I got off the train at Asahikawa Station to wait for a connecting train and decided to have lunch. I originally planned to visit a curry restaurant, but it was closed until 12 o'clock, so I ended up having ramen instead. I chose a dried fish ramen for 900 yen, as I had never tried it before in Hokkaido. The restaurant I went to had different ramen shops from various regions of Hokkaido taking turns to operate, which I later found out. The ramen was self-service, and I had to pick up my order. The dried fish flavor was not very prominent in the soup, and it felt more like a chicken broth ramen. The noodles were thin and smooth. I regretted not trying the salt ramen, which was recommended in the restaurant. The staff were friendly and even helped customers with babies.

I'm looking forward to my ramen journey in Hokkaido. Although I don't have to travel within Hokkaido, Asahikawa residents can enjoy the taste of famous Hokkaido ramen at Feel. This time, it's Sapporo ramen. I'm thinking of trying Sapporo miso ramen. It's about a 4000-step walk from my home. It may not burn many calories to eat ramen, but it can reduce the guilt. I arrive at the restaurant around 10:45 am. It opens at 10:30, so it's perfect. I wake up early, and sometimes finish breakfast around 5:30 am. So it's been about 5 hours already, and I'm hungry. Before arriving, I researched Kekeke. Surprisingly, their famous dish is Miso Ramen with bean sprouts! In Sapporo, there have been shops that put bean sprouts in soy sauce for a long time. And the miso ramen is so delicious that I often don't order soy sauce ramen. I grew up in Sapporo about 20 years ago. I mostly had miso ramen, but there was a shop where the soy sauce ramen was exceptionally delicious. It's no longer there, but it was Tairyu near Sapporo Higashi High School. They had homemade noodles, and their soy sauce ramen was outstanding. There was also a small counter shop near Kuoen. The petite lady there would make soy sauce ramen while muttering to herself. It was only 500 yen, but it was incredibly tasty. I only ordered soy sauce ramen at these two places. Otherwise, it was miso ramen all the way. Let's go for the soy sauce ramen this time. And let's add some extra char siu. I buy the tickets and wait at a table. A young man is cooking with a wok. I'm not sure if he's from the main shop or not. While waiting for the ramen to be ready, I research Kekeke online. On Facebook, it says that they close the Sapporo shop while having a store in Asahikawa Feel. This is unexpected, and it seems like the master from the main shop is cooking. This looks promising. The garlicky aroma tickles my nostrils. When the ramen is ready, I go to pick it up. The soup is slightly cloudy. The char siu is pork belly. The bamboo shoots are long. One sheet of seaweed. There's stir-fried bean sprouts and minced meat on top. And one piece of gluten. First, I try the soup. The soy sauce flavor is strong and different from Asahikawa's soy sauce. The soy sauce flavor stands out, followed by a punch of garlic. This soup is addictive. The bean sprouts are slightly soft, maybe cooked in the soup after being stir-fried. They have a good crunch and a delicious charred flavor. The char siu is a bit thin, but it has a nice texture and tastes great. The noodles are Sapporo-style. I love these noodles. They are smooth and chewy, and very tasty. The balance of soup and noodles is perfect, and I find myself slurping them down quickly. The base of the soy sauce soup is very similar to the Sapporo soy sauce ramen I used to like, but the garlic flavor that follows is a new experience. I would love to try it again. I'm sure their miso ramen is also delicious. The determination to bring their ramen to Asahikawa by the shop owner himself shows a lot of spirit. It was a very, very delicious Sapporo soy sauce ramen. Thank you for the meal!

@Asahikawa City [RAMEN RS Kai] - Seabura Chuka Soba Shiro A popular Sapporo restaurant has come to Asahikawa with their latest offering, following the success of their Niboshi Chuka Soba and Muryoju. This time, it's all about the richness of the seabura! The familiar Niboshi flavor is still there, but now enhanced by the richness of the seabura, making it even more delicious. The noodles are a flat type with a chewy texture, adding to the overall enjoyment. If you're interested, make sure to check them out before the end of the month! #ramenrs改 #SeaburaChukaSobaShiro #NishiyamaSeimen #HomemadeNoodles #FlatNoodles #Ramen #Foodie #Hokkaido #SapporoRamen #Asahikawa #AsahikawaGourmet #RamenLover #FoodieGirl #FoodieBoy #Gourmet #Lunch #AsahikawaLunch #SapporoLunch #SapporoGourmet

@Asahikawa City [RAMEN RS Kai] @ramen_rs.kai・Niboshi ramen Feer Asahikawa store facility, from Hokkaido Ramen Journey‼️ This is a popular shop with a light and beautiful Niboshi ramen noodle line loved by guests from Sapporo City✨ The owner was worried if the people in Asahikawa would accept our noodles... but it is really delicious here. As a limited edition in Asahikawa, they use the high-water noodles from Sapporo's @sapporo_nishiyama.ramen. The ramen here features medium-thick, slightly wide curly noodles. Since there are few shops in Asahikawa where you can experience high-water noodles or Niboshi aroma, it was definitely fun✨ They will be in Asahikawa until the end of August, so I wonder if I can conquer all the menu items??✨ #ramenrs改#RamenRSKai#NishiyamaSeimen#NiboshiRamen#Ramen#Foodie#Hokkaido#AsahikawaRamenClub#Asahikawa#SapporoGourmet#RamenLover#FoodLover#Gourmet#Lunch#AsahikawaLunch#SapporoLunch#SapporoRamenClub#SapporoRamen#NoodleLine

@Asahikawa City [RAMEN RS Kai] ・ Muryoju Sapporo's popular restaurant is currently participating in the Hokkaido Ramen Journey‼️ I tried their summer limited cold maze-men. The previous owner fell in love with the local soba Muryoju in Kushiro City and created their own version. Muryoju, popular in Kushiro City, consists of a sauce, sesame oil, and chilled soba noodles. This bowl has a gentle sauce mixed with sesame oil and egg yolk. The chilled noodles are made by Nishiyama Seimen. The supple thin straight noodles are springy and delicious. How many more times can I enjoy this within the limited time✨ #ramenrs改 #Muryoju #NishiyamaSeimen #ramen #foodie #localfood #Hokkaido #SapporoRamen #AsahikawaRamenClub #Asahikawa #SapporoFood #maze-soba #RamenLover #FoodieGirl #food #lunch #AsahikawaLunch #AsahikawaFood #Sapporo

I came to the Feel underground. I was interested in Sapporo's "Akatora" because the owner is from Shikaribetsu Sanso, so I decided to try it out. I ordered the Shoyu ramen for 830 yen. It's a self-service system where you pick up your water and the finished ramen yourself. The aroma of seafood is faintly present. The soup looks rich. From the smell, I thought it was Asahikawa, but the taste was Sapporo. The deep color of the clear soup starts with saltiness, followed by sweetness. This type of sweetness that comes later is a taste I often encountered when I was in Sapporo, and it's very nostalgic. It reminded me of "Chintonken" (Minamihiragishi) and "Sumibi Kobo" rather than Shikaribetsu Sanso. It feels like two decades ago, not just ten years. I wonder how Aosora in APIA is now, with its sweet soy sauce. It's a temporary event where the shop changes every month, so it can't be helped, but the chashu was tough and couldn't be bitten through. If I write anything slightly negative about a Sapporo shop, they might come after me, but I'm only pointing out things that can be improved, so it's all good, right? I actually want to tell the owner directly, but you can't remake the chashu, right? I think the staff are nice people. Maybe they're from Sapporo?

I decided to take a walk in the shopping park after a long time. Since I usually drive, I rarely walk here. This year, there has been less snow so it's easy to walk around. I looked towards Asahikawa Station from around 2-jo street. However, due to the cold weather and the impact of COVID-19, there weren't many people around. I hope that the first pedestrian paradise in Japan will become more lively. I wish there were events happening soon. And today, I'm heading to a store that is closing today for two reasons! It's been quite a while since I last visited this ramen journey. Every month, they set up shops from various regions in Hokkaido, so even if you can't go to the actual place, you can taste the food from those shops. It's a popular event, and it's a great opportunity for those who can't travel far. However, I've only been there once or twice in the past because I wasn't sure what to do with my car. And then, Sanpachi Restaurant. When I visited Nagaizumi for a location shoot a long time ago, I came across the main store and thought I would like to try it someday. But when I found it in Sapporo, I was so happy that I couldn't help but go in. That was... 4 years ago, so it's been quite a while. The main dish is ankake yakisoba, right? The main store in Nagaizumi and the Sapporo store both have "Ham Chanpon" written prominently at the entrance. But everyone seemed to be ordering ankake yakisoba with a set. There were various menu items at the Sapporo store, but it was quite a challenge to find the one that said "Ham Chanpon". So... I wonder if ankake yakisoba is the most prominently displayed item here as well. Ham Chanpon... it had a whole squid on top. I decided to go with ankake yakisoba. The last time I ate at the store, I ordered it with fried rice as a set. But... I've been wanting to eat more ankake yakisoba. This time, there was no set, so I didn't hesitate to order the large size. There was fried rice as a single item on the menu though. By the way, ankake small is 750 yen. Huh... there's no regular size, huh? Haha. I bought the meal ticket at 2:47 and waited. This ramen journey on the first basement floor. This time is apparently the 70th edition. I'm sure I've been there before... The 9th edition, Kyumen Juhei. I couldn't find anything else in my blog... Huh... I feel like I've been there at least once more... It just... doesn't come up. The store was not busy, and the customers who ordered before me were still waiting. I waited for a while... and then... I was finally called at once... I received my order at 3:08. It took about 20 minutes... I can barely wait for that long, but it's a weekday. If it were a holiday, I might have had to wait longer. Ankake Yakisoba (Large) 900 yen. The ankake yakisoba finally arrived. I went to pick it up myself, and water was self-service. The plate was quite large, and the amount looked substantial, but... the area covered by the food was not that much. By the way, when I checked the menu for the Nagaizumi store... Ankake Yakisoba Big Size (Not for sharing) 1320 yen Regular Size 940 yen Small Size 770 yen Salt Ham Chanpon 990 yen Miso Ham Chanpon 1000 yen Looking at the menu for the Sapporo store... Ankake Yakisoba 900 yen Ankake Yakisoba Mini 750 yen Ankake Yakisoba Extra Large 1200 yen Salt Ham Chanpon 950 yen Miso Ham Chanpon 1000 yen. The prices were almost the same, but the amount might be slightly different. The dish was topped with a variety of ingredients along with a generous amount of sauce. The main ingredients were Chinese cabbage, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, squid, green vegetables, and quail eggs. The consistency of the sauce and the amount of ingredients were satisfying. If the plate were a bit smaller, it might have seemed like a lot more. The noodles were like this. The noodles had a nice charred texture. But... I wonder if this is the original noodle used in the dish. It's not a type of noodle you often see in ankake yakisoba. Maybe it's steamed noodles? This is the same type of noodle I had when I ate at the Sapporo store last time, so they are probably using the same noodles as the original store. However... even though the dish looked large, when I pushed aside the sauce, the amount of noodles was about this much.

This is a place where various ramen shops come in on a monthly rotation. This time, it was the Ezo Shokudo (inEZO) in Sapporo. I had never had the chance to try inEZO in Sapporo before, so I was glad to be able to eat there this time. I had the mazesoba, which had a taste different from Asahikawa ramen and was delicious. It's fun to be able to taste various ramen dishes regularly.

I had some errands to run in Asahikawa city. My wife and I finished our tasks around noon, and I decided to treat her to a meal. I was contemplating whether to go to Sanpei for spicy miso ramen to add a little kick, or try out a new ramen shop that recently opened, which was featuring Sapporo miso ramen. We ended up choosing the latter and entered the shop called Feel, located in the former Marui Imai department store basement. The concept of the shop was to change the menu every 1-1.5 months, which made it an exciting experience for us. Upon entering, we were required to sanitize our hands with alcohol and purchase food tickets. Since I only had a 10,000 yen bill, I asked the staff to make change for me. My wife ordered the miso ramen, while I opted for the burnt miso ramen with extra char siu topping. The shop started to fill up with customers after we arrived, and it seemed like they were preparing 5-6 servings at a time. It took about 10 minutes for our ramen to be ready. The shop had counter seats facing the wall and small tables for two. The table seating felt a bit cramped when the shop got busy. The ramen looked delicious when it arrived. The soup was flavorful but a bit lukewarm. My wife's miso ramen had a hot soup base, probably due to the cold char siu on top. The Sapporo-style noodles were good, and the char siu was tasty with a slightly strong soy sauce flavor. The amount of vegetables seemed a bit lacking. The bowl appeared smaller and narrower compared to when I used to live in Sapporo. It was disappointing to see only a small amount of soup left at the bottom of the bowl after finishing the noodles. I wished there was more soup to savor. Despite the lukewarm soup, the taste was excellent. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience. With the current travel restrictions due to the pandemic, it was refreshing to have renowned Sapporo ramen shops open in Asahikawa. I hope they continue this "ramen journey" concept in the future.

After a long time, my spouse and I decided to dine out together. We wanted to do some shopping in the city center, so we headed out. I was thinking of visiting a Hokkaido ramen shop in the Feel shopping mall, but surprisingly, it turned out to be a shop from Aomori, not Hokkaido! Even though it had Hokkaido in its name! Due to the pandemic, traveling is not an option, so we chose this shop. We arrived around 11 am to avoid the crowds. There were only two customers before us. I decided to try the miso ramen, while my spouse went for the salt ramen. We placed our orders using the number tags provided. The miso ramen looked visually appealing. Although the vegetable portion was small, the lean chashu pork was outstanding. The color of the chashu made me wonder if it was cooked at a low temperature. The miso soup had a rich seafood flavor that complemented the miso perfectly. The slightly cold chashu made the soup feel a bit lukewarm. The chashu had a perfect texture and the natural flavor of the meat was exceptional. This ramen was truly unique and could only be enjoyed here. My spouse's salt ramen was clear in appearance, which was surprising. I have encountered clear ramen before, but they often lacked a satisfying flavor profile. However, when I tried the salt ramen soup, I was amazed. It tasted like it was made by a skilled chef at a high-end restaurant. The flavor was exquisite. While the taste of the salt ramen seemed slightly different from the usual, the one from Nanbu-an was exceptional. I could easily get addicted to this ramen. Both the miso and salt ramen shared a similar flavor profile, but were executed perfectly. I was truly impressed by the quality of the ramen. If there are ramen like this out there, I would love to try ramen from various regions. Thank you for the delicious meal. We will definitely visit again when you set up shop!

I had some business at a musical instrument store in Asahikawa. Before going to the store, I stopped by a ramen shop. I entered at 11:50. Unfortunately, the main Umekoen shop was closed with a notice of temporary closure. So, I decided to try Sakurazaka, but it was also closed. Maybe it's because of the coronavirus. However, I still wanted to eat ramen, so I went back to Feel Asahikawa and found Hokkaido Ramen Kikou. It was not crowded, probably due to the pandemic. I bought a ticket for the Japanese-style chicken shirotan ramen for ¥850. I got a half ticket and sat at a table for two. They brought water, but it was self-service. After about 6-7 minutes, my number was called and I went to pick up my ramen. It was my first time trying ramen other than Yamagoya. The ramen had green onions, wood ear mushrooms, bonito flakes, and charred bamboo shoots instead of menma, with pork belly chashu on top. The light shirotan soup surprisingly went well with the bonito flakes. The pork belly chashu was tender and delicious. The thin noodles also complemented the soup well. I should have come here from the beginning without searching around. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

I went out into the city after a long time and had ramen at the underground of Feel. This time, I tried the popular in EZO from Sapporo. It is known for its potato white broth ramen. Without hesitation, I purchased a Sapporo miso ticket. Perhaps due to it being before lunchtime, I was the only customer. The water was self-service, and I found a bottle with lemon slices in it. The refreshing water was nice. However, the loud alarm sound disrupted the mood. It didn't stop immediately and only stopped at a convenient point in the process, when draining the noodles. While it's understandable to use an alarm to adjust the noodle cooking time, I personally wish they would be more considerate so that it doesn't disturb the customers. I haven't had many good experiences in such shops, but let's see how it goes this time. I was called up quickly to pick up my order. I noticed bamboo shoots, pork slices, and menma. Upon taking a sip of the soup, I found it quite strong. I could faintly taste the potatoes, but the rest was the saltiness of miso. Unlike a ramen shop in Higashi-Asahikawa that used to make a potato-based soup, the potatoes here were not very prominent. The menma was thick and firm, which I liked. The noodles were flat and thick. The pork slices were charred with sauce, giving them a slightly burnt taste. This might be a preference thing. Overall, it was a hefty portion, but the soup was too salty. It almost overshadowed the refreshing lemon water. I ended up drinking two glasses of water, but couldn't finish the soup. It was just too salty for my taste. Despite being a popular place, it didn't meet my expectations. This is just my personal opinion, and I'll look forward to the next place.

In the underground of Sapporo's Feel shopping mall, a famous ramen shop from Hokkaido has opened its 51st branch. Currently, the shop serving is Marutori-an from Sapporo. The recommended dish is the Japanese-style chicken broth ramen (850 yen), so I bought a meal ticket without hesitation. After waiting for about five minutes, my number was called. The soup was a clear white color with a strong bonito aroma. The soup was a bit salty but within an acceptable range, and the Japanese-style broth flavor was prominent. It combined a light chicken broth base with a strong Japanese-style broth flavor, which was very appealing. The bamboo shoots were slightly seasoned to add a spicy accent, and the shredded wood ear mushrooms provided a textural contrast. It was a well-thought-out ramen. The noodles were cooked a bit firm, which I liked. I really enjoyed the delicious Japanese-style chicken broth ramen. I would like to visit the shop in Sapporo next time. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Today, I had work in downtown Asahikawa. I walked from the residential area of Asahikawa to the work site. It felt good to walk early in the morning. I saw cute elementary school students who had just started school. I walked about 8000 steps one way to the work site. The work was only in the morning, and it ended around 2 pm. After that, I had a meeting with the important person at the business site, and all work was completed. I rarely walk in Asahikawa's downtown during the day, so it feels fresh. Now, where should I have lunch? I had curry on Tuesday and ate instant curry at work on Wednesday. So, I want to exclude curry. Since I've been having a lot of ramen recently, I want to exclude ramen too. That leaves options like tonkatsu set meal, right? But wait, I had tonkatsu for dinner at home yesterday. Okay, today I'll just go wherever feels right. That's fine. Despite various temptations, I walked. When I walked near the station, I suddenly remembered. There was a ramen shop in the basement of Feel that changes every few months. I've never been there before, so I decided to go there. I don't know which shop is there this time. But having a lunch like a gamble is also fun. The basement of Feel is relatively stylish among the places in Asahikawa. Various foods are sold there with good taste. This time, the shop was called Kohaku. It was my first time seeing it. The sign said it was Sapporo ramen. I like Sapporo ramen, but I prefer the miso ramen with a Showa-era atmosphere. Recent miso ramen tends to be heavy. But it's fun to be able to eat Sapporo miso ramen in Asahikawa. I purchased a meal ticket at the ticket machine and asked for recommendations from the staff. They said, "Miso ramen, right?" So, this time I chose miso chashu ramen. It cost 1060 yen. It still feels expensive once it goes over 1000 yen, but considering the effort and rent, it might be reasonable. I waited for about 10 minutes. The miso chashu ramen was ready. Since it was self-service, I went to pick it up myself. The bowl had a narrow entrance, a traditional ramen bowl style. Now, I tried the soup. It had a unique flavor, a bit refreshing, not too heavy, and the miso flavor elegantly spread throughout the mouth. It was the miso soup I liked. The vegetables were good too. The chashu was not large pieces but sliced about 1-2 cm wide, which I liked. It had little fat, which I prefer. The fresh green onions as a condiment were delicious. The noodles were the typical Sapporo style with a strong texture and very tasty. I finished it all in one go. It was very delicious. It's fun to have different shops changing all the time. I'd like to try another ramen shop next time. Kohaku is said to have its main store in Nishioka, Sapporo. I definitely want to visit their store in Sapporo too. Thank you for the meal!

On December 27, 2019 at 5:20 PM, feeling unsatisfied with the ramen I had at the station, I arrived at the food market on the basement floor of Feel Asahikawa to have my second bowl of ramen. A renowned Hokkaido ramen shop was featured this month! With only 3 days left until the end, I visited Marutoria, the 46th stop on my Hokkaido ramen journey. I had their Black Chicken Shio Ramen for 850 yen. The fragrant black ma-yu oil floated on top of the pure white chicken broth. The refreshing soup had a collagen-rich, delicious taste. The noodles, which I believe were from Nishiyama Seimen based on what was written on the noren curtain, were different from Sapporo-style noodles - thin and straight with a firm texture. The thick slices of char siu were seared and tender, adding to the deliciousness of the dish. I thoroughly enjoyed this elaborate chicken broth ramen in Asahikawa.

Weekend lunch #085. This is the third consecutive time trying out something new. This time, I followed the eating instructions on the restaurant's sign, adding an extra egg to keep the spiciness and numbness while having the noodles first and then slowly adding rice to the bowl. It may look like squid ink risotto, but it's clearly absorbed the tantan extract (lol). It was a delicious and enjoyable experience! It's not just a recommendation, it's worth it. I ended up feeling quite full, but couldn't stop eating until the end. Thank you for the hospitality this time.

Weekend lunch #083. This month, I visited Nariya, a restaurant specializing in tantanmen, or spicy noodles. I ordered the cold black tantanmen this time, which refers to the sesame flavor. I added a seasoned egg on top and asked for double the spiciness. The combination of the sweet meat and the spice is really enjoyable. However, drinking water brings a tingling sensation. I actually like this tingling feeling! Next time, I might challenge myself with triple the spiciness. I ended up sweating a lot towards the end, but it was so delicious. I will definitely come back again ^^

Visited before 8 am on Saturday, September 14, 2019. It was almost time for the last order. The place was empty, but I had a feeling that this restaurant must serve delicious food. Today, I tried the shrimp tantanmen, all of which were served without soup. It's like a self-service system where you go pick up your order when your number is called. I mixed it all up at my table and it was delicious! The rich flavor and the savory taste of shrimp were outstanding. I was getting tired of soy sauce ramen, so this dish came at the perfect time. It was really delicious and a satisfying meal.

Weekend lunch #081. It's ramen two weeks in a row, but this time it's a different shop called Kyumen Juhei. They seem to specialize in rich flavors, but I chose a limited-time menu. It had a strong spiciness to it. It's like a spicy soy sauce? It has a nice kick to it. The chashu and egg were delicious with the soup. But what surprised me was the medium-thick noodles. It's rare to find noodles this thick and chewy. I fell in love with the texture. If this shop were in my neighborhood, I would definitely become a regular. Many places have delicious soup but lack in noodles. This one had a satisfying texture.

Weekend Lunch #080. Today I visited Kei Ramen for the second time this month! I decided to try their recommended Ebi Miso ramen. I was originally planning to get the Ebi Shio ramen, but ended up with miso. The first bite really brings out the flavor of the shrimp. The miso seems to complement the shrimp well. As I continued eating, the shrimp flavor mellowed out. The balance between the shrimp and miso was just right. It didn't have that overwhelming excitement like when you eat lobster bisque at a French restaurant. Overall, it was a satisfying bowl of ramen. The chashu was similar to the type I used to be impressed by 10-15 years ago, which was nice. Thank you Kei Ramen!