Tiny things in Japan – Learning a very local life of Japanese

Photo by rail02000

It’s Ramen time! As you may already know Japanese people love ramen so much! and I know you love it too! This time, I’m going to introduce a ramen shop which spread the name of Nagahama ramen of Fukuoka nationwide.

When it comes to Tonkotsu ramen, it is Fukuoka, and Ganso Nagahamaya （元祖長浜屋） always comes to mind of locals when we talk about Tonkotsu ramen in Fukuoka. It’s not too much to say that this ramen shop made a history of Nagahama ramen in Fukuoka.

Wait a minute, what is this “Tonkotsu Ramen” anyway?

Basically, ramen in Japan are categorized by its flavored soup and there are four types of ramen: Tonkotsu, Miso, Shoyu, and Shio. Tonkotsu soup is the pork bones soup that is cooked overnight until it becomes white. Miso used fermented soybean paste, base of Shoyu soup is soy sauce taste, and Shio is salt flavored. Fukuoka is famous for its Hakata ramen and Nagahama ramen, and these ramen refers to this Tonkotsu ramen. (There are various theories on the origin of ramen, but please let me skip the details here.)

Visited “Ganso Nagahamaya (元祖長浜屋)”

There are some ramen shops claiming the name of Nagahama ramen around this Nagahama area, a district in Fukuoka. However, Ganso Nagahamaya (元祖長浜屋) is the only one that opened after the Pacific War. This historic ramen shop has continued even up to now, while experiencing the temporary closing and relocation.

Ganso Nagahamaya originally opened for the workers of the fish market in Nagahama Fukuoka. It became a very popular ramen shop as the shop to support the stomach of citizens of Fukuoka now.

The photo below is a meal ticket vending machine. We need to buy a ramen ticket before we go inside. The button of 「ラーメン」 is ramen. 「替玉」 means refill noodles. You can get another noodle and put it into your empty bowl. So make sure you keep your soup left in it. It is said that this Refill-noodle-system in Japan was born by this shop.  

「替肉」 can get another dish of barbecued pork. 「焼酎」 is distilled spirits, 「酒」 is sake, Japanese rice wine, 「ビール」 is beer. That’s all for the menu in this shop. Isn’t it unique that this ramen shop has only a menu of ramen except those drinks.

Inside of the shop. It is crowded at the time of meal. You will be asked how many people you are with and also the texture of noodles of your ramen when you get inside the shop.

Firmness of the noodles can be chosen from 「Nama (extra firm)」, 「Kata (firm)」, 「Futsu (medium)」, 「Yawa (soft). These special words are only used in this shop.  I don’t know well, but it seems you can choose the amount of green onion and oil as well. But don’t worry too much. You will have a basic taste of ramen when you didn’t specify those.

Here it comes! I ordered regular taste of ramen. It contains green onions and barbecued pork. Looks delicious!

It looks like oily, but the taste is light and also rich. 

There is a kettle some tea in it for self-service. When I come next time, I would like to challenge 「替玉」 (refill noodles) and 「替肉」 (refill pork). Gochisosama-deshita! (Thank you for the meal).  

Ganso-Nagahamaya information
Opening hours: 6:00 to 16:00
Closed: New Year holidays only.
Address: Fukuoka Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Nagahama 2-5-38 Trust Park Nagahama 1
Access:
By Subway Airport Line (地下鉄空港線): Walk 10 min from No.1 exit of “Akasaka station”.
By Nishitetsu Bus (西鉄バス) from Tenjin Area (天神): Use bus No. 61, 68 and get off at Minato-1-chome (港１丁目) bus stop. Then walk about 1 min.
Web site: http://www.ganso-nagahamaya.co.jp/index.html