Susaki Nabeyaki Ramen, said to be the hottest in Japan, is a local B-class gourmet dish in Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture. This nostalgic Japanese-style ramen continues to be loved by locals.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of Susaki Nabeyaki Ramen.

Characteristics of Susaki Nabeyaki Ramen

The soup for Nabeyaki Ramen is made with chicken bones and soy sauce, and is relatively light in flavor. It uses chewy thin noodles, and the ingredients are very simple: chicken meat, green onions, raw eggs, and chikuwa (fish cake).

By the way, "sumaki" is a type of kamaboko (fish cake) made by steaming fresh fish caught at the fishing port into paste.

The most distinctive feature of this ramen is the clay pot. You can enjoy the hot soup until the very end. The garnish for this ramen is pickled takuan (aged pickled vegetables). The slightly sour pickles reset your mouth.

In 2002, the "Nabeyaki Ramen Project X" was launched in Susaki City with the aim of spreading nabeyaki ramen nationwide. Based on the characteristics of the original, "seven definitions" were established, and only ramen that meets these conditions is recognized as nabeyaki ramen.

1. The soup is made from chicken bones and soy sauce.
2. The noodles are thin and straight, and served a little firm.
3. The ingredients are chicken meat, green onions, raw eggs, chikuwa (fish cake), etc.
4. The pot must be a clay pot (enameled or iron pot).
5. The soup is served boiling.
6. Pickled takuan (old pickled takuan is best) is provided.
7. Putting the "spirit of hospitality" into everything

Incidentally, the manga artist Takashi Yanase, the creator of Anpanman, supported the purpose of the project and created the character "Nabe-raman" and his friend the Japanese river otter "Cow-chan."

The History of Susaki Nabeyaki Ramen

The restaurant where Nabeyaki Ramen originated was "Taniguchi Shokudo", which operated in the back alleys of Susaki after the war. At the time, it was called Nabeyaki Chuka Soba. Since it was a time of food shortage, it was created using ingredients that were easily available nearby, such as chicken meat, green onions, raw eggs, and chikuwa (chikuwa rolls).
The reason they started using adult chickens is because there was a chicken shop next to Taniguchi Shokudo that would give them to them for free.

Nabeyaki ramen was invented to keep food warm.
When delivering food, if we use regular bowls the food gets cold, so we started delivering it in enamel pots which have excellent heat retention.

Nabeyaki ramen was born from the desire to serve customers while they can still enjoy the flavor. The noodles are boiled firm so that they are just the right texture when it is time to eat.

They used to serve it in enamel pots, but gradually they changed to clay pots. The first restaurant to use clay pots was "Mitsuda Shokudo" located near Taniguchi Shokudo. "Mizuno Shokudo" followed, and they were active as the long-established big three of Susaki Nabeyaki Ramen.

The restaurant closed when the owner of Taniguchi Shokudo passed away, but it has been passed down by enthusiastic fans who say, "I can't forget that taste." Following in the footsteps of Taniguchi Shokudo, it is now served in clay pot style at various restaurants.

It is loved widely, regardless of place or time, not only in cafeterias and specialty shops, but also in okonomiyaki restaurants, yakiniku restaurants, izakayas, and more.

How to enjoy Susaki Nabeyaki Ramen

The taste of Nabeyaki Ramen changes greatly depending on how you eat it. It is also popular to add pepper or chili pepper to Nabeyaki Ramen, or to add rice to the leftover soup to make porridge. The taste also changes depending on how you eat the egg.

Crushed Eggs

The most common way to eat ramen is to break the egg. When you open the lid, you break the egg and mix it with the noodles and other ingredients. This makes the soup more mellow.

Egg scum

After opening the lid, carefully remove the noodles and let the egg sink to the bottom of the pot without damaging it. This method is recommended for those who want to enjoy the original flavor of the soup, as it does not break the egg. Save the fun for later and eat the soft-boiled egg at the end.

Sukiyaki fan

If you want to eat it sukiyaki style, ask for a small plate when your Nabeyaki Ramen arrives. Scoop up the egg with a spoon and transfer it to the small plate.

After that, you eat it by mixing the noodles with the egg, like sukiyaki. This is a recommended way to eat for people with sensitive tongues. Some people eat it with the lid of the clay pot instead of ordering a small plate.

The charm of Susaki, the "town of nabeyaki ramen"

Susaki City is located almost in the center of Kochi Prefecture. To the south is the Pacific Ocean, to the north is a mountain called Bandagamori, and the clear Shinjo River that runs through the city is the last place in Japan where the Japanese river otter was spotted.

By the way, the mascot character is "Shinjo-kun", a Japanese river otter and nabeyaki ramen motif. He won the mascot grand prix in 2016.

Susaki City is a land rich in nature, surrounded by the sea, mountains, and rivers.
The air and water are clean and delicious, and you can enjoy hiking and marine sports. Susaki City also has a fishing port, so you can enjoy fresh seafood such as bonito and moray eel. The vegetables on display at the morning market are also delicious.

There is a lot to enjoy in Susaki city.
Other popular tourist spots include Narunashi Shrine, one of Japan's most famous shrines for matchmaking, and the scenic driving course, Yokonami Kuroshio Line.

How to get to Susaki City

There are various ways to access Susaki City.
Most people travel by JR or airplane.

Here is the travel time required to get to Susaki from each area. Travel time varies depending on the season and weather.

[Access by JR (Limited Express)]

About 3 hours 30 minutes from Okayama Station About 40 hours from Kochi Station

[Access by plane]
About 1 hour 30 minutes from Haneda Airport About 1 hour from Chubu Centrair Airport About 50 minutes from Itami Airport About 1 hour from Fukuoka Airport About 3 hours 30 minutes from Okinawa Airport About 1 hour 30 minutes by car from Kochi Ryoma Airport to Susaki City

[Access by car (expressway)]
About 4 hours from Hiroshima About 2 hours 20 minutes from Okayama About 2 hours 30 minutes from Tokushima About 4 hours from Kobe About 5 hours from Osaka

Location of Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture

summary

This piping hot nabeyaki ramen is made with hospitality in mind. The flavor changes depending on how you eat it, so you can enjoy it over and over again.

If you visit Susaki city in Kochi prefecture, be sure to try the nabeyaki ramen.

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