Tokushima ramen is addictive with its rich flavor. It has become known nationwide and is loved by many people. Even though it is Tokushima ramen, the taste varies depending on the region and store.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of Tokushima ramen.

Characteristics of Tokushima Ramen

Tokushima ramen is mainly made with pork bones and chicken bones. Most restaurants combine pork bones and chicken bones to make the broth. Each restaurant has their own variations, such as adding seafood such as kelp or bonito flakes, or using aromatic vegetables and spices as secret flavors.

Although it varies depending on the restaurant, Tokushima ramen soup can be broadly divided into three types: white, yellow, and brown. The short, straight, medium-thin noodles mix well with the soup. The toppings are also unique.

Three types of soup

The "Shiro" type, which is common in the Komatsushima region, has a light taste with a cloudy pork bone soup seasoned with light soy sauce or white soy sauce. It is a pork bone soup with a unique flavor that is different from both Kyushu and Kanto.

The "yellow" variety, common in the Naruto region, has a mild flavor made with chicken bones, vegetables, and light soy sauce. It is a clear Chinese noodle dish commonly found nationwide, in the style of Chinese restaurants.

"Brown" ramen, which is becoming mainstream in Tokushima, has a punchy taste with a milky pork bone soup seasoned with dark soy sauce and tamari soy sauce. It is a distinctive ramen not often seen in other regions, and is often topped with a raw egg. It is called "sukiyaki ramen" and is a popular local B-class gourmet dish.

Topped with sweet and spicy pork belly

The most common meat topping for ramen is char siu, but Tokushima ramen uses pork belly seasoned with a sweet and spicy flavor made from soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake.

Each restaurant has its own unique style, with different seasonings, pork belly texture, amount of fat, and cut size. Sometimes beef or roast pork is used as a topping instead of pork belly.

Another fascinating thing about it is that as time passes, the meat juices and fat blend into the hot soup, changing the flavor. You can enjoy the change in flavor as the soup goes from light to rich.

Enjoy with rice and raw eggs

In Tokushima, it is common to order rice when ordering ramen. The portion is smaller than ramen in other prefectures, probably because ramen is eaten as a side dish. However, in addition to pork belly, it is topped with green onions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and other ingredients, so it is very satisfying.

The sweet and spicy pork belly goes perfectly with the rice, making you want to keep eating. Another unique feature is that you can order a raw egg with it. Raw eggs can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as on top of the ramen, poured over rice, or mixed with the meat.

The history of Tokushima ramen

It is said that Tokushima ramen started in a food stall in Komatsushima City around 1949 after the war. At the time, passenger ships were used to travel to and from the Kansai region from Komatsushima Port, about 20 minutes by train from Tokushima City. In Komatsushima, where there is a lot of traffic, a man named Niki Hiroshi started a food stall. The person who ran the stall with him at that time was the first owner of "Kasai," a well-known long-established restaurant in Komatsushima.

At the time, the cloudy white tonkotsu soup "Shiro" was made, almost the same as today's. It was said to have been richer than the soup of today, probably because it was slowly cooked over charcoal briquettes. Many people were influenced by the taste, and the number of food stalls increased. With the high number of people coming and going, it gradually spread throughout Tokushima city.

However, it is also said that the first ramen in Tokushima City was yellow. Before the yellow color became established, the white color spread from Komatsushima and became the standard color. The brown color that is now mainstream is said to have been born around the end of the 1950s. Recently, Tokushima ramen has been adapted in various ways, and it is constantly evolving.

By the way, the reason why tonkotsu ramen became popular in Tokushima is because Tokushima Ham (now Nippon Ham) had a factory there and they could obtain pork bones cheaply in large quantities.

What made Tokushima ramen known nationwide was the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. In 1999, the Chinese noodle shop "Inotani" opened a limited time stall at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, and Tokushima ramen gained attention. However, the locals still commonly call it "Chuka soba" or "Shina soba".

Tokushima Tourism Information

Tokushima prefecture is divided into three areas. The "East" is where you'll find Naruto City and Tokushima City. The "South" is on the Pacific Ocean and has a beautiful coastline. The "West" is where you'll find large valleys and mountains. We'll introduce you to the must-see sightseeing spots in each area.

In the eastern part of the prefecture, popular tourist spots include the Naruto Whirlpools, one of the world's three largest tides, and the Otsuka Museum of Art, which displays life-size reproductions of approximately 1,000 famous paintings from around the world.

In the south, there are tourist spots where you can enjoy the charm of the sea, such as Cape Kamoda, where you can see the vast ocean, and Ohama Beach, a spawning ground for sea turtles that has been designated a national natural monument. Many people also enjoy marine sports such as sea kayaking and scuba diving.

In the west, you'll find Oboke and Koboke, one of Japan's three most violent rivers. It's a beautiful valley created by the Yoshino River over the course of 200 million years. There are also scenic spots where you can enjoy nature, such as the Iya Kazurabashi Bridge, designated as an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and Mount Tsurugi, which stands at 1,955 meters above sea level.

How to get to Tokushima

There are various ways to access Tokushima, including plane, express bus, JR, and ferry.

Direct flights are available from Haneda Airport and Fukuoka Airport, and take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to Tokushima Awaodori Airport. From the airport, it takes about 30 minutes by bus to Tokushima Station.

It takes about three hours to get there by express bus from Kansai areas such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. Ferries to Tokushima Port are also available from Tokyo, Kitakyushu, and Wakayama.

Location of Tokushima Prefecture

summary

Tokushima ramen comes with three different types of soup. If you want to enjoy it the Tokushima way, order it with rice and a raw egg. We recommend putting the sweet and spicy stewed pork belly on top of the rice or mixing it with the egg.

If you visit Tokushima Prefecture, be sure to try Tokushima ramen.

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