21 Days of Ramen in Osaka: My Summer Love Story
I genuinely believe Osaka is the single greatest city on earth for eating. “Japan’s Kitchen” as it’s aptly named, even birthed one of my favorite phrases ever, ‘kuidaore’ – literally translating to “Eat until you go broke.” Based on this alone, you know you are in for a hell of a ride the second you step off your respective plane, train, or automobile, and into ANY pocket of the city. Osaka epitomizes this mantra to the nth degree. And, at the heart of it are its estimated 2500-plus ramen shops or roughly 10% of all ramen joints in Japan.
Here are 21 of my favorite ramens that I downed during my three months in Osaka (Arthur Miller would be proud).
From baseball-themed soy-sauce haunts to mammoth bowls of vegetable broth and char siu, all the way to nutty sesame paste (dan dan) noodles laced with handfuls of ground beef and rich curry tsukemen broths (dipping ramen) with slabs of melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, Osaka has the perfect ramen out there for you. It’s just figuring out which makes you tick and gets your taste-bud Spidey-Senses going.
This may be my magnum opus. My food bible. Think of this as a living, breathing document, like a ‘Ramen Constitution’ – continually evolving and seeing new ramen joints added to the list (pending that I am actually in Osaka).
For reference, I’ve added an asterisk (*) to my favorite four ramens on the list!
A Quick Ramen Primer
“Ruin yourself with fashions in Kyoto, ruin yourself with meals in Osaka.”
First, I’m not going to sort all 21 of the ramen shops by their respective broth or base as I simply don’t think I have enough to round out each cluster in a balanced way. However, it’s important to understand that ramen broth comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors and differs greatly from the ‘Cup of Noodles’ you may have gorged yourself on during late-night Adderall sessions in university.
The big four that you need to know are:
- Miso,
- Shoyu,
- Shio,
- Tonkotsu.
Miso ramen consists of fermented soybean paste (well, of course, that’s what miso is) and originates from the North of Japan, all the way up in Sapporo, Hokkaido. It is typically a rich, creamy texture that is both salty and sweet, with slightly earthy undertones brought about by the soybean paste’s fermentation. Because of the salty and sweet depth of its broth, miso typically pairs well with pork, corn, and roasted vegetables.
I’d like to dispel a myth – unlike miso soup (which uses dried bonito flakes), miso ramen broth does not taste fishy as there is no fish flavoring or paste used when making the paste.
Shoyu ramen uses a clear and aromatic broth that is based on chicken, vegetable, or even beef (and sometimes fish) stock and infused with soy sauce, resulting in a salty, tangy, and versatile base. This salty and savory broth is often accompanied by toppings of pork, green onions, and bamboo shoots to round out the flavor profile.
Shio ramen (and Ohio) is for (salt) lovers. It’s a Hawthorne Heights type of Friday. This clear, light broth is primarily flavored with salt and boasts an almost translucent appearance that prioritizes the natural flavoring of its added ingredients. This is typically the go-to broth for more delicate ingredients such as kelp, white fish (cod, sole, and flounder), clams, and chicken.
Tonkotsu ramen is a thick and creamy broth which is made by boiling pork bones. This prolonged, rolling boil extracts flavors, nutrients, and essence of the bones, breaking down collagen, marrow, and other components, and distilling them into an almost milky, white creamy deep pork flavor. Because of this, it is commonly garnished with its originator (pork) and other ingredients like soft-boiled eggs, nori (seaweed), and other vegetables.
I should note that (apparently) ‘tonkotsu’ is a reference to the ramen’s broth base rather than the ‘flavor’ (ex. Shio is a broth flavor).
Each of the above ramen types boasts a wide array of regional variations and subclasses, which you’ll see several of below. The rolodex of ramen broths runs so deep that I would need to spend several years compiling an encyclopedia worth of information just to attempt (the key word here is “attempt”) to do it justice.
Big Body’s Preferred Type of Ramen
Gun to my head for what I eat the most consistently and would never get tired of – shoyu-based broths. This salty, soy sauce elixir replenishes me with all the sodium I lose during my major running weeks and has been the overall most consistent in quality.
However, if we are talking about the ramen that when it is at its apex, genuinely is my favorite flavor profile-wise, it would be miso. And it is typically a miso ramen with shrimp paste or some sort of seafood-essence.
Luckily, I go through all types (and more) below.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: A lot of ramen shops in Japan operate on a system where you order via a ‘vending machine’. Sometimes it will have pictures, other times it won’t. I would (a) Recommend downloading Google Lens which can give you a quick, rough translation of what you can expect, (b) Simply ask – “Osusume-wa?” (“What do you recommend?”), (c) Memorize the characters for ‘tsukemen’ if you are in the mood for tsukemen, or (d) blindly select whatever based on the price (it should range from 700 or 800 yen to 1100 (sometimes 1200) yen per bowl, depending on the area and place). As long as you show up, you really can’t go wrong.
Menya Yamahide Sakaisuji-hommachi
It is only fitting that the first ramen on this list is my first ramen spot in all of Japan. After arriving at 7 AM, thanks to a 12 AM flight from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I took a stroll around Osaka Castle, catching two silver-haired legends in action, crushing several six packs of Kirin cans on their mat mid-day, and subsequently passed out until 8 PM that night.
You know when you first arrive in a city and you are so disoriented that you get so geographically turned around and then a month later you walk by where you were on that first day and are like “Oh wait, I know this spot.” That happened to me with Menya Yamahide Sakaisuji-hommachi.
Just as Sheryl Crow sang of the first cut being the deepest (in regards to love), Menya Yamahide was my first impassioned affair with ramen in Japan and carries a special place in my heart. This “Taiwan Ramen” (which actually originated just down the road in Nagoya) is a spicy, thick bowl of chewy, springy noodles topped with a handful of perfectly seasoned minced pork, chives, and chili peppers.
Menya Yahamide’s broth is bold and has a pronounced spiciness – but that’s what the Asahi beerus are for. Paired with the minced pork on top, this spicy broth almost reminds me of a Taiwanese/Sichuan dan dan mian (made with sesame paste) as it naturally thickens up a bit and coats the noodles.
Menya Yamahide also serves up a legendary mazesoba (this is actually the primary dish that has “put it on the map”) – a soupless cauldron of noodles topped with a dollop of minced meat, a mound of green onions, and a silky, raw egg.
I do want to give a shoutout to Ao-san in the kitchen who walked me through my first ramen vending machine experience, chatted with me, and made my first day in Japan a memorable one.
Temmabashi Sasara
Temmbashi Sasara and Yamanakaseimenjo (mentioned below) are what I call my “hometown ramen shops, as they were the two closest to me and open reasonably late at night. This was also the second ramen shop I visited during my three-month stint in Japan (I’m not sure why I’m going in chronological order – I swear it ends after this).
The first time around, I was unaware that it was a dan dan mian specialty shop and I opted for Old Faithful – their shoyu char siu ramen. Salty, slightly tangy, and packed to the brim with fatty char siu (boasting a slight crisp on the outside) and crunchy, nutty bean sprouts, spread over a bed of al-dente noodles Temmabashi Sasari knows a thing or two about how to make a shoyu ramen stand out.
But I wasn’t done. No. Not at my “hometown shop.” I went back and then went back again and again. This time for their signature dan dan mian ramen. Having lived in Taiwan for over three years, I consider myself a relatively decent judge of what makes a great dan dan mian.
A rich, nutty, creamy sesame broth that not only coats the noodles but makes sweet, sweet love to them? Check. A dash of chili oil and Sansho pepper for a slightly sour, numbing sensation that serves as a counterbalance to the creamy broth? Check. A cooling, soothing crunch of bean sprouts and green onions to complement the seasoned minced meat and alleviate spice? Check.
Toss some of that fatty char siu on top for good measure and mix it all together. This is dan dan mian heaven.
This is one of those foods that roughly every month or two, I will just wake up with a hunger like no other and sprint to the nearest dan dan mian shop to get my fix. Temmabashi Sasara was a dan dan mian lifeline at points when I felt like Ja Rule after 50 Cent’s ‘Life’s on the Line’ (Power of the Dollar) was released.
Mannen Curry
If you’ve read my post on why ‘Shugetsu’ in Hong Kong is undoubtedly my favorite meal in my home city, then you know I’m a tsukemen-fiend. As the iconic Detroit-turned-West Coast rapper (and host of the short-lived ‘Pimp My Ride’ on MTV), X to the Z, ‘Xzibit’ once grunted into the microphone, “Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate, concentrate.” I prefer tsukemen because of the typically more concentrated and pungent broth.
I was intrigued to see how tsukemen would translate in curry form. I was not disappointed. Curry tsukemen just makes sense.
A slightly sweet, rich brown sauce (as opposed to the zestier Indian curries you’re used to), almost similar to a thick demi-glace, paired with chewy, springy noodles, a slab of melt-in-your-mouth pork (almost with a pulled pork consistency) and topped with crunchy fried onions – Mannen Curry might be one of the most unique offerings on this list. Or maybe it isn’t. I don’t know, I had never heard of curry ramen before arriving in Japan.
The noodles remained sturdy and steadfast in texture, never yielding to the rich, savory curry dipping broth. There was a symbiotic relationship between the two, with neither overpowering the other, where after every bite I pondered if this was actually a curry or a tsukemen. That’s balance, people.
I was a somewhat regular at Mannen Curry during my three months in Osaka and alternated between their tsukemen offering and traditional curry with rice (essentially the same thing but just served over a mammoth plate of white rice). If you have the time or are a ruminant with several stomachs, do both.
Ramen stand Men box
I warned you. I do love tsukemen. “Is it true?” “Mmmhmmm, I do, I do, I do-ooh.” Everyone loves a good Kenan and Kel reference. I found ‘Ramen stand Men box’ during an attempted return to Menya Yamahide, as they are literally right around the corner from each other. I’m glad I am geographically inept and stumbled into this spot when attempting to show a friend my personal Plymouth Rock of ramen joints.
What caught my attention about the tsukemen at ‘Ramen stand Men box’ was the silkiness and layering of the cold, elastic, and chewy noodles. You’ll literally see specs of grain in these noodles which I think is typically more common with whole grain. There’s a perfect thickness and glossiness to them, which generates a formidable slurp as they slide right down your throat.
The shoyu broth is sharp, consisting of soy sauce with an essence of emulsified chicken and pork bones. However, paired with the thick, silky noodles it acts more as a light coating rather than a domineering force (sans aftertaste that you may find with other pungent tsukemen). This is a pro’s pro of tsukemen in Osaka.
Ramen stand Men box also offers a curry tsukemen which is on my list to try next time. If you get to it before me, please let me know in the comments!
Pale Ale Travel Tip: One thing that I think is a really simple concept that I didn’t catch onto until well into my first month in Osaka was that nearly every single ramen shop will have a tsukemen option. I always thought it was ‘either, or’ not ‘either, and’. Keep an eye out for this at whatever ramen joint you end up at as there are more options than you might initially think!
Beef Ramen Hakuju 8910*
Beef Ramen Hakuju 8910 caught me by surprise as I went in with low expectations. That’s not me saying that I believed the ramen would be of poor quality, just that there was very little information and very few reviews about this place online. Come to find out it is a newer shop that just opened in the bustling Dotonbori area (and a stone’s throw away from our final ramen on the list).
Now, when you hear the term ‘hormone’, I know what you’re thinking. I don’t want my beef all horned up, I’m just trying to eat dinner. In Japan, they use the term ‘hormone’ completely differently in the ramen context, as it is theorized that it comes from the distinct Osaka dialect “horu mono” which literally translates to “discarded parts’. Simply put, it’s just beef offal (e.g. Tongue, stomach, and other organ meats).
As a man who experienced the apex of beef broth when I went to ‘Wattana Panich’ in Bangkok, a legendary beef noodle soup that reuses the same 50-year-old broth every day, I can say that Hakuju 8910’s simmering cauldron of beef offal broth more than passes muster. This is a top-four ramen for me on this list.
For starters, how can you not love having your ramen served to you in a cauldron?
The chewy chunks of fat have a sweetness to them that makes you see the merit of why dogs are obsessed with chew toys. This is my human equivalent. The broth, a shoyu base, walks a delicate tightrope between salty and sweet, trending towards the latter – almost in the territory of the drippings from a pot roast. Hearing that there’s fat and offal in it might have you thinking it is going to be on the thicker or creamier side when in fact it’s the opposite. Overall, this is a light bone broth that unsurprisingly derives a lot of flavor from the fat and avoids crossing into “greasy territory.”
The dipping noodles, straight, elastic, and cold, were a nice contrast to the lava-hot broth, sporting just enough surface area to absorb and retain the beefy brew. I would typically transfer the entire bowl of noodles into the broth and let it marinate further, treating it more as a traditional ramen – this may be because of my ineptness in eating tsukemen (even after hundreds of bowls of it).
One thing that caught me off guard is that the several times I visited it was almost entirely empty. It’s located right in the hustle and bustle of Dotonbori, serves up one of the most flavorful broths of ramen, and is open late-night. However, this may just be due to the fact that it’s newer.
Don’t quote me on this but I think it is the Dotonbori branch of Hakuju Kitashinchi, so patrons may stick with the already-established store rather than making the trip south for a bowl of beef offal ramen.
Menya Megumi
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. The immediate area around Osaka Castle (including Tanimachi 4-chome) is a powerhouse for dining options. Menya Megumi is a six-seat (more or less) ramen shop just around the corner from Tanimachi 4-chome that goes from ‘Why is there nobody here?’ to ‘Where the hell did all these people come from?’ in mere minutes. And there’s a reason why it packs up quicker than this Big Body did after the first day at a mosquito-infested summer camp in the White Mountains.
This was one of the more interesting ramens I encountered on my not-so-heroic ramen quest across the Kansai region. This light, seafood, chicken, and pork broth-hybrid was compartmentalized in a way I hadn’t experienced – the top layer was almost an emulsified, slightly creamy white pork foam (I could be totally off here) that sat upon a saltier bed of seafood and chicken broth.
Because of this, several flavor profiles are at play here, depending on how the broth is spooned (big spoon for life).
The medium-thin straight noodles served as a distinct yet absorptive vehicle for this fragmented but oddly cohesive dish. Topped with a rare char siu, which I actually thought was chicken at first, and creamy egg, there is a delicate balance and deliberateness to this ramen that takes into account its contrasting flavor profiles and complex broth amalgam.
Kyushu Ramen Kio Dotombori
Kyushu Ramen was the last ramen I scarfed down the night before I flew back to Hong Kong. It was also number two on the list of a ramen bang-bang (back-to-back ramen spots in a single night) with Beef Ramen Hakuju 8910, so I was already riding high on beef hormones.
Kyushu Ramen Kio Dotombori is a popular Hakata-style ramen shop just to the West of the iconic Dotonbori Glico Running Man sign (and north of Namba Station). Hakata ramen is a subset of ‘tonkotsu’ ramen, originating in the ‘Hakata’ region of Fukuoka (in Kyushu). There’s a lot of sensibility in the naming of this style of ramen. Once again, tonkotsu is an umbrella term for any type of broth created by boiling pork bones for prolonged periods of time with countless regional variations and subsets.
Hakata-style ramen takes a distinctively richer, creamier, and thicker form that is typically more intense in flavor than traditional tonkotsu broths I’ve eaten (drank? slurped?).
One thing I’ve noticed about Hakata-style ramen in my travels is that this is a broth that is built for spice. While this doesn’t mean that it’s traditionally a spicy broth, I’ve just noticed that a majority of shops selling Hakata-style ramen typically offer extremely spicy variations. Kyushu Ramen Kio Dotombori had several spice levels to choose from. I selected the lowest (1) and even that had a kick to it that had me questioning if I was even capable of handling a 2.
You can go crazy with the char siu here, something unfortunately, I didn’t do to the degree I would have liked (since I came here right after Beef Hakuju 1810 in my ramen swan song bang-bang). However, this is tender pork with a nice little smoky ring for bark and I could easily see myself popping these like Flinstones vitamins the next time I visit. While the noodles are on the thinner side and sport far less surface area than some of the other shops on this list, it’s nearly impossible for them not to absorb this rich, spicy broth and pack a punch that would make Mike Tyson cower.
I’m not particularly a huge soft-boiled egg fan but these bad boys absorbed the spice and creaminess of the broth like you read about – so egg lovers rejoice.
A major point of note is that for such a popular shop, located right in the thick of it all, this is an extremely well-oiled machine of operation. Every staff member moves and acts with purpose. I think my ramen came within less than five minutes of ordering and I was in and out of the shop within 20 minutes.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: I considered naming this post ‘Ramen in the Kansai’ region as there are a handful of fantastic ramen joints that I posted up at during my three weeks in Kyoto. However, I decided to turn those into single-shop breakdowns and reviews. If you’re curious about the number one ramen I ate in all of Japan, make sure to check out my post breaking down ‘Taihou Ramen’ in Kyoto.
一夢庵麺（いちむあんめん）
Sometimes the best ramen spots come when you least expect it. And for me, this was after 15 beers with one of my top roll-dawgs at 2 AM in Shinsaibashi (less than five minutes away from Dotonbori’s Don Quixote branch). I was famished, slipping further and further into a drunken stupor that was sure to cripple me the next day. I needed sustenance. I needed life. I found it.
This is one thick pork bone miso broth. It’s like if Megan Thee Stallion and I morphed into a single, travel blogging, freestyle rapping entity – T-H-I-C-K. There is depth to this tonkotsu thanks to the miso-tonkotsu mixture – a creamy, porky base that is elevated with a salty-sweet miso paste. Even though it’s a thick tonkotsu broth, it is surprisingly clean, meaning you can finish the broth with ease and not hate yourself after.
The flat, thinner noodles almost remind me of an Italian tagliatelle, neutral in taste but somewhat firm and chewy, their slightly wider build capturing a glorious coating of tonkatsu, miso broth in every bite.
The bowl is topped with no shortage of accoutrements – pictured above sans soft-boiled egg and having already worked my way through the tender chunks of fatty pork. I do have to draw attention to the soft-boiled egg.
Of all the ramen joints on this list, this was top-dog. I still haven’t stumbled upon such a creamy egg that retained its structure, all while absorbing the pork bone broth and depth of flavors. Each bite into the egg was like discovering a little hidden lava pocket of flavor (I did wake up in the morning with a burnt mouth but I don’t regret a thing).
One thing to keep an eye on is it seems that online, people are mixing up this shop (一夢庵麺（いちむあんめん)) with the one right next door (純とんこつ濃厚ラーメン). I haven’t been to the latter, however, if you are in the neighborhood for late-night ramen/eats, I have no doubt you can’t go wrong with either.
Ramen Zundo-Ya Shinsaibashi
I know Ichiran is all the rage and I really can’t knock it (sorry I didn’t include it on the list but I just didn’t make my way down to it during my three months in Osaka). However, there are ramen shops serving tonkotsu ramen that I guarantee will put Ichiran to shame. Meet Ramen Zundo-Ya.
Before I dig into Ramen Zundo-Ya Shinsaibashi, I do have a confession. I actually went to the Kyoto shop and only passed by their Shinsaibashi branch. However, the fundamentals are the same. Look, call me a cheater. Call me a liar. Call me whatever you want. But don’t call me someone who doesn’t love great ramen and doesn’t want you to eat until you drop.
I was feeling a little bit spicy myself that night and opted for the ‘Original Spicy Ramen’ – a Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen with all the typical Kyushu fixings (multiple soft-boiled eggs, char siu, seaweed, and green onions). This one spicy mamacita and possibly the spiciest ramen that touched my lips this trip. It sure lives up to its name.
Note: Please see my Hakata-style primer above where I break down its defining features and what separates it from typical tonkotsu broths.
I always get a kick out of this photo because if you look at the left side, it almost looks like some sort of char siu mermaid or siren with its seaweed tail breaching the water to sing me enchanting sea shanties and lull me to sleep. That last part is true because I passed out like Snorlax after eating this.
While they are never typically at the heart of my favorite bowls of ramen, I do occasionally love the super thin, easily slurpable, shoelaces noodles (commonly used in Hakata-style ramen). The night I waltzed into Zundo-Ya, was one of those nights. I should preface that you can customize the broth richness and noodle thickness at Zundo-Ya so the thin noodles were chosen with the requisite mens rea.
The beauty of Zundo-Ya is that there are locations stretching from Fukuyama all the way up to Tokyo, so there’s a high likelihood that you’ll have a shop within arm’s reach when in Japan.
Ramen style Junk Story
Maybe it’s because of the eclectic, Basquiat-esque graffiti sign out front summoning you in but I can picture ‘Ramen style Junk Story’ somewhere in a hip neighborhood of Brooklyn – complete with a dedicated clientele of bearded hipsters in their finest flannels, beanies, and ill-fitting denim capris, and blue-haired, bull-ring nose barbed, pin-up-inspired dresses.
I did just describe my personal hell but don’t let this be a deterrent.
Ramen style Junk Story is your grandmother’s chicken noodle soup on steroids – junk style. But what exactly is junk style ramen? Inspired by the popular ramen chain ‘Junk Garage’, junk style ramen refers to a typically soupless noodle with a cornucopia of salty, fatty toppings However, Ramen style Junk Story offers up their own take on this: ramen style junk – a shio broth with all that junk (salty, fatty, chicken char siu chunks) inside that trunk.
This ‘Shio no kirameki’ (sparkling salt) ramen is light but well-balanced and boasts a hint of clam umami. Topped with generous pieces of white meat Jidori chicken (thigh) char siu and dried seaweed, both help draw out the essence of both sides of this hybrid broth. Paired with medium-thick, flat noodles which are actually quite delicate and you really do get glimpses of the chicken noodle soup you had growing up.
I’ve read a few comments that said something along the lines of “If you aren’t too hungry, get the ramen. If you’re hungry, get the tsukemen.” I’d agree with this sentiment as I found myself wanting more of this salty, chicken broth
Chuka-soba Fujii Namba
Located right in the heart of Dotonbori and a hot minute away from Hozenji Yokocho, Chuka-soba Fujii Namba is a popular shoyu ramen haunt serving up thin, Chinese-style noodles in a rich, salty chicken-based broth with ample toppings of char siu. Patrons can customize everything from the serving of green onions to the firmness of the noodles and back fat added (which adds a nice little sweetness to the already salty broth).
The dark soy sauce broth complements the thin noodles which were cooked to a perfect al-dente. I think due to the fact that shoyu broths do not coat the noodles they bathe there’s typically no hiding when it comes to determining the quality of either (the broth or the noodle). When it comes to noodle quality, this one doesn’t miss
The main distinguishing feature of this bowl of ramen is that it was one of the more pungent broths that I encountered in my travels (not a bad thing and something I’m actually a fan of), which may be attributed to the rendering of the back fat, so if you are in the mood for a balanced, lighter broth with less of a tang, this might not be up your alley.
I would be remiss not to mention that the fried rice is a must here – golden brown, crispy little grains of rice with sizable chunks of perfectly scrambled eggs. You’ll notice most diners here are double-fisting – ramen in one hand, fried rice in the other.
Men-ya Takei – Hankyu Umeda*
I don’t love showing favoritism to my ramen as I know it can be a very sensitive subject but I would be remiss not to mention that Men-ya Takei is a contender for my top four ramens (tsukemen) in all of Osaka. This was recommended to me by one of the sweetest, most helpful, front-desk staff at the hotel I stayed at (thank you Kana!) for a large bulk of my stay (you can probably guess which chain this was).
It also may be the toughest to navigate on the list due to its particular location in the Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station (aka “The Hank” – pronounced “The Honk”) – the most confusing metro station known to mankind. What’s actually kind of wild about getting to Men-ya Takei is that you have to buy a ticket (170 yen) to enter the station and reach it. I found out the hard way that swiping your ICOCA/PASMO/SUICA will only further complicate things as you won’t be able to exit from the same station (I mean, you can but not without the help of a ticket attendant).
Once you arrive, take a deep breath. It will be all worth it. I promise.
This Osaka offshoot of a well-known ramen restaurant in the Kyoto Prefecture serves up a pork bone and seafood tsukemen (dipping ramen) with the silkiest, smoothest, thickest noodles and count ‘em, three types of char siu (pork char siu, chicken, and boiled pork). These elastic noodles boast a mild to medium wheat fragrance and sport a nice little snap as you bite in. Due to their thickness, I would almost liken these to an udon rather than traditional ramen.
The accompanying rich, brown elixir [pictured below] serves as the ultimate basin for dipping these thick noodz in and is flavored with a kiss of yuzu, yielding a refreshing, slightly acidic bite and aftertaste. Toss in some menma (fermented bamboo) the size of tree bark and you have further tanginess with an introduction of earthiness.
It also comes with a flavored egg which adds an element of creaminess to an otherwise pungent (in the best way possible), salty, and acidic powerhouse.
This is a tsukemen lover’s nirvana, which if you make it there in one piece, you need your faith in humanity restored – mainly because the Hankyu Umeda station makes you feel as if you’re trapped in purgatory.
Finally, there’s typically a sizable line so you may feel the pressure like I did stepping up to the ramen vending machine to get your ticket. But don’t worry, there is usually a staff member there to help and there are pictures for each offering so you really aren’t going to stray too far from the task at hand.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: When researching ramen shops (and all other types of restaurants) in Japan, skip Google reviews and opt for Tabelog. This is the preferred review site for Japanese diners. You’ll note that the scores are generally far lower than you’d see on Google as the Japanese are a bit more practical and less forgiving with their ratings. From chatting with friends, anything over 3.5/5 on Tabelog is considered fantastic, while anything over 4 is extremely rare and you should prepare to make reservations ahead of time. However, do take these ratings with a grain of salt as I think of them like movies. For me, Joe Dirt is a 10/10 movie but has 9% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s all relative.
Shoyu-Ramen Sodaisho*
Shoyu-Ramen Sodaisho is located in what I consider the Golden Triangle of food in Osaka. This stretches from Nazakazicho Station to Temma Station, all the way down to Minamimorimachi. I had several friends visit during my time in Osaka and every single time, this was the shop I’d bring them to. For an authentically local experience, a bit removed from the typical Dotonbori grind and pomp and circumstance, Shoyu-Ramen Sodaisho is a must on this list (and it’s one of my top four ramens).
Shoyu-Ramen Sodaisho sets the bar for what a fantastic shoyu ramen should be. After all, it’s in the name.
The first time I came here was actually after a glorious run down (actually to the North) on the Yodo River. I showed up post-7km run, still drenched in sweat, stinking like the cow farm I grew up right down the street from, and plagued by an insatiable hunger. This is one of the first times in my eating experience that I was happy there was a line outside as it gave me about 15 minutes to cool off and spare my ramen neighbors at the countertop from having to hose me down with Febreze or light a match.
This salty, shoyu ramen has depth out the wazoo. The soy sauce they use is from ‘Yuasa’, a historic port town just to the south of Osaka in the Wakayama prefecture, and it has no chemical additives. What really stood out to me is the yuzu tang hit that you get with each spoonful. It’s not overpowering but sure does let you know it’s there and provides a nice counterbalance to the salty, rich (and clean) broth.
The noodles, medium-thick, are my ideal texture – al dente – standing alone as their own distinct entity that would thrive even without the delicious broth (that’s how you know they are damn good). The slightly chewy pieces of char siu break down nicely and become infused with the broth, providing little hits of garlic as you work your way through.
Although the above gyoza look slightly charred, they render a satisfying crunch to complement the soft, slightly sweet pork interior. These are too easy to eat.
I should also mention that the fried rice here is a must-order. I didn’t realize it at the time so I didn’t take a picture but Sodaisho is renowned for their soy sauce-seasoned special fried rice. It’s surprisingly light for the amount of sodium and fat that it is cooked with and you’re sure to catch at least 80% of the shop eating one of these in tandem with their ramen.
Sodaisho also does serve up a mean tsukemen. My only comment is that the original shoyu ramen flavor is so complex and deep that I actually found the salty, yuzu broth to be more pungent than the tsukemen’s (which is usually the opposite). You can’t go wrong with either. However, if you have one shot and one shot only at Sodaisho, you know the answer – it’s the ramen.
P.S. Check out the glass bottles of Coca-Cola that they have. Boy, are those sexy. As a man who made the full switch over to Coke Zero, I couldn’t resist and found myself slugging one or two of these nostalgic classics.
Ramen Ippachi
Although I was primarily stationed next to Osaka Castle for the bulk of my time in Japan, I did mix in several one-week stints down in Namba. I’m glad I did as I was too content in my little bubble due to the neverending food options.
Located less than a two-minute walk to the south of the bustling Kuromon Ichiba Market and a five-minute walk from Nipponbashi Denden Town (an essential for all video game, anime, and manga die-hards out there), Ramen Ippachi is a popular late-night tonkotsu shop serving up rich, thick, seafood-infused (and chicken bones as well, I think) bowls of ramen.
For those looking to get their salt fix, the rendered down pork bone broth accomplishes this, and then some, coating the medium-thick, firm noodles (egg noodles I think), and tender char siu with a warming embrace. Due to its relatively high viscosity, I would almost equate this broth to a light gravy, which is no surprise considering the prolonged, high-heat transformation of pork bones into gelatin.
The two eggs add to the already creamy and rich texture, serving as first and second chair to a stacked ensemble of ramen classics.
This shop is just a single counter with no more than 10 seats. The several times I ate here it was just one lone intrepid cook conducting a ramen symphony, elegantly navigating his podium and emphatically waving his baton (ladle) to prepare me and my colleagues for the finale in his ramen sonata.
If you are reading this and it’s the winter in Osaka – this is your saving grace and sustenance.
Kuriyan
Kuriyan is a popular tonkotsu sesame ramen located smack dab in the middle of my gastronomic hot zone – Nakazakicho. I don’t want to neglect the ramen at Kuriyan but I wouldn’t be fully honest if I didn’t reveal that the real star of the show here are their creative, filling, rice bowls (donburi).
People come from far and wide just for these, their most popular being the Popeye Don – a spinach-packed rice bowl topped with minced meat, inspired by that roided-out cartoon sailor. In the 30 minutes I was here, I personally witnessed staff take at least 20 takeaway orders for the Popeye Don. Or, that’s at least what I’m guessing since I heard one staff member answer the phone and then repeatedly call out ‘Popeye!’ upwards of 20 times.
But first, let’s start with the ramen.
This was the first stop on another one of my infamous ramen bang-bangs (just before Hi,Ki – the shop immediately following), so I opted for a small bowl. I also knew that an oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) was a must so I strategized accordingly. It’s a light, milky pork bone broth that has a slightly aromatic backdrop and nuttiness from the sesame seeds.
The noodles are medium-thin and chewy, which retain a defined texture amongst the creamy, smooth backdrop. I actually opted for sans-protein as I knew I was getting my daily intake and then some (not actually) from the accompanying rice bowl.
I know I brought up the Popeye Don just a moment ago but as you’ll see it has a dollop of mayonnaise on top. And I think by now, even people who haven’t read this blog know just how much I loathe it, so I won’t launch into another tirade against the church of Mayo.
This miso broth oyakodon (an incredible word that is somewhat sadistic as it literally translates to ‘parent-child’) is everything that is right in the world. The eggs, silky and formed into perfectly sized, manageable curds, are interwoven with the sticky, neutral rice that knows its place in this dish.
The miso broth and glaze coats the already caramelized chicken, drawing out its sweetness that extra bit, yielding a comforting and savory finish that will have you wishing you ordered the large (if you already didn’t). This oyakodon stands the test of time for me – ‘nuff said.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: One thing that I had no idea about until I came to Japan is that ramen shops are notorious for making fantastic rice bowls. This makes sense considering they typically have vats of stock/broth and other ingredients lying around, so why not put those to use? At whatever ramen shop you show up to in Japan, keep an eye out on the menu/vending machine or simply ask. It might be the best rice bowl you eat all trip. For me, it was (other than one incredible oyakodon in the corner of a shopping mall basement in Hiroshima).
Hi,Ki（ハイキ） 鯛そば/麺と酒
Hi-Ki was part two of my Nakazakicho ramen bang-bang. I’m glad to say that I didn’t completely stuff myself at Kuriyan (although, I tried with that oyakodon) so I still had some room left for Hi-Ki’s fish and miso broth ramen. This creamy, sea bream broth was briny and full-bodied (yet, not overpowering, heavy, or fishy). Upon the first sip, you definitely know that more than a handful of valiant Nemo’s went out honorably in their lead-up to this seafood delight.
If we are talking about one of the bolder flavors on this list, this is it. With such a concentrated broth, you sometimes worry that the noodles might just meld into one amorphous blob of flavor singularity. Not at Hi-Ki.
The bowl is topped with thinly sliced rare char siu (reminiscent of a slightly bloody roast beef) which adds some mouthful to an already creamy dish. The egg was actually less runny than other shops which also provided some additional texture and didn’t lead to a full merger with the broth.
One thing that I actually found to be the perfect yin to the fish and miso’s creamy, rich yang was the thin slices of sharp and pungent raw onion. A lemon slice also sat adjacent to the bowl. These both cut through the richness with ease and added a slight acidity, which somewhat reminded me of what “the yuzu” does for shoyu.
If I hadn’t devoured that mammoth oyakodon at Kuriyan I would have definitely opted for Hi-Ki’s ramen and sashimi set (which economically seemed like the play here).
Strike Ken*
Maybe it was the baseball decor, maybe it was the old-school 1980s video-game machine-looking ordering system, maybe it was that it was my first ramen of a nightly ramen bang-bang (one of many), or maybe it was the Oakland Raider design ‘Strike Ken’ t-shirts pushing the limits of WIPO’s reach (World Intellectual Property Organization) donned by staff, but Strike Ken hit a grand slam (had to use a baseball cliche here).
It easily clocks in as a top-four ramen for me in Osaka.
This long-running, baseball-themed shoyu and chicken clam-based ramen shop in Temma (I told you Temma is a culinary heavyweight) is beloved by locals and I now know why.
I was a little disoriented after a long day of work so I somehow thought I fumbled the ball (hut hut) by ordering the more classic shoyu ramen. I was beating myself up at first since they are well-known for their chicken and clam-based broth. But upon seeing this monstrosity (a good monstrosity like Sloth from The Goonies), I called out ‘Hey, you guys!” and knew I was in for a treasure more legendary than One-Eyed Willy’s.
Name every ramen topping that you love. Great. Now look at your bowl. It’s there. From fat chunks of char siu with a fatty outer layer to salty dried seaweed sheets and several soft-boiled eggs, this is the Yoshinobu Yamamoto (ace pitcher of the Orix Buffaloes) of shoyu ramen.
There were even two sizable wontons at the bottom which was the equivalent of a 3-2 change-up with the bases loaded (and me at the plate) – I just didn’t see it coming at all.
The homemade noodles, medium-thick, straight, springy, and glossy, generated a satisfying slurp that I don’t think I’d ever get tired of. The broth is light, salty (it is shoyu after all), and refreshing – how a soy sauce ramen should be. There was a hint of sweetness that seeped in, which I imagine was from the fatty thick slices of char siu and wontons.
やまなか製麺所 Yamanakaseimenjo
As mentioned above, Yamanakaseimenjo was one of my two hometown ramens so I found myself here almost weekly after late-night work calls.
This is a milky yet delicate chicken white soup and pork bone ramen that is far lighter than the other tonkotsu ramens on this list. Unlike tonkatsu, this is not overly rich or heavy in taste, which is surprising considering it uses Kagoshima pork (a high-quality pig from Kagoshima, Japan with high levels of intramuscular fat).
The Nagoya Cochin chicken, Tokushima Awa chicken, and Kagoshima pork are rendered down into a light, drinkable foam (espuma) – almost ½ parts foam and ½ parts broth. The thin, long chewy noodles and their firmness can be customized to your liking, which is a plus for the true ramen legends out there.
Unfortunately in the pictures for this ramen, I only had exact change on me that night so couldn’t afford to add char siu. I would emphasize however that the smoky char siu does change the flavor profile of this ramen quite drastically. Yamanakaseimenjo’s slow simmered char siu definitely adds variety and a bit of a heavier layer with its smokiness and fattiness, which if you want to truly taste the delicate pork and chicken espuma (foam), I would recommend opting for it sans-char siu.
To kick things up a notch, I always tossed on a little bit of pepper about halfway through, which added a nice sharp, pungent aroma to an otherwise silky, milky, and smooth broth.
I’ve included a picture of their steamed shrimp gyoza as these were some of my favorite gyoza I encountered in my three belt-breaking months of eating in Japan. The exterior is almost a glassy, not-overly thick, delicate (similar to the ramen) casing that slides right down your throat. The shrimp inside is not overly salty in taste, instead slightly sweeter, yielding a nice little snap as you bite in.
The Ramen War
Normally, I don’t love waiting in line for food – especially in a city like Osaka where you can literally walk to the next shop over and have possibly one of the best gastronomic experiences of your life. So, when I showed up to ‘The Ramen War’ after a long day of having ‘The Man’ stick it to me, I was less than enthused when I found myself to be number 8 in the queue.
I’m glad I waited.
The Ramen War is actually a chain of ramen joints spread across Japan (I’ve encountered them in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo (Shinjuku) that is easily recognizable by its white lettering over a golden backdrop. Boasting ramens all with various regal and memorable titles such as ‘Pistol’, ‘Rusty Blade’, ‘Peace’, and ‘Freedom’, you’ll find yourself choosing between a traditional shoyu-based ramen or shoyu-seafood broth combo (seafood fingerling or sardine).
As the shoyu-sardine base had sold out for the day, I opted for their shoyu-seafood ‘Peace’ concoction, consisting of soy sauce, Nagoya cochin (a famous domestic chicken), and dried bonito flakes. This is a salty, sour punch (on par with the intensity of some tsukemen broths, in my humble opinion) that seeps into the thinly sliced, char siu sunflower coating all 360 degrees of the bowl.
The noodles are not overly elastic or springy and are on the thinner side, which makes this an easily scarf-able bowl of ramen that warrants hitting the staff with a “kaedama” halfway through. “Kaedama” means ‘extra noodles’ that are free of charge, which is a popular practice at a high percentage of ramen shops in Japan (usually one noodle refill).
While The Ramen War may look slightly upscale from the outside, it’s extremely accessible price point-wise and is on par with what other popular ramen joints charge. Of note, The Ramen War’s karaage was also exceptional and a contender for one of my top fried chickens (other than Family Mart’s Fami-Chiki, of course) in Japan.
Satsumakko-ramen Higashitemma sohonten
Located just North of Temmabashi Station and right below what I consider Osaka’s ‘Food Mecca’ (Temma), I have a sneaking suspicion that Satsumakko is a hugely slept-on ramen in Osaka by foreigners due to its geographical positioning and unassuming exterior (I didn’t even realize it was a ramen joint the first several times I passed by).
It’s a no-nonsense late-night ramen shop (open 24/7) for garlic (and tonkotsu) lovers. This is its bread and garlicky butter. Don’t stray from it. The milky, tonkotsu broth is not particularly thick (which caught me by surprise) and mingles nicely with the thin, curly, yellow egg noodles. There is a separation of Garlic Church (broth) and State (noodles) here. Keep in mind that you can order the dish “with” or “without garlic” – this simply means that the already garlicky, milky tonkotsu broth will have a pot of raw garlic gold at the bottom.
Now do you see what I mean about it being a garlic Dino Megazord (shout out to the Power Rangers and Ivan Ooze)?
The char siu actually reminded me more of a Cantonese-style char siu with a slightly caramelized hoisin bark on the exterior, which was a nice change-up to some of the ‘rarer/undercooked’ char siu commonly perched atop.
After my first trip, I texted my father a picture of this silky white, garlicky behemoth, letting him know that I found his Nirvana. This garlic tonkotsu broth is not only going to ensure Nosferatu skips your home in his pursuit of a tasty midnight snack but that your significant other steers clear of your breath for days. However, this is one satisfying bowl of ramen (especially after 12 Suntory Premium drafts).
A final point of note, Satsumakko gave me flashbacks to old-school diners in the U.S. that my parents would take me to on Sundays for breakfast, which was comforting and made it a popular late-night refuge for this Big Body.
Dotombori Kamukura Lucua Osaka
If you read my post answering an important question, ‘Is Gyukatsu Motomura Worth It?’ then you know just how defeated I was after rushing over to this gyukatsu hotspot in Osaka’s Lucua building and being turned away. I needed redemption. And redemption I found. Deep in a mammoth, cabbage-packed bowl of happiness at Dotombori Kamukura LUCUA Osaka (to be referred to as ‘Kamukura’ from here on out).
I’ve never actually eaten ‘Chanko Nabe’ but I can’t help but think of this popular sumo wrestler cabbage hotpot when I see this mammoth bowl juiced to the gills with cabbage. The vegetable broth that is the heart and soul of this ramen was curated by a ‘soup sommelier’ (and founder of Kamukura) – a French cuisine chef wanting to create something that customers could eat every single day.
There’s a delicate balance to this broth. It’s neither salty nor sweet and relatively mild. I’d almost equate this more to a ‘pho’ broth with the lightness and balance at play. The sweetness does come from the boiled cabbage (which isn’t soggy and yields a palpable crunch). However, this is brought back to baseline by the healthy servings of thin, slightly fatty and salty char siu that coats the top of the bowl.
This is my top ramen spot IF I’m in the mood for an absolute feast due to their hearty, no-nonse sides (pictured below). Nothing is more satisfying than breaking that egg over the rice and minced pork, knowing that you’re seconds away from salty, rich, seaweed-y heaven.
The gyoza is savory and juicy, with a thin crispy encasing that generates a faint crunch upon biting in. I could eat these all day.
Fun fact: I missed the ‘May Tournament’ (sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo) by mixing up the days I booked tickets before and strolled up to the stadium only to find out my ticket was for the previous day.
Stop Reading & Go Eat Some Ramen
“Most days of the year are entirely unremarkable. They begin and they end without creating a single lasting memory. Most days have no real impact on the course of a life. Unless it’s a ramen day.” – 500 Days of Summer
I miss Osaka and Japan. I miss living there. I can’t wait to get back and am already planning to be back there for anywhere from three to six months in 2024. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so comfortable in a city. And I think it was primarily attributed to the endless dining options. Every night brought about some sort of culinary adventure and awakening.
If you have any favorite ramen spots in Osaka that you think I missed or would like to see me write about in the future, definitely let me know in the comments or via email! I’m sure some spots on the above list may fade into obscurity or close their doors in the coming years (not to be pessimistic, it just is what it is with these long listicle-esque pieces consisting of numerous spots) and new shops will pop up.
As mentioned above, I hope to keep adding to this post every single time I’m in Osaka, so please let me know if any of these places have moved, closed their doors, or expanded their menus, as this will help me maintain the integrity and freshness of the piece.
Eat well everyone,
Big Body
Big Body is a voracious lov…eater, a cowardly fighter, and a self-proclaimed curry goat BBQ-eating champion (don’t forget the donkey milk) who likes Stoicism, baseball, and writing in the third person. Having worked for himself for the last 7 years, he isn’t particularly successful but he does still drink ice-cold Sapporo draft beers with the best of them and knows his way around a Dai Pai Dong or two. He is based in Hong Kong but you can still find him in Saigon, Osaka, and Vienna for extended periods.