I went on a ramen exploration journey and visited Hachitani (Asahikawa Main Store)! It was quite far away. The parking lot was full, but I managed to find a spot and entered the restaurant, where there were many customers waiting. I ordered the soy sauce ramen with extra chashu, rich oil, and a small bowl of rice. After about 10 minutes of waiting, the bowl arrived with a rich and delicious appearance. The flavor was rich and delicious, and I didn't even need to add pepper or anything for seasoning. The chashu slices were thin and flavorful, and the noodles were slurpy and delicious. The generous portion of chashu on top made it even more delicious. The rice on the side was a nice addition. It was a satisfying meal, and even though it was crowded, it was worth coming all the way from Sapporo on local roads. I feel like taking a nap now. A great day!

Asahikawa Shijo Station area. 5 minutes walk from Shijo Station. ◇ Business hours 10:00-15:20 (Lo) ◇ Closed on Wednesdays ◇ 8 parking spaces, cash only Alongside Aoba, this long-established ramen shop has been leading the history of Asahikawa ramen since its founding in 1947. Despite being a long-established shop, it shone in the Ramen Walker Hokkaido General Grand Prix 2023. I lined up 30 minutes before opening and managed to get the best seat. The restaurant was not full even at opening time. When I entered the restaurant, I saw the second generation owner! It had been a while since I last saw him, so it was nice to see his face again. This was my third visit in 20 years since my first visit 30 years ago, when I didn't like the burnt lard, and still didn't like it on subsequent visits. This time, I ordered as soon as I saw the menu while waiting outside. ◆ Charred Chashu Ramen (1200 yen) 【Soup】The distinctive feature of Hachiya is the "burnt lard." When I took a sip of the soup this time, it was delicious. A subtle and enjoyable taste. The lard-making area has been renovated, and whether it was the influence of that or my taste buds catching up, the impression was that it was less peculiar and easier to drink compared to before. The soup made with spring water had no pork bone odor or peculiar taste, and the taste of horse mackerel was outstanding, typical of Asahikawa ramen. 【Noodles】Since the founder is related to Kato Ramen, they use Kato's noodles, and the compatibility is excellent. It's a medium-thick curly noodle with low water content. It was slightly soft. The taste was good, but it needs to be a bit firmer to enjoy the texture. 【Chashu】I didn't check the part of the meat because I had decided based on my first impression. As a result, I ended up ordering the worst chashu, which was the charcoal-grilled chashu made from thigh meat. The meat was tough, lacking in the richness of fat. I didn't even feel the umami of lean meat. There wasn't even one regular slice of chashu. Based on the photos, it seems they also serve pork belly and shoulder loin regularly. If it's thigh meat, anything other than the "moisture-type" won't work. 【Menma, Green onions】I don't have any particular impressions of these. 【Overall】I am impressed by the humble customer service of the second generation owner. This attitude is undoubtedly reflected in the taste as well. I hope this attitude will be passed down to the third generation as well. Next time, I will definitely order with more lard! It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

I stopped by during lunchtime because I happened to be nearby. It was around 12 o'clock, but I was able to be seated right away. I had the soy sauce ramen for 900 yen. I personally prefer clear transparent soy sauce soup, so it wasn't exactly my preference, but it was delicious. The chashu that day was the type without much fat. It doesn't matter to me, but if you don't close the lid of the disposable chopsticks container, they will ask you to please close it.

I stopped by around 11:30 and walked in. There was a parking lot next to the shop with about 3 cars lined up to enter. We walked in and were seated right away. I ordered the Wakame Miso Ramen with bean sprouts as a topping, and asked for the oil to be regular. You could choose from rich or regular oil. The miso ramen had a little bit of minced meat in it and was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

A friend introduced me to this unique-looking restaurant, and I was intrigued to visit. I had heard that their ramen was divisive among people. The taste was indeed different and interesting. It seems like a flavor that some people would love. While the ramen was delicious, I personally felt that it could do without the burnt flavor. I was satisfied to try the famous dish from Asahikawa. Thank you for the meal!

This legendary restaurant needs no introduction. The impactful visual of their burnt lard is so famous! I personally think the main store is tastier than the branch in the city center of Asahikawa. Interestingly, there is a great sauna facility nearby called Ginza Sauna, and I often enjoy using it before indulging in their "sa-rice" as a post-sauna meal. It's perfect for replenishing salts. Maybe that's why the main store tastes better (laughs). I always order with extra oil and spicy green onions. Eating it in the cold winter makes it taste 50% better!

I can't deny that I took a job in Asahikawa just to eat this ramen. Asahikawa Ramen "Hachiya" serves burnt lard ramen, which I think was created over 70 years ago. The soup is available in "rich" or "regular" flavors, but I recommend starting with the regular option. The first impression is dark and intense, covered with lard on the surface. The soup, which seems to have a seafood base, is rich and delicious. The noodles are medium-thin straight noodles with a good texture. Eating this ramen in cold weather would surely enhance its deliciousness. Thank you for the meal.

In Asahikawa, the one-of-a-kind taste that I always visit is Ramen Hachiya Honten. It's a super popular shop located in front of a regular customer's store, and I've visited it about twice during events. However, due to its unique flavor, even people from Asahikawa might say "It's not for me." The soy sauce ramen has a unique taste with a double soup of pork bone and seafood broth, topped with burnt lard (similar to Kagoshima's horse oil) floating on top. It's a taste like no other that they have been serving since the Showa era. I won't go into details about the noodles and toppings, but the balance is great, so it's delicious. If you come to Asahikawa, be sure to challenge yourself to try it out!

For the last stop on my Hokkaido trip, I went to the long-established ramen shop called Hachiyashokudo in Asahikawa. I ordered the soy sauce ramen and pork rice. The soy sauce ramen had a rich flavor from lard, dried sardines, and pork bones, but surprisingly it was light and easy to eat. After climbing Asahidake, I was able to eat it very quickly.

I visited around 1:30 pm on a regular weekday. I didn't have to wait to get in. The restaurant was about 60% full. It had a nostalgic atmosphere with an old-fashioned interior and exterior. I ordered soy sauce ramen for 900 yen and added a seasoned soft-boiled egg for 100 yen. The soup had a nice burnt aroma. The noodles had a bit of an Asahikawa-style feel to them... I felt that Asahikawa vibe from the past... I personally prefer noodles with a bit more water content, but these were still delicious.

Visited this well-established famous shop. Went to the main store located in a shopping street. Sat at a table with seats lined up like a school cafeteria and ordered the standard soy sauce char siu ramen. It arrived shortly, but it was a bit surprising. When you think of Asahikawa soy sauce, you expect a seafood soy sauce flavor. That's fine, but the unique feature of this shop is the burnt flavor. Unfortunately, it didn't suit my taste. I don't mind the sesame oil-based ramen like the one I had at Nantsuttei before, but this one honestly smelled burnt. It seems to be popular as they have a lot of customers, but personally, I don't think I'll visit again. After passing the test with Aoba, I have now cleared the famous Asahikawa shops. Thank you for the meal!

The deep richness and unique soy sauce aroma create a one-of-a-kind flavor. When it comes to Asahikawa ramen, many people mention Hachikoya, and once you try it, you'll become addicted. This time, I had soy sauce ramen with seasoned egg topping, and the seasoned egg was deliciously runny. The deliciousness makes you want to eat it again right after finishing.

Long, long ago, the panda and capybara were not fond of the honey shop, but after a long time had passed, they decided to go and check it out again. They tried the basic soy sauce and the spicy one, and the staff member made a funny comment about "spicy salt?" The capybara's taste had definitely changed, and they found the soup delicious. The panda still found the unique smell a bit challenging, but it was much better than years ago. The spicy option was easy to eat, with no overpowering heat, just an increase in flavor. The place is always crowded, but it was worth the wait! It was a delicious meal after a long time! Thank you for the meal!

I visited the location of a drama shoot and decided to have some ramen while I was there. I chose soy sauce flavor with regular oil. It had been a few years since I last had it, but it was still delicious. I even finished the soup, which is rare for me. Surprisingly, I didn't feel very thirsty afterwards.

I heard that Hachiya in Asahikawa is delicious, so I decided to visit. I ordered the shoyu ramen with strong flavor, but it was surprisingly light and easy to eat, and very delicious. I think it was worth a rating of 3.6. The only downside was that the male staff member's service was a bit harsh. It's a shame because the taste was good! So, I deducted 0.5 points.

I couldn't visit last year, so it was a long-awaited return. It was past 12:30 on a weekday, so there was plenty of parking in the lot next to the restaurant. I was seated without having to wait. Looking at the menu, I noticed that you can choose the flavor now! I thought the 5th Avenue store offered that option, but here it only said "ramen" before. Nevertheless, I decided to go with the usual shoyu (originally just "ramen"). Last time, I had the plain version without chashu, but this time I went for the regular version with chashu. The price seems to have gone up a bit. Times are changing. The service here is quick, so my ramen arrived in about 5 minutes. I was a bit worried that the flavor might have changed with the expanded menu, but as soon as I slurped the soup, I was reassured that it was the same as always. I read in a magazine that it has a unique flavor, not fishy but kind of burnt-like. It's a peculiar taste that you can't find elsewhere. It's quite distinctive, so it might not be for everyone. The toppings include menma, green onions, and chashu, not too many. The chashu is thinly sliced with a satisfying texture, a traditional style. The noodles are a bit on the softer side. The soup is plentiful, but it's so delicious that I finished it quickly. It was the same deliciousness as always. Thank you for the meal.

It had been a while since I last visited Hachiya-san on a weekday, so I was able to easily find a seat. However, I noticed that the prices had increased since April. I ordered the shoyu ramen with everything in normal size. It was delicious!

Before returning to Tokyo, I wanted to have one more bowl of Asahikawa ramen. The candidate was Hachigoya Honten, which was used as a location in the Netflix drama "First Love." I found out they open at 10:00, so I decided to stop by before catching my flight. I ordered the soy sauce white negi ramen. I was a bit disappointed by the amount of white negi they added, as it was not as much as I had hoped for. The soup, known for its burnt lard, lacked depth of flavor due to its low temperature. Overall, for a 1,050 yen ramen, the satisfaction level was quite low. However, I did manage to complete my mission of trying Asahikawa ramen, so I'll consider this trip a success.

This is lunch in Asahikawa. When it comes to this, it's all about ramen. There are many popular shops, but this time, after much deliberation, I chose Hachiya. It's a bit away from the city center, but the parking lot is almost full. The inside of the restaurant is spacious, and it's bustling with nearby office workers. I thought it was a soy sauce ramen specialty shop, but they also have salt, miso, and spicy soy sauce. But of course, Asahikawa Black, which is known as soy sauce, right? This Black is mainly made with burnt lard. I haven't heard of it much, but it's a taste that seems addictive. A ramen that you can eat forever. This is also something you want to eat while warming up your body in the freezing winter.

I visited a shop in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, which appeared in the pilgrimage drama "First Love". I tried their soy sauce ramen (rich flavor) for ¥900. The appearance was stunning, with a strong scent of their special burnt lard. The soup was not as heavy as expected, and the noodles were smooth. The taste and aroma of the chashu combined well with the soup, making it addictive. This ramen is so good that you'll want to eat it again and again.