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#2月好去地方2025
During your food tour in Kumamoto, if you want to taste a bowl of authentic tonkotsu ramen, Ichiran Kumamoto Shimodori is definitely a choice not to be missed. This ramen restaurant, located at Shimodori 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, is hidden in the basement of the JTB Kumamoto Building. Although the store is not very conspicuous, it is not difficult to find thanks to the reputation of the Ichiran brand. The hotel is surprisingly conveniently located, just a 3-minute walk from Hanabatacho Station on the municipal tram or a 5-minute walk from Kumamoto Castle-Shiyakusho-mae Station. Even better, it’s open 24 hours a day, so you can satisfy your ramen cravings at any time, whether it’s late at night or early in the morning.
Ichiran is famous for its natural pork bone ramen. It insists on focusing on a single item and strives to make the pork bone soup base to perfection. When you walk into the store, the first thing that greets you is the self-service ticket machine, and the ordering process is simple and efficient. Just select the ramen and the toppings you want on the machine, such as barbecued pork, soft-boiled eggs or secret spicy sauce, take a seat with your ticket, and the steaming hot ramen will be served to your table soon. This system not only improves efficiency, but also reduces cash contact and is particularly hygienic. The restaurant has 40 independent seats and adopts Ichiran's characteristic "flavor concentration" design, allowing people to focus on enjoying the food without having to worry about the eyes of the people around them.
The soup base is the soul of Ichiran. The pork bone soup, which has been simmered for several hours, is rich milky white in color. It is thick but not greasy, and has a delicate collagen protein texture. If you taste it carefully, you can feel the aroma of the big bones and the layers of secret soy sauce, which is very memorable. The noodles are springy and smooth, with just the right hardness, and absorb the soup perfectly, making every bite satisfying. The classic barbecued pork is of moderate thickness and melts in your mouth. It is garnished with chopped green onions and secret red sauce, which is slightly spicy but not pungent, enriching the flavor of the whole bowl of ramen. From the basic ramen at 980 yen to the various topping options, every bowl here is like a work of art carefully crafted by a craftsman.
Newbies visiting Ichiran for the first time may feel a little unfamiliar with the ticket purchasing process, but the store has clear instructions and even official videos for reference, so you can get started quickly. It was dinner time when we arrived. Although there were many people, the process was smooth and we were seated without waiting too long. After eating this bowl of fragrant ramen, I felt very satisfied and couldn't help but feel that this was not only a taste enjoyment, but also a small cultural experience. When we left, we went back to Kumamoto Station, visited the souvenir shop, and bought some local specialties. But I also thought with a smile that these things could probably be bought in Taiwan, so there was no need to carry so many bags back with us.
On the way back, when I passed by the LAWSON convenience store, I couldn't help but go in for a look and bought some fried chicken and wine. Although the taste was not surprisingly ordinary, such casual little happiness during the journey was also interesting. After returning to Hakata Station from Kumamoto, I couldn’t help but visit a few more stores and bought a piece of UT clothing before walking back to the hotel with satisfaction. This bowl of ramen at Ichiran Kumamoto Shimodori store has become the most memorable moment of this trip. If I visit Kumamoto again, I will definitely come back and immerse myself in the familiar pork bone aroma again.
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