Ramen GENKOTSU: A traditional tonkotsu ramen from a female owner who continues to evolve while preserving the traditional taste
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Ramen GENKOTSU was opened in November 2023 by a female owner who had seven years of experience at Ichibanboshi, a ramen shop that follows the tradition of Saga's famous Ikkyuken , in order to create a ramen shop that is easy for women to enter alone. This is a classic tonkotsu ramen that has evolved...
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Table of Contents
- What is "Ramen GENKOTSU"?
- A wild ramen that evolved from the taste acquired through training
- When in doubt, try this! "Egg Ramen " from Saga
- Simple is best. The menu is sure to whet your appetite!
- Ordering Method and Manners
- A word from the owner, Masako Koga
- Currently open as Dainimen at JINRUIMINAMENRUI in Osaka!
What is "Ramen GENKOTSU"?
This ramen shop opened in November 2023 and is run by female owner Masako Koga. Despite being a new restaurant run by a woman, she pursued traditional Saga ramen and was born after seven years of training at "Ichibanboshi" in the same town. The owner, who trained there, is originally from "Ramen Motomura ," so she serves ramen that inherits the traditional taste of " Ikkyuken ," known as the founder of Saga ramen. However, I think it is no exaggeration to say that the ramen, which is being evolved daily from a female perspective using unique techniques, is somehow old and wild, an evolved version of Saga ramen. The name of the shop was inherited from the shop run by the owner's parents, and the sign from that time is proudly displayed at the back of the store. It is a small shop with only eight seats at the counter, but it doesn't feel cramped! You can eat leisurely. In addition, the clean interior of the store, which is unique to a female owner, is also appealing. I want people to say, "It was delicious." This is a store that reflects our desire to make women feel comfortable visiting alone.
Access to Ramen GENKOTSU
Ramen GENKOTSU is located in the center of Saga City, in front of Saga City Hall.
5 minutes walk from JR Saga Station . 20 minutes by car from Saga Yamato IC . 28 minutes by car from Saga Airport .
We also recommend touring the Yoshinogari ruins , Saga Castle ruins , and other historical sites in Saga City . (See Asobo Saga, the official Saga Prefecture tourism website.)
Photo courtesy of Saga Prefectural Tourism Federation(from left: Saga Castle Honmaru Memorial Hall, Yoshinogari Historical Park)
It's also a good idea to take a pleasant drive from Fukuoka to Saga!
We also recommend taking a drive from Fukuoka city to Saga for sightseeing and enjoying some Saga ramen!
From the Kyushu Expressway, take the Kyushu Odan Expressway/Nagasaki-Oita Line/Nagasaki Expressway, then take the Saga Yamato IC and onto the general roads, which takes about an hour. Alternatively, if you use JR Kyushu, you can take the limited express train to Saga Station, which takes about an hour.
A wild ramen that evolved from the taste acquired through training
The defining feature of this lineage is the soup, which is made by carefully simmering GENKOTSU without using a pig's head. The rich, mild flavor of the soup is addictive. We hope you'll try this mild yet wild ramen, which has been developed through daily research and unique techniques!
↑The ancient-looking exterior symbolizes wildness.
The noodles are medium-thin straight noodles.
The noodles are medium-thin straight noodles that are often used in the Saga and Kurume areas. These noodles draw up the famous soup, and I think the expression "moving wildly in your mouth" is a perfect fit. The noodles and soup go very well together, and the overall balance is top-notch.
The char siu is made from pork thigh meat. It is simply seasoned and has a slightly edgy flavor, but that's what makes it so good. The characteristics of this cut, which has just the right amount of chewiness, go perfectly with this ramen!
When in doubt, try this! "Egg Ramen " from Saga
Speaking of Saga Ramen, it's the raw egg floating in the middle of the tonkotsu ramen! When I came to Saga and ate ramen, I thought that using this ingredient so boldly must mean they have complete confidence in their tonkotsu soup. "Naturally it brings out the sweetness and changes the flavor of the soup."Saga ramen, which is based on this, is very appealing. First, try the original tonkotsu soup, and then break the egg as you eat it to see how it changes to a mellow flavor.
Simple is best. The menu is sure to whet your appetite!
The menu other than ramen is also super simple, and perhaps this is also an example of the thoroughness of the restaurant, which seems to say, "There is no more to cut back on." I think it's great that the female owner is willing to take on the challenge of creating an extremely unique ramen restaurant!
The menu also offers gyoza (6 pieces) and rice to accompany the ramen, a must-have in a world where extra noodles are not available. A set of gyoza (3 pieces) and rice is also available at lunchtime. There are no extra portions or extra noodles, but there are three types of rice balls to fill you up. The only additional toppings available are green onions and seaweed.
↑Onigiri and gyoza are must-have items to accompany ramen
Ordering Method and Manners
Here we will introduce how to order and proper etiquette.
How to line up and points to note
When there is a line in front of the store, you have to wait in line.
There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this.
1. Line up at the back.
2. Line up once everyone is present.
3. Don't interrupt.
4. Do not block the entrances of other shops or homes.
5. Don't spread out too much on the road. Line up in a straight line.
Please follow the rules so that everyone can have a good time.
How to order
There are two main ways to order at ramen restaurants in Japan: buying a ticket from a ticket vending machine , or looking at the menu and ordering verbally.
If you order from the ticket machine, hand the ticket to the staff before sitting down and they will guide you to your seat. If you order verbally, you will be guided to your seat and you can order after you sit down.
While many restaurants use ticket machines to place orders, Ramen GENKOTSU deliberately requires verbal ordering in order to improve communication .
A word from the owner, Masako Koga
While preserving the traditional taste and techniques, we aim to dispel the conventional image of ramen shops and become a ramen shop that women can easily visit alone. I would like to change the image of ramen for women to be more relaxed, light and easy.
The navy blue shop curtain with the character "GENKOTSU" written in hiragana is the landmark. Feel free to walk through the curtain and you'll find me, a friendly person waiting for you, so please feel free to try our tonkotsu ramen!
Currently open as Dainimen at JINRUIMINAMENRUI in Osaka!
We sold " Ramen GENKOTSU " ramen at " JINRUIMINAMENRUI " on the second floor of Ippudo Umeda store in Umeda, Osaka until Friday, August 2, 2024. We completed our term with great success.
Ramen GENKOTSU
13-5 Aikeicho, Saga City, Saga Prefecture
[Business hours] 11:00-17:00
[Store closed days] Irregular holidays (please check Instagram or the in-store calendar.)
Written by
Tokyo
"I want to spread the culture of women being able to eat ramen alone." With that thought in mind, she started eating out 20 years ago. She is a ramen-loving woman who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and eats more than 600 bowls a year. While there are many male ramen freaks, she is also known for her ramen life, which includes working as a TV personality and maintaining her figure. She organized "Ramen Girls' Gathering," renting out popular ramen shops, and in 2015 held the "1st Ramen Girls Expo" at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. The event, which brings together popular shops from all over the country, was later held in Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, Kumamoto, and Shizuoka, attracting a total of approximately 750,000 people. In 2018, she founded Ramen Switch Co., Ltd. and released the world's first ramen jewelry brand, "ZURU+.". She produced and published "NOODLE SAKE -Spring, Autumn, Winter-" and "Rice and Agave Ramen-only Craft Sake," and "Tokyo Ramen Collection" (Shobunsha).
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