An old-school ramen shop located just a few steps off Suzuran Street. It was originally founded in 1966 and moved to its current location in 2019. The sign that reads “Ramen ¥500” is hard to miss. It’s always busy, but the turnover is quick, so your turn comes soon once you get in line.
Since eating too much at lunch always makes me sleepy in the afternoon, I’ve been keeping my portions small lately. But this day was an exception. After all, this shop is said to be one of the “Four Kings” — or “Big Three,” depending on who you ask — of Han-Chan Ramen in Jimbocho. So I didn’t hesitate to order the classic Han-Chan Ramen set.
The ramen itself is very simple—more like what you’d call chūka soba (old-style Chinese noodles) than modern ramen. The fried rice looks light at first glance, but once you taste it, you notice it’s seasoned just right, with each grain nicely separated. It’s not the kind of dish that makes you go “Wow, amazing!”—but it has that nostalgic, comforting flavor that warms your heart.