Once I visited the Tohko shop in the past. I have also seen their commercials occasionally. So, I decided to visit the main store for the first time. Looking at the address, it was on South 1st Street, which seemed close. However, it turned out to be quite far from my house. As it took about 40 minutes to reach there from home. The menu at the restaurant was quite extensive, with over 140 different types of ramen to choose from. The specialty seemed to be the "Tohko Miso" ramen, which was slightly spicy. I ordered the Char Siu ramen, which came with two thick slices of pork. The broth was made with aged miso and over 20 different vegetables and fruits. The ramen also had unique toppings like thinly sliced carrots and red chili peppers. The miso flavor was unlike anything I had tasted before, not too spicy despite its red color. Overall, it was an interesting dining experience with a wide variety of options to choose from.

I used to frequent this restaurant about 20 years ago. I stopped going for a while because I felt like the taste had declined, but I decided to give it another try since it was conveniently located on my way home. I had always thought that Orenya had opened a branch nearby, but I just found out that this is actually the main store. The parking situation is a bit difficult here. Prices seem to have gone up everywhere. It's understandable that it feels expensive. I ordered the "Umeshio Tonkotsu" with "W Chashu" topping for 1,470 yen. I don't remember the exact taste I felt had declined before, but as I ate the soup and noodles, I thought it was delicious. (The noodles seemed the same as before? Maybe they were whiter...) I couldn't remember if I preferred the loin or belly chashu, so I ordered both, but after trying them, I remembered that I liked the loin better. The belly had a burnt taste that bothered me. The loin had a good thickness and was satisfying to eat. It seemed like a plum paste. The portion was surprisingly large. It didn't seem this big before. Maybe it's too much... The restaurant has made a comeback in my mind as a place I might visit occasionally. Next time, I might try the miso flavor. And I'll only get the loin chashu next time.

After visiting Asahiyama Zoo, I searched for a recommended restaurant that my friend suggested. When I asked about the most popular dish, they mentioned "Tou Misou." I decided to try the medium-thick noodles instead of the default thin noodles. The soup was a sweet miso flavor and the toppings included seared chashu without sweetness. Comparing the medium-thick noodles I had with the thin noodles my family had, the former was chewy while the latter was slippery. I personally preferred the medium-thick noodles.

During a business trip to Asahikawa, I visited a restaurant where you can choose between thin noodles and medium-thick noodles, and I chose thin noodles. They offer a variety of options such as soy sauce (black or white), salt, miso, orange miso, and shrimp dipping noodles. There are also different types of chashu available, such as belly or loin, and rice is complimentary. This place seems to be popular among young people. The Orange Chashu Noodles cost 1,220 yen.

Ume shio tonkotsu ramen with 3 slices of chashu for 1,300 yen. The broth is different from the usual orange miso, more on the light side like plum tea pickles. You can choose between thick chashu slices from pork loin or belly, which is great. It has a charcoal flavor, so be cautious if you don't like that.

Charcoal-grilled chashu ramen, 5 pieces, Orange miso, Bara, 1,250 yen. This is the main store located on Zoo Street. Upon entering the entrance, there are doors like a ninja house, and you enter the restaurant. There are table seats and sunken kotatsu seats, and the tables are already full. So, I chose a sunken kotatsu seat. When it comes to Oren-Ya, it's all about the charcoal-grilled chashu. I ordered the classic menu item, the orange miso charcoal-grilled chashu ramen. It arrived in a few minutes. The orange miso soup. Mmm, delicious. The chashu. Mmm, the aroma of charcoal grilling lingers in the bara chashu, it melts in your mouth. The thin noodles. Mmm, chewy. They just keep coming into my mouth. It's really delicious. But as I continued eating, the fat in the chashu started to feel a bit heavy. I shouldn't have ordered bara chashu without considering my age... Ah, next time I'll go for the loin! Lesson learned. I really love Oren-Ya!

This was the first time I used this restaurant. When there was still a branch in Sapporo, a friend told me it was delicious, so I came to the zoo together. I chose the combination of "Orange Miso Ramen, Thin Noodles, Negi Ramen, and 3 slices of Char Siu". Although I usually prefer soy sauce ramen and Asahikawa ramen is known for its soy sauce, this time I decided to listen to my friend's advice that the orange miso was delicious! Lunch came with a choice of extra noodles or small rice. As someone who likes to have rice with ramen, I appreciated this. Those who don't choose these options can get a 50 yen discount with a coupon. The service was great... After ordering, the Negi Ramen arrived. As I had heard, the ingredients and soup with noodles were served separately. I decided to try the soup and noodles without the toppings. The taste was not extremely strong, with garlic and pork bone flavors not overpowering, but still deep and flavorful with a punch. It was simply delicious. Perhaps the best in this type of ramen? I'm used to pure shoyu and shrimp ramen, but I have never tasted a ramen that was so delicious with such a straightforward taste. Next, I added the Char Siu and ate it. The Char Siu itself had a strong flavor, not losing to the taste of the soup and noodles. It was flavorful enough to be a snack with alcohol when eaten alone, but balanced well when soaked in the soup. The rice kept disappearing... There were plenty of two types of leeks, white leeks and chopped leeks, allowing me to eat them in my preferred balance. For leek lovers, the abundance of leeks was appreciated. What I found interesting was that when the leeks were added, the soup became milder, but thanks to the chili pepper (?) on top of the leeks, it maintained its punchy flavor without losing it, so I could enjoy the taste until the end without getting tired of it. As someone who likes spicy food, I couldn't resist this kind of flavor change. I definitely want to visit this restaurant again when I come back to Asahikawa, but if the orange miso is this delicious, I'm torn between eating the same thing next time or trying the soy sauce-based ramen. It's a happy dilemma. Thank you for the meal.

I was disappointed at the Higashi-Ko branch, so I decided to visit the main branch. Feeling hungry, I opted for a set meal with pork bowl. I chose to have extra noodles as a service, and waited for a while. The interior of the restaurant was dimly lit with a focus on wooden construction, similar to other branches. The food was served, starting with the char siu that caught my attention at the Higashi-Ko branch. Unlike the burnt char siu there, this one was nicely smoked and delicious. However, the problem was the amount of noodles. Even though I ordered extra noodles, the portion was too small. It seemed like a regular serving. The noodles were thinner than Asahikawa ramen's medium-thin noodles, which left me feeling unsatisfied. The soup was just a regular soy sauce broth with fried garlic chips and green onions as toppings to enhance the flavor, but it lacked a distinctive quality. The restaurant seemed to rely on the impact of the char siu without any improvements over time. I left the restaurant with mixed feelings.

Orange and Asahikawa Main Store was my first lunch in Asahikawa. I was unsure where to go, but I wanted to try a ramen shop that seemed a bit unique, not the usual Asahikawa ramen. We arrived at around 2 pm on a weekday and only had to wait for about 5 minutes to get in. It seemed like a place where you would usually have to wait for a while. For first-time visitors, choosing from the extensive menu might be a bit challenging. I chose the Black Mild Spicy Ramen, while my companion chose the White Mild Spicy Ramen. Each bowl cost 880 yen. It seems that the difference between the two is the soy sauce in the soup. We were given a lump of miso mixed with plenty of spicy bean paste, which we were supposed to dissolve as we ate. There were different levels of spiciness available, ranging from Mild to Super Spicy, with a 30 yen increase in price for each level up. The noodles were slightly firm and curly, leaving a strong impression. However, the spiciness quickly caught up with us. Even the Mild Spicy ramen was quite spicy if not dissolved gradually. Nevertheless, the rich and flavorful taste with a hint of spiciness was delicious. The well-soaked chashu slices were also outstanding. I wish I had ordered more slices as a topping. I wanted to eat at least three slices. I finished the noodles quickly, but I couldn't help but want to finish the spicy soup as well. However, I had other plans afterward, so I resisted the temptation. Overall, it was a satisfying first experience of Asahikawa ramen. Thank you for the meal. *Note: Those with a sensitive stomach may want to avoid this place.

I visited the main store of Tachibana-ya in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. This place is known for its miso-based soup with a spicy kick, and their side menu includes half-fried chicken which I also tried. The Tachibana miso flavor is made with over 20 ingredients and is quite spicy, while the half-fried chicken was cooked perfectly with crispy skin and a satisfying texture. I sprinkled plenty of ground sesame and fried green onions from the table spice. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

After visiting Asahiyama Zoo, I went in search of Asahikawa Ramen on the way to the station, which is also known as Ramen Street. I chose "Daidai" where you can choose from salt, soy sauce, miso, or Daidai miso for your ramen. This time, I chose the vegetable ramen with Daidai miso. The soup, which was made by sautéing vegetables and then adding the broth, brought out the sweetness of the vegetables perfectly. The Daidai miso seasoning had a slightly spicy kick to it, which I personally enjoyed, but I think a bit more punch would be even better. You can choose between thin or medium noodles, and I went with medium noodles this time since it was miso-based, and it paired well with the soup. The combination of noodles and sautéed vegetables made for a hearty and satisfying bowl. I would love to try the salt vegetable ramen next time. Thank you for the meal!

"Tougya" in Asahikawa, I came out while my wife was sleeping, but I was still 30 minutes behind my plan. Today my wife is running late, so I plan to take it easy on the way back, but for lunch, I'm having ramen. I like Asahikawa ramen, but I have almost tried all the top-rated shops, so it's hard to find a ramen that makes me say "delicious" these days. Do you remember if there was a "Tougya" in Sapporo? It's gone now, but I remember going there once. It was very salty and I couldn't finish it all. So, I was reluctant to go there, but I finally decided to give it a try. There are many ramen shops, right? It's really tough, huh? Even ramen shops are starting takeout for ramen and rice dishes. The parking lot is empty, and the inside of the restaurant is also quiet. I automatically sat at the counter, which has about 7 seats facing the kitchen. There is another counter facing the wall with 3 seats. There are also 5 table seats and 3 6-person tables. It was lively with families. I heard that you can choose various options when ordering. I didn't want to bother, so I just ordered the "Black Soy Sauce" ramen for 780 yen. It arrived in about 6 minutes. It's a ramen with back fat. The noodles are thinner than Asahikawa ramen, but not as firm. It's straight and firm. It reminds me of Kyushu noodles. The menma is seasoned, but I couldn't really taste it in the soup. The seaweed was a bit bland. The green onions and chashu, which is quite flavorful pork belly, were good. The chashu was not as fragrant as expected. The soup was good at first because of the back fat. But as I ate more, it started to feel unsatisfying. When I drank just the soup, it was delicious. It's not as black or flavorful as the name "Black Soy Sauce" suggests. I thought if there was no back fat, it might feel unsatisfying. It's a common thing, isn't it? Ramen that relies on back fat. It's delicious, but there's a subtle feeling left. The Japanese pop music playing was loud whenever a customer came in, pressed the order button, or completed the payment. The BGM wasn't too loud, which was nice, but the sound of chairs and the floor was loud and stressful. It must be even more stressful when it's busier. I'm quite conscious of COVID-19, but it was disappointing that there were no tissues or wet towels. I'm not sure if the wet towels are clean. The entrance and exit are different, so be careful not to get confused. I made that mistake. It feels quiet outside..."

My colleague recommended this restaurant, and I arrived at 2:30 pm, so I was the only customer and could take my time choosing from the menu. There is a partition separating the kitchen, so you can't see what's happening there. In a way, this setup might be good for dealing with COVID-19. The food arrived about 5 minutes after ordering. The soup looked rich and flavorful, but it was surprisingly light when I tasted it. The soup was hot and the oil kept it from cooling down quickly. There was red powder on top, like chili, but it wasn't very spicy. The chashu was thick and impressive, although not melt-in-your-mouth tender. I expected more smokiness, so I felt slightly disappointed. The menma had a subtle flavor. The noodles were medium-thin and paired well with the soup, as is typical for miso ramen in Asahikawa. I added fried leeks halfway through for a different taste, which was good, but I wish I had added them later to avoid affecting the soup. The squid rice bowl had shredded cabbage on top of the rice, with a tasty sweet sauce. It was delicious, but I wished there was a bit more of it. It was a small portion, so understandable.

Today I visited Asahikawa for a business trip. It's been decades since I last had ramen at Togenya. I was surprised to find out that they had moved to a new location since their opening. I ordered the Vegetable Black Soy Sauce Ramen for 910 yen. It tasted delicious, but the noodles were not to my liking - they were thin noodles. It seemed like the broth was richer back in the day, but I can't be sure now!

Yukkejan Ramen - Extra Spicy - 980 yen Today's lunch was ramen. I had it at Togenya. I usually like miso ramen, but today I decided to try the spicy ramen. There were options for mild, medium, and extra spicy, and I chose extra spicy. It was quite spicy.

After a long time, I was craving for this ramen, so I took a detour on my way back from work to stop by. This shop looks quite stylish with its entrance lights shining at night, which is unusual for a ramen shop. The menu is extensive, but I wanted to try the charcoal-grilled chashu ramen, so I ordered the "Charcoal-grilled Chashu Ramen" with "Orange Miso" and "3 slices of pork belly" toppings. The chashu can be chosen from pork belly and loin (there is also a 5-piece set with both). You can also choose from black soy sauce, white soy sauce, salt, or miso flavors. The order arrived in about 7-8 minutes! First, I took a sip of the soup. It was slightly spicy and flavorful "Orange Miso". Personally, I think the orange miso is the best here. Now, let's try the chashu that I was looking forward to! The charcoal-grilled chashu has a fragrant and crispy texture, and the pork belly is tender and fatty. With 3 large pieces of chashu, I was completely satisfied! The red spicy chili on top of the green onions goes well with the slightly spicy soup. The noodles are the shop's original thin noodles, which are delicious when mixed with the soup. Another favorite of mine at this shop is the "Fried Green Onions" in the pot on the table. Surprisingly tasty! I added plenty of it in the second half and enjoyed it! It was a satisfying bowl of ramen!

This is a popular restaurant in Asahikawa. I think their miso ramen is popular. It is a sweet miso ramen with generous toppings like chashu. Asahikawa is famous nationwide for its soy sauce ramen, but there are quite a few popular shops that serve miso ramen as well. Thank you for the meal. Orange Miso Ramen.

At the end of the year, we went to Asahikawa, where my husband's parents live. For lunch on New Year's Eve, we tried out Togenya for the first time and had a unique dish called "shime ramen" instead of the usual soba. They were open until 3 pm on New Year's Eve. Since there are not many ramen shops open during the New Year holidays, it was crowded with families, couples, and tourists. The parking lot was spacious, and there were large table seats inside, making it easy for large groups to visit. The menu was extensive, with five basic soup flavors and various options like tsukemen, chuka soba, pork bowl, and squid bowl. Although the orange miso ramen seemed popular, I was in the mood for soy sauce, so I ordered the black soy sauce ramen. The ramen that arrived was rich in pork fat at first glance. When I took a sip of the soup, it was surprisingly light in flavor. The black soy sauce was dominant, and the base soup itself seemed a bit lacking in umami. The low hydration thin noodles blended well with the soup as I ate, creating a good balance. There was a sign on the wall saying you could change to medium-thick noodles, but I think the thin noodles suit this soup better. The char siu was grilled over charcoal, giving it a pleasant aroma, and the meat was tender and easily pulled apart. I caught a glimpse of the char siu ramen at the next table, and it had several thick slices of char siu overflowing from the bowl, making it quite voluminous. Also, be careful not to add too much green onions from the table, as it could affect the flavor of the soup. With such a diverse menu, it's easy to be intrigued by other options and want to try them. Since there is a branch in Sapporo, I might try the orange miso next time. Thank you for the meal!

I was grateful that they were open even on New Year's Eve. I love shrimp, so I tried the Shrimp and Negi Miso Ramen with thin noodles. The soup was full of shrimp flavor but not too heavy. The dish allowed me to fully enjoy the shrimp. There was a generous amount of green onions, and the chashu was tender with a delicious fatty texture. The shrimp tsukemen also looked delicious!

The last time I went to Togenya was at the Higashi-Ko branch... I will never forget that time... It was over 10 years ago, and the place was always full of cars, so I decided to try it out again after keeping it sealed for a while... However, the Higashi-Ko branch brings back some traumatic memories, so I decided to visit the main branch instead. I wonder when it was renovated...? This is my first time here. The restaurant was almost full during lunchtime... Luckily, I was able to get a seat right away, but it seems like you might have to wait sometimes... The staff seemed efficient and were working hard, but they were friendly, which was nice. The first time I visited Togenya's main branch, I tried the "Beef Bone Salt Ramen"... The hot and clear soup was delicious, but I didn't want something hot this time, so I ordered the "Vegetable Ramen (Togen Miso)" for 930 yen. I had to wait for about 20 minutes because it was crowded... When it arrived, it was piping hot and I was happy♪ The noodles were the type I liked. The miso had a rich flavor but wasn't too heavy, and the soup itself was very tasty. The spiciness was just right, and the sweetness was subtle, so I didn't get tired of it. The crunchy vegetables paired well with the miso, and I enjoyed it until the last bite. The menu is extensive, so I would like to visit again. I also got a loyalty card, so I have another reason to come back.