting the boiled eggs with the hanging
string . Tokushima Ramen. Recommended for those who want to eat
heartily . The ultimate, strongest serving
of Tokushima Ramen with all toppings. This customer used a service coupon to
order (small) with a service coupon . Tokushima ramen pairs perfectly with
rice. Alternating bites of fried rice and tonkotsu ramen . Tokushima ramen . Fried chicken from the set . The man ordered the Ultimate Set A
(small fried rice + 3 pieces of fried
chicken). Substantial, large pieces of fried
chicken. Perfect when you want to eat
heartily. Tokushima ramen (Regular) Chinese Noodles
(Regular) The ordered Tokushima Ramen (Regular) and
Chinese Noodles (Regular) are brought to
the customer . Staff) Do you come to the shop often? About once a month . It’s not too greasy and tastes good . Staff) How was the fried rice? The fried rice here is delicious . Staff) How did you like the taste? It was delicious. It has that authentic Tokushima Ramen
flavor. Stirring the tonkotsu broth prepared this
morning . Tokushima Ramen. The kitchen is kept clean between cooking
tasks . Transferring and replenishing broth from
another pot . Tokushima Ramen. Tokushima Ramen . Chinese Noodles . Wrapping and replenishing gyoza between
tasks . Top Set B (Small Fried Rice + 5 Gyoza) Cutting and replenishing chashu . Tokushima Ramen / Tonkotsu Ramen. The ordered ramen is brought out . Staff) Why come to our shop today? We came to sightsee in Tokushima. We got hungry, so we decided to go eat
Tokushima Ramen. We looked it up and found this place . Staff) First time trying Tokushima
Ramen? First time eating it in Tokushima . Staff) How’s the authentic flavor? It’s incredibly delicious. Tokushima Ramen 800 yen + Fried Rice Set
300 yen Tokushima Ramen A tonkotsu soy broth that’s not overly
rich, relatively light. Thin straight noodles coated in the broth
, sweet-savory seasoned pork belly , and a flavorful boiled egg is a welcome
addition . A fluffy fried rice with onions, ham,
and other ingredients . The simple seasoning of the fluffy fried
rice balances perfectly with the ramen . I originally worked at a ramen shop in
Osaka, but I wanted to strike out on my own and
have my own place. I came back to Tokushima when I was 26. I trained for about 6 or 7 years at a
famous Tokushima ramen shop and opened my own place in 2014. When I first came back, I didn’t know
about Tokushima ramen. When I went to try a famous Tokushima
ramen shop for the first time , I thought it was crazy delicious. decided
to open a Tokushima ramen shop . create a
shop satisfied bowl made I thought it was
incredibly delicious, and that was one reason I decided to open
a Tokushima ramen shop. I aim to create a shop where customers
leave satisfied, thinking “I want to come
back again,” with a strong sense of
dedication . Tokushima specialty, a bowl made with
dedication, right here . Menya Teppen. It was delicious. Rich and flavorful, the offal was especially tasty. The noodles were thick, chewy, and
delicious too . Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture 1-minute walk north from Horizume Station Obiya-cho 1-chome Shopping District Seimen Dokoro Kuraki
Ramen, Tsukemen, Gyoza Kochi Specialty: Beef Offal Tsukemen Close-up from opening
preparations Whole chicken : Carefully remove organs, blood vessels ,
etc. Pork backbones, Soup made from whole
chicken. Skimming off impurities . Dashi made from kombu, niboshi,
katsuobushi, and ajako. Chilling the dashi . Using Tosa Wagyu beef offal. Cleaning parts prone to odor. Cutting this and simmering together to
finish . 10kg per day, sometimes over 15kg. Seasoning the offal . Skimming impurities. Chilling to infuse flavor. Cabbage, white onions, green onions, garlic chives. Noodle delivery. Homemade noodles using
domestic wheat. Thick noodles, thin noodles . Preparing flavored eggs. About 100
consumed daily. Flavored eggs marinate for one day . Beef offal tsukemen , stall-style gyoza,
and fried rice . Tsukemen, ramen, toppings Rice dishes: Tsukemen (330g) – Popular No.1 Beef offal
tsukemen Mega serving – Value lunch set – Karaage – Karaage rice bowl – Roast pork and egg rice – A la carte items – Drinks – Desserts – Street stall-style gyoza – Boiled gyoza – Beef offal noodles with
thick gravy – Garlic fried rice – Ultimate offal rice bowl – Students: Free large noodle serving – Table seating – Counter seating – Chili oil, Pepper, Sauce, Vinegar, Chili
Powder, Spicy Miso, Dried Fish Flakes Business Hours : 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Last
Order 3:00 PM) 5:30 PM – 12:00 AM (Last
Order 11:30 PM) Family with children visiting Beef offal dipping noodles Kuraki’s Chinese-style noodles Soy sauce I often order the beef offal dipping
noodles here when I come Beef offal dipping noodles 970 yen Rich seafood-pork bone broth Juicy and
plump domestic beef offal Whole wheat flour noodles with a fragrant
aroma Thick noodles coated in rich broth… Soup refill Thank you for the meal! Left the shop very satisfied. Staff) I heard you run a children’s
cafeteria ? On the second Saturday of every month we host it for students and families with
young children . We do it so they can
enjoy a leisurely meal and be happy . The menu is limited, but we provide everything free of charge . We only charge 500 yen for adults . So they can eat their fill ? We hope they leave happy! Customers keep coming in . Chicken Soba (Large Portion ), Fried Rice (Large) 680 yen . Fried rice packed with eggs and a nice
aroma . Two guys in suits come in . Chashu Donburi . Tasty, huh ? Fried Rice, Beef Offal Tsukemen
(Large Portion) , Karaage , Fried Rice ,
Chicken Soup Ramen , Seafood Pork Bone
Soup Ramen . Staff: How was the flavor? It was delicious. Rich and flavorful. The offal was especially tasty . The noodles were thick and had a
satisfying chew. Delicious ! Tsukemen? I slurp down the Beef Offal Tsukemen! Special Tsukemen. Handmade Gyoza. Yatai Gyoza (7 pieces) 490 yen . 1:30 PM . Beef Offal Noodles with Thick Sauce. Kuraki’s Chinese Soba. Tenshio . Chinese Soba, Chicken Soba, Dried
Sardine Soba base soup Special Chinese Soba (Soy Sauce) 950 yen Broth packed with whole chicken umami Tender chicken chashu Straight thin noodles Flavored egg For those coming to our shop soon , please
try Kuraki’s Beef Offal Tsukemen! Try this Kagawa specialty! 73-year-old owner cooking at the stove
Kagawa Prefecture town Chinese “Jiang
Jiang” Their gyoza are outstandingly delicious. Handmade hand rolls. They say if you can roll one in under 3
minutes, you’re a pro. I come about 4 days a week. Still delicious as ever . If it’s big, I can’t eat it . Tianjin Big! B Set. I’m already satisfied. Family-run . They handle orders with
perfect teamwork! 44 years supporting each other as husband
and wife . Always unchanged . Up close with a cozy
neighborhood Chinese restaurant! Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture,
Tenma-cho 7-minute walk from Sanuki Shioya
Station Standing alone amidst rice fields Chinese
restaurant ‘Jiang Jiang’ Parking lot on the left side facing the
shop Established 1980 Run by a family of five
(Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Son’s
Wife) Owner Mr. Maeda: Entered the Chinese
culinary world at age 29, 43 years in . Wondering how many more years he can do
this. Has a successor. Still actively running the shop at age 73. Starts preparations for opening at 11:00
AM . Owner’s wife : Mixes ingredients for fried rice. Prepares fried chicken. Dumplings are handmade, rolled by hand . “There’s talk about getting a machine,”
she says, ” but compared to the setup time for a
machine and how fast it rolls, I’m faster
rolling them myself.” You can eat freshly rolled dumplings every
day . One sheet makes 60 pieces. When I first started learning, they’d
place scales and a timer. They said if you could roll them in under
three minutes, you were competent . You learn the size in grams. The owner decided to quit his corporate
job and start a business. He trained intensively in dumplings and
opened a chain store. When the headquarters went out of
business, he changed the name to Jiang
Jiang over ten years ago and reopened. At the start, one serving of dumplings was
70 yen. Now it’s 245 yen (tax included)
per serving. When I thought of a Chinese restaurant
kitchen, I imagined something half this
size , greasy and cramped. But since I was doing it myself, I decided on
this space. When suppliers tell me, “You keep it clean
” it confirms I did the right thing. His son prepares the menma, puts things on the stove, chops scallions, refills seasonings . Chicken bones, pork bones, chicken skin
broth. Not a white soup. The main flavor is soy sauce. Since we have to compete with udon, I thought a clear broth might be better . Using the old-fashioned method, keeping
the price the same. We still charge (for one bowl of ramen) in
the 400 yen range . Making soup for rice dishes. Making fried rice . Calling it “pre-frying” sounds odd, but if you do it all at once, the oil just
doesn’t coat everything properly. Like double-frying chicken karaage, it
brings out the flavor . My son’s wife handles cleaning the shop . Opens at 11:00 . Hours: 11:00 – 20:30 . Closed Tuesdays . Table seating and counter seating available . Pepper, gyoza sauce, soy sauce, chili
oil, sauce. Time Lunch (weekdays only): A: Ramen &
Mini Fried Rice 633 yen ; B: Gyoza, Half
Ramen, Chinese Rice Bowl 816 yen . Gyoza 245 yen; Small Ramen 465 yen; Fried Rice 465 yen; Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl
710 yen ; Garlic Chive Pork 777 yen (set meal with
medium rice & soup). Hoi Kow Rō 588 yen
(single item) Fried Chicken and Shrimp Tempura Combo Set
Meal 972 yen (includes medium rice, soup,
pickles) Limited Time Offer: Popeye 588 yen
(stir-fried spinach and pork) Orders come in right after opening. Gyoza 245 yen per serving . Here are your gyoza . Dip them in gyoza sauce and eat them in
one bite . Time Lunch A includes ramen and fried
rice . Mini fried rice included with Time Lunch
A . Boil the noodles. Pour in the ramen sauce. Pour in the soup . Add the drained noodles. Top with bean sprouts, menma, chashu , and
green onions. Lunch A ramen is complete . Here you go. Sorry to keep you waiting. A customer who comes weekly. Today’s Time Lunch A. It was delicious. Staff) Do you have any favorite menu items
? The gyoza are tasty too, and I often get things like karaage or
leek pork . Top the noodles with fluffy scrambled eggs . Add shrimp tempura as a topping . Shrimp tempura ramen complete . Small
shrimp tempura ramen: 651 yen. Make fried rice separately. Tianjin rice egg. Place fluffy scrambled eggs on top of the
rice. Pour plenty of sweet and sour sauce over
it. Tianjin rice complete. Fry the gyoza . Make the Chinese rice bowl for Lunch B . Vegetables, blanching wood ear mushrooms , seasoning , thickening the sauce. Vegetable-packed Chinese rice
bowl . Ramen (half portion), gyoza, Chinese
rice bowl assembled . Lunch B complete
(with soup and pickles). Top with green onions. Time for Lunch A
(Ramen & Mini Fried Rice) complete. Handed off to the proprietress for plating . Chinese Rice Bowl, Gyoza, Ramen (Half) complete. Lunch B finished. Yakisoba order received. Soy sauce-based yakisoba . There’s a product called “Yakiramen” in
Kyushu , and this yakisoba is similar to that. Yakisoba Medium 651 yen. Tianjin Rice Large order received . Add scallions, carrot, cooked until
fluffy and soft . We’ve always offered three sizes: small,
medium, large. And we’ve kept the old-school large
portion , which has recently become
popular again. Massive rice topped with sweet vinegar
sauce, complete. Tianjin Rice (Large) ¥798. No need to worry about running out, no
need to portion it out . The mellow egg and perfectly seasoned
sauce … so delicious you can’t stop
eating. Finished it all! We aim to serve orders within 7 minutes. Lunch A is ready in one go . 11:45. The shop is packed . Staff: What did you order? Lunch A. It’s delicious! Yeah . (The Lunch A portion) is just right for
our age. I come about 4 days a week , so I get in
without showing ID now. Three men in work clothes arrive . They order Lunch B, medium Tianjin rice,
two servings of gyoza, and sweet and sour pork set. Sweet and sour pork . Here are the gyoza . For the medium
Tianjin rice. Here you go . Sorry, Lunch B . Is this everything? Staff: How was the taste? As delicious as ever . (What I had) Sweet and sour pork set
meal and dumplings . It was delicious . Set B. I’m already satisfied. For Lunch C, make the fried chicken and crab omelet. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the
crab omelet . Lunch C complete . (Fried chicken and
crab omelet combo set meal) Seamless teamwork for swift serving. Lunch B’s Chinese rice bowl. Top ramen with chashu. Lunch B complete. Here you go!
Sorry for the delay. Dumpling sauce, chili oil . Sprinkle
pepper on ramen. First, savor the ramen . Next, dumplings drenched in sauce . The piping hot Chinese rice bowl too .
Let it cool slightly before taking a bite . 12: 20 More orders keep coming in Tianjin rice completed Here , sorry it’s late Making sweet and sour sauce Sauce refill complete Small Tianjin noodles 588 yen Top with
scallions, done Here are the Tianjin noodles Here you go Thank you Tackling the backlog of dishes during
spare moments Making the limited-time Popeye dish Blanching spinach Stir-frying pork
Combining with eggs and stir-frying Popeye
completed Here’s the Popeye Here you go Savoring the pie, shoveling in rice. Making fried rice . Thanks to the son and his wife’s
teamwork, 5 bowls of ramen ready
instantly. Lunch A for 5 people complete. Serving them out one after another. Making Chinese rice bowls for Lunch B . Finished in no time. Cooking an additional 2 sho of rice. Staff) How many sho have we gone through
today? Since it’s the third time today, we’re
down four liters. Fry the noodles for the fried soba. Make the sauce for the fried soba. Fried soba . Staff meal. That’s right. Staff) Have you
been here since the founding? Yes. We two started it . (Starting the shop) No resistance at
all. Right after our son was born , his grandparents lived nearby , so we
left him with them and thought, “Let’s
give it our all. ” There was a time when we were
short-staffed, but Dad would say, “Let’s do our best, don’t
give up .” He’s got that craftsman spirit, the
unsung hero. But you know, we’ve fought our way through
44 years . Mom’s still going strong, and people
tell her, “You’re amazing, working at the
shop like that .” She says it’s tough, but she comes to see Mom’s face. and she’d say things like, ” You’re doing
great!” or “Keep it up!” Ramen (Medium) 588 yen A classic ramen with a clear broth and
simple toppings. Sticking to the old ways . Chashu, menma, fried rice (Large) (with soup) ¥777. Plenty of toppings paired perfectly with
moist rice . You can choose small, medium, or large
portions, which is great . 14:25 Once the customer flow slows down,
she starts prepping again . Buying
pre-packaged meat is expensive , so she
processes whole cuts herself to allowing
us to offer it affordably . Customers know if we cut corners . We’ve never changed since opening. We make chashu from about 20kg of pork
thigh. First, we oven-roast the meat . After a break , it’s Maeda-san’s meal
prep time. We simmer the roasted chashu. We cook the fat rendered from the meat
along with it . Simmer for one hour after it comes to a
boil. Eggs for fried rice and Tianjin rice. 6:30 PM Three hours later, the char siu is done. Evening service begins . An order comes in from a family of four: Four servings of gyoza . Make Tianjin rice . Small ramen. “Sorry for the wait! Here’s your ramen and
Tianjin rice, small and medium . ” ” Let’s eat!” ” Fried rice is ready. ”
Staff: “How’s the flavor?” “Delicious!” So tasty. Staff) What did you have? Fried rice? Fried rice! Ramen. Delicious. I’ve been coming since I was little. Too
many times to count . Really, since I was
tiny . Staff) Any recommendations? The gyoza are absolutely amazing. The auntie is fun too . Homey and
delicious. Sorry , is this everything? Yes! We always get four servings of gyoza. Not just at the shop, but at home too. Even at takoyaki parties , these gyoza are
always lined up beside them. One serving of gyoza is six pieces for 245
yen . The appetizing grill marks and the
large, chewy gyoza are irresistible… Mix the gyoza sauce and chili oil on the
table to your liking, dip them in the sauce… Light and refreshing gyoza packed with
veggies —you could eat endless servings . 19:30 The last customer leaves. Transfer the soup . Scrub the big pot clean. Scour every corner . 20:14 Closing time . The warm, family-run atmosphere felt so
comforting. It was a neighborhood Chinese
spot dedicated to handmade goodness.
0:00 高知)駅前食堂
地図 https://maps.app.goo.gl/pVdqUqp8VuitsQdQA?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
住所 高知県長岡郡大豊町小川1370−1
URL https://youtu.be/AH-dk851PaY
27:51 香川)中華ダイニング 麗
地図 https://maps.app.goo.gl/wmVZLE38BJoiB8D7A?g_st=ic
住所 香川県高松市勅使町730
URL https://youtu.be/JyfZI_f-mFE
1:05:26 徳島)頂点
地図 https://maps.app.goo.gl/vNceDrWcRKM4tBpFA?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
住所 徳島県吉野川市鴨島町知恵島1656−3
URL https://youtu.be/PNFhkxjgmyQ
1:45:55 高知)製麺処 蔵木
地図 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Sb2R4kHSBfK6DAjDA
住所 高知県高知市帯屋町1丁目10−12 竹屋ビル 1F
URL https://youtu.be/bQZ-Pu7wjAo
2:09:29 香川)醬醬
地図 https://maps.app.goo.gl/iJGgKbHYcchEhjQc9
住所 香川県丸亀市天満町1丁目10−28
URL https://youtu.be/SftpMuWNd9c
#食堂 #中華 #ラーメン #炒飯 #四国グルメ
※情報は取材日時点のものです
※メニュー、価格など店舗情報は変更している可能性があります






