一番軒 (Ichibanken in Shinujuku)

熟成豚骨ラーメン専門一番軒

New shop alert!

Actually, new shops are technically nothing new. If you can manage the Tabelog app (it's in Japanese) you can quickly bring up new restaurants in whatever genre you want in whatever part of Japan you want. 

I was with some serious ラーヲタ. Raota, or Ramen Otaku, are people who basically think about ramen and nothing else. Raota don't care if a shop is good or not. If they haven't been, they want to go. They suffer from the Pokemon mentality; gotta catch em all.

So we went to Ichibanken.

The shop is part of a larger ramen chain group, with over 20 shops to their name. The chain hails from Nagoya, Japan's third-largest metropolis. Nagoya tends to be a huge cauldron of citizens from the East and the West (of Japan), so there is a market for almost anything.

Good price and quality ingredients are what they bring to the table. I didn't ask, but it was written on the wall and on their website.

Normal stuff. Perfect for Kabukiocho, where the Tokyo shop is. In Nagoya fashion, they have chicken wings on the menu. Bonus!

Only 3972 more shops in the area to try. Gotta catch em all!

ラーメンエアーストリーム (Ramen Airstream in Toyama)

化学調味料無添加&自家製麺 ラーメンエアーストリーム

Welcome to Toyama.

Toyama is known for their own ramen style, dubbed Toyama Black. You can try it at Taiki. I've tried it a few times, so it was time for something new.

Miso to be exact. While they have a few choices on the menu, the staff recommended this tomato flavored bowl. Tomato and miso in the soup, topped with some grated cheese, oregano, and ground chicken. Very satisfying.

Ramen Airstream is a bit of a trek south of the city center. This is Toyama, so don't expect much in the way of public transportation. The bus is infrequent, and it is about a 30-minute walk.

So I walked.

I read that this shop used to be run out of a vintage Airstream trailer. Now, said trailer is used to make the miso. A soy paste fermentation lab inside an old metal trailer? Sure, why not.

It was dark and rainy, so I didn't investigate.

I think you can rent bicycles from near the main station, making this trip much, much easier. Toyama is flat so that would be the way to go.

橋本食堂 (Hashimoto in Susaki, Kochi Prefecture)

橋本食堂

My reason for visiting Kochi Prefecture this time around?

This guy!

He's everywhere, from PR posters to the sides of the city's prized cement factory. 

And I was here to meet him.

Shinjokun is the local mascot of Susaki City. He's a Japanese river otter, and he loves the local style of ramen, called nabeyaki ramen. Ramen in an earthenware hotpot. It's a style you won't find anywhere else; the rest of the country sticks with the tried and true udon for their hotpots.

It was an interesting day. I've worked all sorts of talent around Japan but spending the day with a mascot was a highlight of my many years in Japan.

Hashimoto is the towns highest ranked shop. I'd tried a few others, including the famous Mayumi's, but this one really stood out.

Richer broth, meatier chicken, the whole thing was a delight. Nabeyaki Ramen must be made with oyadori; mature chicken meat has a stronger flavor. 

Another rule is the raw egg. Some people leave it in the broth to cook a bit, but others scoop it out into the lid to use as a noodle dip. Do it local style!

This part of Japan is remote. It took a couple hours on a local train from Kochi's main city to Susaki. Shikoku, in general, is a road trip kind of place, so you should be driving and not taking the infrequent public transport. Then again, this was technically a PR gig, so I probably shouldn't say that.

Shikoku is a slow place so take your time between cities. Take some time and soak in the vibe.

Even if you are a famous celebrity, life is slower down here.

Thank you, Shinjokun, for the hospitality.