When it comes to ramen in Asahikawa, personally, my impressions are "Hachiya," "Tenkin," and "Baikokken." Among them, I finally visited Baikokken, which I had not been to before. However, there are quite a few restaurants in the area, and when I looked into where to eat, there seemed to be quite a history of changes. First, Baikokken, which opened in Asahikawa in the Showa era, now seems to have split into three main branches. (There are also various individual shops that have inherited the taste.) The branch currently calling itself the "main store" is actively expanding nationwide and even overseas. The "Minami store" is run by the founder's daughter, and there seems to be various connections with the main store. I visited before the evening opening, and if you go early, you can get in without waiting. The landlady welcomed me warmly, and the atmosphere was good. The old-fashioned appearance of the long-established store is well cleaned, and various infection prevention measures are in place. The menu includes shoyu, salt, and miso ramen, but here it must be shoyu. Looking at other reviews, vegetable ramen seems to be surprisingly popular. The soup has a film of oil on top and is hot♪ The rich flavor of pork and the fragrant aroma combine well, and the crispy noodles go down smoothly. This richness may be a characteristic of Asahikawa ramen. The basic components like chashu and menma are good with the ramen. I personally like to add garlic for an extra punch. Expanding to various locations may be good for business, but I prefer to support a restaurant that builds a solid foundation and preserves its taste. If I have the opportunity to visit Asahikawa again, I would like to go and meet the landlady.

Yes, this is the second episode of the spin-off. Here you go: Chapter Four "Umekouken Minami Branch" Spin-off. (To be honest, this might be the main story?) The other day, I had the soy sauce ramen here after a long time. But on this day, my wife went ahead and ordered the salt ramen... What, really? Well, since we're here, let's talk about the salt ramen too. To be honest, I feel like I want to focus more on this one... The soy sauce and miso ramen at this place are to my liking. But personally, I absolutely love the salt ramen here. I really think it's delicious. When it comes to salt ramen, I can't think of anywhere else but here! It's not an exaggeration to say that it's my favorite. Back when I used to live in this neighborhood, I often had delivery from here, and most of the time it was salt, occasionally soy sauce and miso. Until my early twenties, I couldn't imagine ramen being anything other than soy sauce or miso. At that time, an older employee from a related company who I worked with recommended the salt ramen here, and I felt like I wanted to try it. When I had the salt ramen here a few days later, I was really impressed... Since then, I've become a fan of salt ramen, and I've tried exploring new places, but I always end up coming back to the salt ramen here... Personally, when I think of delicious ramen, the first thing that comes to mind is the salt ramen here. And if you add rice, it's a real treat! If I were to treat myself to a high-end meal on my birthday, I'd go for the salt ramen here or the salt chashu or salt vegetables, with a medium rice! That's how much I like it. There may still be more to discover, but with so many ramen shops in the city, it's almost reckless... Huh? What about that popular salt pork bone creative ramen from the past? Well, personally, it's a bit... Anyway, I really love the rich salt ramen here! That's it! Huh? ...Wait a minute... What's up? Are you feeling unwell because this one is quite short this time? Oh no, you don't need to go into so much detail when it comes to something really delicious, right? Haha. Well then, see you later! Bye!

Yes, this is the fourth installment in the series. This time it won't be too long, I think... (rolling eyes) No favoritism! Let's go! Chapter 4 - Umekouken Minami Store Umekouken has several stores in the city, and maybe even some in other cities or outside the prefecture, with branches overseas as well. But the chain seems to be most prominent in the city. I've only been to various stores in the city, and they are all delicious. Each person may have their favorite store. Personally, I like this Minami store and the Toyooka store. So, among the Umekouken stores in the city, this Minami store is probably my favorite... well, maybe I also like the Toyooka store... it's a tough choice. I've only been to the city center Umekouken when I received free meal tickets from an aunt who worked at a school uniform store. She said it was miso-based, so I always had miso soup there. Umekouken has been loved by locals and tourists alike, always crowded during lunchtime. Years ago, when I was in my mid-twenties and working as a salaryman, an older colleague from a related company told me, "Umekouken is more well-known in the city center, but the one in the south is the original store, not a branch." I didn't think much of it at the time, but it piqued my interest. I remember reading an article about Umekouken's history a few years ago, and it mentioned a similar story. I couldn't quite understand the details, but I think it's important to know the history of a delicious restaurant. Moving on to the main topic... It's been about nine years since I last had Umekouken. I used to love their shio ramen, but this time I tried their shoyu ramen. It's been a while since I've been to the Minami store. I ordered the shoyu ramen and eagerly awaited its arrival. The broth was rich and flavorful, with a strong taste of pork bone and dried fish. The saltiness was just right for me, and the broth had a nice depth of flavor. The ramen had a generous amount of lard, which added a rich and creamy texture. The noodles were perfect, absorbing the broth well. Overall, Umekouken's ramen never disappoints. The rich broth, flavorful lard, and unique curly noodles make it a top choice for me.

I was curious about Asahikawa soy sauce ramen so I visited the restaurant even though it was a bit far. The soup was similar to Junren with lard on top to keep it from cooling down quickly. However, the lack of air conditioning made the interior very hot. It might be tough for families with children. The noodles were soft and the flavor wasn't too strong. It seems to be a popular restaurant, but it's a matter of personal preference.

We arrived at the restaurant right at 5 o'clock when it opened. My family and I had soy sauce ramen and miso ramen, both of which were delicious. The soup, menma, and chashu all had a unique taste that I had never experienced before. The miso ramen was a bit spicy.

"Regular Oil Ramen" for 900 yen. It's been a while since I visited the Minami store. The small raised seating area here is a rare 'sunken kotatsu' style for a ramen shop. It's foot-friendly, which is great. It seems like the ramen has gone up by 100 yen, but the place is still packed with customers. You have to get your own water, chopsticks, and wet towel and put them in the box on the table. It's easygoing and nice. I went with the basic "Regular Oil Ramen" from Umekouken. It had tender chashu, salt-preserved bamboo shoots, and a soup made of pork bones, chicken bones, and seafood typical of Asahikawa ramen. Personally, I prefer a slightly stronger flavor, but Umekouken tends to be on the lighter side. Even during lunchtime, there were many elderly customers, and the place was always full. Truly a popular spot."

Earlier, after about 3 months, my husband and I went to this restaurant and I had miso vegetable ramen while my husband had soy sauce ramen. Just like last time, it was a cozy restaurant. At one point, someone brought in some tangerines from Wakayama saying, "A friend sent these to me..." and put them in a bag. It made me think, "This restaurant is really loved by its customers." I definitely want to go back again sometime.

I went to Umekouken Minami store on a residential street right at the opening time of 11:30 am, but it quickly became full as it is a popular restaurant. I ordered miso ramen with menma topping and salt ramen with menma topping. The miso ramen had a good balance of richness, which is popular nowadays. The low-hydrated noodles that Asahikawa people love (more water content compared to other Umekouken stores) paired well with the broth. The salt ramen with menma topping had regular-sized menma, unlike other stores that use thick menma. This is a delicious ramen shop that represents Asahikawa.

This is "Umekouken Minami Shop" located at Minami 3-jo 23-chome in Asahikawa City. It seems to be a branch of Umekouken with a traditional exterior but a very clean and pleasant interior. Due to current circumstances, customers are required to serve themselves with water, hand towels, and chopsticks, with instructions provided upon entering. I ordered the "Shoyu Ramen" (800 yen) and "Flavored Egg Rice" (300 yen). The dishes arrived in about 6-7 minutes. The Shoyu Ramen features low-hydration curly noodles in a double soup base of pork bone, chicken broth, and a hint of seafood. It is a typical Asahikawa ramen. The two slices of pork chashu and the slightly thick menma were satisfying. The Flavored Egg Rice includes miso, salt, and a well-marinated chashu on rice topped with a flavored egg. The combination of flavors is delicious. The staff are friendly and the overall experience at this ramen shop is pleasant!

Vegetable salt ramen. I love Umekouken's ramen. I always struggle between choosing soy sauce and salt, but this time I chose salt! It was a hit (at least in my opinion). They are thorough with their infection prevention measures, so you can visit with peace of mind. It was delicious, thank you!

This evening, my husband and I went to this place for the first time. It's a small shop, but the staff and atmosphere were very warm, and I thought, "This is a good place." I had vegetable miso ramen, and it was delicious. I definitely want to go back to this place.

Today, there are a lot of clouds but the heat remains the same. Even though it's hot, there were 7 customers ahead of me at the ramen shop just 5 minutes after it opened. Due to COVID-19 measures, chopsticks, wet towels, and water are self-service. There are dividers at the counter and a bin for used chopsticks and wet towels. I ordered the Shoyu Ramen with flavored egg and rice, and it arrived in about 20 minutes. The appearance is what you would expect from Asahikawa Ramen, with a slightly cloudy soup. The soup has a slightly tangy and thin soy sauce flavor, not too strong. The menma is thinner than usual, not the typical bamboo shoots. The chashu is well-seasoned and has a good texture. The noodles are the classic low-water, thin curly noodles of Asahikawa Ramen, homemade. Personally, I felt that the noodles didn't soak up the soup as well as I would have liked. They were cooked slightly firm. The flavored egg and rice had shredded chashu on top of the rice with a perfectly seasoned chashu and a perfectly cooked egg yolk in the middle.

Today's lunch was at Umekouken. I had the large serving of regular oil ramen for 900 yen. There were four groups of customers before me, so it was a bit crowded. But more customers came in later. I think it's easier to get a seat here compared to the Umekouken in the city center. I enjoyed the familiar taste of the regular oil ramen. The noodles, soup, and toppings were as good as always. I especially liked the thick menma.

In Asahikawa City, there are two types of Umekouken restaurants: one with a red sign and the other with this yellow sign. Upon research, it seems that the yellow one is a branch of the original store located to the south. Since branching out, they have expanded to include stores such as Suehiro, Toyooka, Kami-i, and Tokou. I only found out about this place earlier this year. By the way, the red Umekouken is making a name for itself globally. As for the menu at the yellow Umekouken, I have been to the Kami-i store. In my mind, this place is known for its shoyu (soy sauce) ramen. So, I ordered the shoyu ramen and a small rice set, a classic combination. The ramen and rice portions seemed quite generous. The ramen had two slices of pork, which were a bit meaty in texture. The menma (seasoned bamboo shoots) was not as thick as in the red Umekouken, but still larger than at other places. The soup initially tasted light, but as I continued eating, the flavor intensified. The noodles were straight and had a unique texture where the outer part felt soft while the center had a chewy bite. The amount of noodles was substantial. The dish also came with two thick slices of pickled radish, which added a sweet touch to the soup. The store is managed by a young and energetic woman, giving off a nostalgic Asahikawa ramen vibe. It was an enjoyable dining experience.

I had the Shoyu Ramen at Umekouken Minami-ten in Asahikawa City, Minami 3-jo Dori 23-chome (800 yen). The ramen came with long menma and two slices of chashu, following the simple Asahikawa ramen style. This was my first visit to Umekouken Minami-ten, a branch of the original Umekouken. The restaurant had measures in place for preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Customers were required to handle their own water, towels, and chopsticks. The counter had partitions and designated containers for used towels and trash. The menu included Shoyu Ramen (800 yen), Miso Ramen (850 yen), Shio Ramen (800 yen), Vegetable Ramen (950 yen), Chashu Ramen (1100 yen), and Spicy Ramen (1050 yen), among others. Side dishes and toppings included three types of flavored eggs, each priced at 100 yen, and an egg rice dish for 300 yen. The noodles in the Shoyu Ramen were Umekouken's own low-water curly Asahikawa noodles. The soup had a rich soy sauce flavor and was delicious. I always enjoy the atmosphere at Umekouken's branch restaurants. I have now visited all the branch restaurants in Asahikawa, including Suhachi-ten, Toyoka-ten, Kago-ten, Higashikou-ten, and Minami-ten. Each one had a similar yet unique taste. While the chain restaurants like the main store in Kaimono Park are great, visiting the branch restaurants in Asahikawa is also recommended. Thank you for the meal!

Today is... Umekoken mode ♬︎ That thick menma and that kind of soup...♪*ﾟUmekoken has many stores in Asahikawa city... I usually go there, but this south store is quite rare for me... Although the name of the store is the same, there are some differences between the stores, and there seems to be a lot of voices saying that this south store is the best! My impression is... I've been here a few times, but my impression is different every time... Sometimes it was lukewarm, sometimes it was bland... I wonder how it will be this time... Nice to see you again|ω･)و It's a popular restaurant crowded at lunchtime, so I visited when it was a bit less crowded after killing some time ( *¯ ⁻̫ ¯*) Good luck~ I'm not good with crowded places... haha The interior is nostalgic, just like I remember it... The interior and the ramen have an old-fashioned nostalgic feel...♪*ﾟPork bone base with chicken bones, seafood flavor... The flavor of dried sardines and kelp is solid enough for even someone like me to notice! It has a slight acidity and is lighter than it looks. It was piping hot this time, and the firmness of the noodles was just right ♬︎ The balance of the soup, the saltiness, everything was to my liking (*ˊ˘ˋ*) The noodles are... my favorite type ♡ Noodles that feel like they'll get soggy if you don't eat them quickly! Don't worry! I can finish a shoyu or salt ramen in 5-6 minutes (laughs) This time, I only saw two female staff members... The interior is old, but it seems well-maintained... I feel like ramen tastes better when made by women... Thank you for the meal~♬︎

Noodles: chewy Soup: rich and deep, with a slightly noticeable soy sauce flavor. Char siu: delicious. Bamboo shoots: satisfying. It's rare to find a place where bamboo shoots taste good. Green onions. It's past 1 PM on a weekday, but due to the year-end season, couldn't sit at the counter.

When I go back to Asahikawa, I always look forward to Asahikawa ramen. The taste of this ramen reminds me of the time I ate it with my late father. I usually eat tonkotsu ramen, so this seafood-based soy sauce ramen is a refreshing change with its strong flavor.

I had miso ramen with chashu. The richness of the soup, amount of vegetables, and texture of the noodles were all well-balanced and delicious.