Nagahama Ramen

When Celia and I attended school together in Kyoto (94/95), there was always an ongoing search amongst our friends to find the yet-undiscovered dining gem. As we were all on fixed incomes, value for the yen was a prerequisite.

I don’t recall who it was that found Nagahama Ramen (off Sanjobashi dori, near Ponto-cho), but to whomever it was, I am still grateful.

Nagahama serves variations of “tonkotsu,” ramen (aka Kyushu style ramen). This is noodles served in a thick, off-white broth patiently prepared from the endless boiling of pork bones/joints. To anyone who has been fortunate to have had it – prepared correctly – it is an unrivaled form of ambrosia, and no one does it better than Nagahama.

Despite living in New Jersey, I do travel to Japan yearly to visit my wife’s family and, despite the hour-or-so commute, I rarely neglect my yearly pilgrimage to my favorite temple of the Pork God.

When I first visited Nagahama, some 15 years ago, it was already one of the filthiest places I’d ever eaten in and I was surprised to see that, on a street that was populated by nothing but Ramen shops (all others spotlessly clean), Nagahama was the only one packed with customers. This was true at 4:00pm, or 3:00am. In addition, as you approached the shop, you could not help but notice a strange flatulent-like smell that grew stronger as you got closer (a by-product of the soup preparation). However, non of these things seemed to have hurt business; I have taken friends, family and even business associates to this culinary gem and it has never disappointed – once exposed, all were hooked. Now, after all these years, I am happy to report that it is unchanged and, even though they are the only remaining ramen shop on the block, business is as strong as always. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.