富良野 とみ川 (Tomikawa in Furano, Hokkaido)

富良野 とみ川

Unique ramen in countryside Hokkaido made with ingredients from local farms. I'm into it!

This is Furano, home of those mega-expensive melons you probably read about. Of course, the textbook perfect ones get sold on auction in Tokyo for hundreds of dollars, and the normal ones go for a bit less. Still, $15 ain't cheap for a tiny watermelon!

Damn good pieces of fruit though. 

I showed up early, expecting a line that wasn't there, so I had a bit of time to wander around. Be careful, though, Tomikawa has a reputation for crowds.

石臼挽き中華そば, ishiusuhiku chukasoba. Local wheat is stoneground for the noodles.

Be sure to get it with extra chashu. The chashu is lightly smoked for a real in-your-face flavor that hits well with the soy sauce. Some sansai, mountain vegetables, round out the local vibe. This one is all-natural, with no added msg or other chemical seasonings.

Plenty of stuff to take home with you. From ramen to local pickled vegetables.

Note the Michelin 2017 award. Michelin decided to give Hokkaido their treatment a few years back, and many ramen shops were given Bib Gourmand status.

If you are here by motorcycles, Furano is a big must visit.

Official site here.