Nowadays, "tsukemen" has become a regular menu item in many restaurants in Hokkaido. In the past, there were few ramen shops that offered "tsukemen," and many places served it with the option of hot or cold broth. The evolution of "tsukemen" into the rich and flavorful fish-based style can be traced back to "Ganza," which opened in Saitama in 2000. Prior to this, "tsukemen" was usually light and came under different names like "morisoba" or "tsukesoba." However, the bold style of "Ganza" quickly spread across Japan, and around 2005, restaurants in Sapporo began to offer "tsukemen" as well. Today, we are visiting "Hosokawa," a well-known restaurant in Sapporo that was one of the first to offer "tsukemen" before it became a trend. The owner, who is the older sister of the famous enka singer Takashi Hosokawa, runs the restaurant. Located in Chuo-ku, Sapporo, the restaurant is easily recognizable by its red curtain and the prominent sign for "Nomisuo Choyokichi." The neighboring restaurants are "Ramen Sanbachi" and "Tenjiro," which is a Jiro-style ramen shop. There are three parking spaces available in front of the restaurant. Upon entering around noon, we were greeted by the iconic female owner in the retro-style dining area. We ordered the signature "New Tsukemen (regular)" for 850 yen. "Hosokawa" started as a coffee shop in 1985 and later transitioned into a ramen restaurant based on customer recommendations. The owner was inspired by the "tsukemen" she had in Shinjuku's renowned shop "Ramen Manki" and introduced it to the menu in Sapporo in 1992. The restaurant moved to its current location in 2001 and eventually became known as the "original tsukemen" shop in Sapporo. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed in 2014 due to the owner's son transitioning to agriculture. However, it made a comeback in 2019 with a revamped menu, including the "New Tsukemen" with a fish-based broth. The noodles are now sourced from a noodle company in Kitahiroshima, and the broth has been adjusted to suit the local taste. The revival of "Hosokawa" has been welcomed by many, including myself, who had only heard of it as a legendary ramen shop in the past. The dish arrived in about 10 minutes, featuring thick yellow noodles in a black high-rimmed bowl with a simple presentation. The dipping broth was rich with pork and seafood flavors, accompanied by toppings like chashu, menma, and green onions. The noodles had a chewy texture and paired well with the flavorful broth. Overall, it was a delicious and satisfying meal.

It's been a while since my last visit. This time, I visited Izakaya Choyokichi Hosogawa for the first time since it became Hosogawa. When I think of Hosogawa, I think of tsukemen, but I was intrigued by the naming of the auntie's curry rice and decided to order it. The curry was heated up and adjusted, while the rice was a bit hard. The curry, with pork belly, onions, and carrots, had a traditional homemade taste. It was the auntie's curry. I love curry, but the rice was clumped together and difficult to eat. (June 2022)

It's around Higashi Honganji-mae Station. Before dinner, I decided to try Hosogawa, a place that caught my interest due to the lack of reviews. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was like a Showa-era bar or cafeteria. I ordered the new Tsukemen for 850 yen. The place was quiet with only one other customer. The dish arrived in about 15 minutes. The presentation was simple and not very appealing for the price. The noodles were average, dipped in the broth. The broth itself was a bit thin and lacked flavor. The dish felt a bit lacking with only a few pieces of chashu and menma. Overall, it was an okay experience but not something I would go back for.

- Date: 2020/05/09/SUN - Reviewer: Hosogawa - Dish: Black Tsukemen with extra noodles, priced at ¥1030 - Comments: I finished work a little early as the guests dwindled in the evening, so I decided to stop by this place on my way home since my house still needs cleaning. I noticed that the name of the restaurant has changed a bit, and all my previous reviews seem to have disappeared. Oh well, not a big deal. Last time, I tried the default Tsukemen after they revamped the menu, but this time I decided to go for the Black Tsukemen with extra noodles. The thick noodles from Hokkaido were fantastic, and the fish broth with pork bone and a hint of sesame oil was unique and reminiscent of Kumamoto-style ramen. The char siu and bamboo shoots on the side were plentiful. Adding a bit of chili oil from the table condiments enhanced the flavors even more. I also made sure to finish every last drop of the soup. I'm very satisfied. Next time, I'll try the Red Tsukemen. Thank you for the meal!

It used to be called Tsukemen Hosokawa, I think. They seem to promote the fact that you can also enjoy a drink there. While the tsukemen remains on the menu, I tried the abura soba this time. It took a while because the noodles are thick. The medium straight noodles were not bad. I added vinegar and continued eating. It was just okay overall.

When it gets hot, the symptoms of this designated rare disease worsen, especially in December with increased heating in hospitals and commercial facilities causing discomfort. Unfortunately, there is still no medication that suits me. Likes and comments may be delayed, so thank you for your understanding. In January 2020, "Hosokawa" was established in 1992. The owner is from Makari Village. Initially, they served zaru ramen at "Hosokawa Homemade Noodle Ramen House," and now they offer tsukemen at "Tsukemen Hosokawa." They reopened for the second time in August 2019. During lunch, I visited for the first time with my usual companion directly from the hospital. The compact shop is located on the streetcar street in Sapporo's Yamahana area. The interior has counter and table seats, and during my visit, there were no other customers. The shop is managed by a single lady, as her son who used to make homemade noodles has returned to farming in Makari. Both I and my companion ordered the new tsukemen, which features thick noodles. The noodles took some time to cook due to their thickness. While waiting, we had a lively conversation with the owner about Makari Village and her famous singer brother, Takashi Hosokawa. The soup for the tsukemen was hot and had a fish-based soy sauce flavor, suitable for everyone. The noodles were cold and chewy, and the toppings included menma, thinly sliced chashu, green onions, and seaweed. The price was 850 yen including tax. The tsukemen had a good texture, and the soup was flavorful. I hope the experienced owner continues to do well. Next time, I might try the Napolitan. It was delicious, thank you for the meal.

A shop located slightly southwest of Susukino along the tram street. There are other shops such as "Sanpachi" and "Nakau" nearby. I have visited this place a few times when it was operating in the past, but this was my first visit since its reopening. The interior is small with a few counter seats and tables. The place operates as a bar, so the other customers were drinking alcohol. I ordered the "Tsukemen (regular) for 850 yen". The female owner manages the place alone, and since the noodles are thick and take time to cook, it took about 15 minutes to be served. It tasted a bit too strong for me, but it was a standard tsukemen with a blend of animal and seafood flavors. The thick noodles had a chewy texture and paired well with the broth, but the broth cooled down as I ate, which was a downside. It seems like both the noodles and broth have changed from what they used to serve, but considering the reasonable price, I think it's good for those who like tsukemen.

This is a place in Chuo-ku, at Minami 8-jo Nishi 6-chome along the tram street, but for the exact location, as always, please check on the map on Tabelog. There has been a rumor going around that "Hosokawa," which was one of the first to offer "tsukemen" in Sapporo, has reopened in the same location as before, so I couldn't resist and decided to visit the restaurant. Upon arriving at the front of the restaurant, I noticed the familiar curtain hanging in the same place as before. I parked my car in the front parking lot, checked the menu, and entered the restaurant. I sat at a table for three people, ordered the 200g serving of "tsukemen," and waited for it to arrive. It appeared in about 11-12 minutes, and I noticed that the noodles seemed thicker than before. I dipped the noodles in the dipping sauce, which had a double soup base of fish and animal broth, with a slightly less acidic taste than before. The noodles had a sharp edge and were different from what I remembered. As for the toppings, there were sliced chashu and chopped green onions in the dipping sauce, with only one sheet of nori on top of the noodles, which felt a bit lacking. Lastly, the soup for mixing was a light, milky animal-based broth. Although the "tsukemen" had changed a bit from what I remembered, I was most happy about the return of "Hosokawa."