All of them, to be honest, also wish we were getting some snow where I live, or at least a really solid downpour of a rainstorm, it's crazy hot this summer.
Man, Frank the amount of work put into these videos is so impressive, they’re really displaying ramen in its purest, most delectable form. Koshuhanten looks like my dream spot, especially with the snow falling outside
Thanks for watching and saying that 😃. Koshu Hanten is dreamy spot! For reference, some Tokyo ramen shops serve the style too: 5amramen.com/ramen/jimbocho-ramen-kai Koshu Hanten is king of course, since they invented it. Love the name btw - can't wait to travel back to SF and dive into the food scene there!
I went to Takayama once, in late winter, early spring. It was very snowy, and I had my first wagyu beef there. I could swear that the cold and the snow added to the food experience! It's so nice to be warm inside, enjoying great food when you just came in from the cold and the snow.
Takayama is a beautiful city, isn't it? Absolutely - just like your wagyu beef meal there, the snow outside only added to the overall ramen experience. Snow (and rain in a different way) fits the Japanese landscape (buildings included) so well.
Brrrrrilliant bowls of ramen to sooth the soul! You are a ramen warrior! Trekking the snow and cold makes the ramen that much more memorable i bet😀👍🏿 Kudos for your valiant effort and fantastic reviews! Love these, esp bc you toughed out the weather for it! Stay safe and great job!!
Definitely - the cold made them even tastier! Thanks for watching and yes, these bowls involved a bit more sacrifice 😅. Same - please stay safe and all the best!
That's some serious ramen dedication. The one with the ginger sounds so soothing. I'm battling the effects from my second covid shot and I bet that one would hit the spot. Also those gyoza looked really good.
Nice - I hear the second one is a little rougher. Yes, that ginger in the ramen is so soothing and feels like a big energy boost. The gyoza perhaps less of an energy boost but so delicious 😅.
I love the sound of Yokarou's light, shio ramen. I love simple, clean flavours. Ichii also sounds very tempting with the grilled flying fish bringing a more rounded flavour to their shio ramen... Tricky to choose between them, but Yokarou's incredibly good price probably wins it! I like the sound of the pork back fat in the last ramen - that's definitely a meal to fend off the cold weather! Eat a few of those and you'll end up with a built-in winter blanket 😜
Yes - Yakarou is no frills but delicious simplicity. I'm kind of happy my plans got derailed a bit that first night...I otherwise wouldn't have visited Yokarou. I'm sometimes too focused on visiting the "top ranked" ramen shops...but these less publicized shops are just as good, in a different way. Haha and yes to the built-in winter blanket with that pork back fat 😅
I was going to say - quite often the cold and snow makes everything very dry, so I think there's something comforting about a bowl of steaming ramen beyond just the warmth - it bathes you in a gentle humidity that the face is probably crying out for! It is soothing, warming and nourishing - total comfort.
Spot on and well said 😃. I think among the bowls, I felt the most soothed and nourished after Aoshima Shokudo (the ginger ramen)....just because before that I experienced the most snow, dryness included.
Wow such dedication!! Snowy ramen is both nice and messy (to get there and to get out!). Can't go there now but glad that you are bringing us with you!
This video is amazing, you inspired me to make a new ramen style ^_^ thank you so much for your videos I love ramen and love learning about ramen from your videos!
All of them look good, but I love ginger so I'd most like to try Aoshima Shokudo. I do like all the veg in the one from the first place, Yokarou. The noodles at Koshu Haten looked awesome, but I'm not sure about the pork fat.
Great choices! Aoshima Shokudo is excellent with that ginger. Yokarou was great too, hearty without being heavy, veggies included. I loved Koshu Hanten...I thought all the pork back fat would be too much, but was pleasantly surprised.
It’s a toss up between 2 and 4 for me I love pork fat back,pork ramen in general seems to be my favorite.Stay warm out there especially if your feet get wet,I would hate to see you get sick!
@@5AMRamen I am glad you didn’t get sick, I never thought of blow drying shoes(I hope I never have to try it😅), My brother had those shoes,we call them wallaby’s here in the US.
Frank, this is my dream job! I seek out ramen here where i live as well. I look for the vegan kinds which is why i enjoyed the video you made with tabi on this subject.
@@5AMRamen I think they only had old school soba in 1578, which is also a tragedy. Although he was very, very Buddhist, so he might have stopped at noodles in fish dashi ie no chicken or pork. (Or "she," if we're to believe the Spanish account and the idea that his cramps were from uterine cancer or pyometra and not liver-related, ie, Buddhism can't stop him enjoying alcohol). That area's one of the places I want to see in Japan. Like take a trip to Kawanakajima and see the statue of Kagetora/Kenshin charging Harunobu/Shingen. Then go have some ramen after to make for a totally epic weekend.
The noodles at Koshu Hanten look great. So do those gyoza! 😮 I already talked about Aoshima Shokudo on your IG, but damn, that soup really is hot. 🔥 Even in summertime, though, it's easy to crave it. Their chashu is excellent, too. I always liked that the Tokyo branch gives out some of it for free if you order a beer. A nice little snack while waiting for the bowl to arrive.
Those Koshu Hanten noodles!! I rarely order gyoza, but it seemed like the thing to do there. The Akihabara branch that we talked about really does a faithful recreation, come to think of it (as they should), chashu included. I haven't had beer there - good to know...it's been ages since I've been to the Akihabara branch. I imagine you'll be revisiting when you're back here?
@@5AMRamen I know I'll end up in Akihabara at some point when I'm back, so I'm sure I'll stop by Aoshima. I'd like to book a ramen tour with you, too, when I know I can actually lock in travel dates again. Hit up some Tokyo areas that I know I haven't been to, which is a lot. There's never enough time to see as much as I would have liked. 😅
Man, i miss traveling through Japan looking for ramen shops. It usually takes you places you wouldn't see otherwise, and you get the most unique tasty bowls. F*** covid lol. Once things are normal again i'm getting a Japan Rail Pass and visiting all the ramen shops i can.
I wonder, do the restaurant made ramens in Japan have same high salt content as the instant package versions? I love ramen but limit myself to 2, maybe 3 a week because of the salt.
I personally really enjoy eating spicy ramen during cold weather. But since the spice actually cools your body down, maybe we should seek non-spicy bowls for snowy days 😃
All the websites I've looked at just mention that the first generation owner was Chinese...but don't specify where his hometown was. Maybe they just didn't record it at the time (1930s) - but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Hangzhou!
![Japan’s FIRST EVER Miso Ramen [Hokkaido Vid 4]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PGBUQ6douVc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #1 НАЧАЛО ПУТЕШЕСТВИЯ [Новый сезон] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/380Q7gLWGvk/mqdefault.jpg)
Which of the 4 #Niigata bowls got you most hungry?
Yokarou and Aoshima shokudo - the lamen and soup seem to be tasty and comforting.
All of them, to be honest, also wish we were getting some snow where I live, or at least a really solid downpour of a rainstorm, it's crazy hot this summer.
the last one was interesting. I have never seen a gyoza looking like that.
No lie that first one looked really good. Just a classic bowl of ramen on a cold snowy winter night, def a win!
Man, Frank the amount of work put into these videos is so impressive, they’re really displaying ramen in its purest, most delectable form. Koshuhanten looks like my dream spot, especially with the snow falling outside
Thanks for watching and saying that 😃. Koshu Hanten is dreamy spot! For reference, some Tokyo ramen shops serve the style too: 5amramen.com/ramen/jimbocho-ramen-kai
Koshu Hanten is king of course, since they invented it.
Love the name btw - can't wait to travel back to SF and dive into the food scene there!
Those all looked so comforting
Yes, every single bowl!
Ramen shops look so magical in the snow! Thanks for making these videos. I want to visit Japan so bad! 😍
Japan's waiting for you! Snowy landscapes included!
Great video Frank! Great lookin ramen!
Thanks for watching! Niigata ramen is top level 👍
Ramen + beer during snowy day = PERFECTION! I have done that before at Hokkaido!
Yes and yes! The best combo. Hokkaido is the perfect place to do that.
I have never done the pairing but Niigat's clean dry style of sake could work too and help cut through the fat.
Those bowls all looked good, Frank! Thanks for your descriptions--you are complete but concise.
All awesome bowls, for sure! Thanks for watching and exactly what I'm aiming for - complete but concise 😊
Oh man that snow reminds me of Aomori!! I miss the weather and the ramen! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching! Great ramen up there in Aomori tool, in the snow 😃. Feel free to have a watch: ua-cam.com/video/orb0O5xZBvQ/v-deo.html
Those sprinklers will follow you to Niigata!
Haha, I think they ended up following me to Tokyo too 😂
@@5AMRamen 🤣🤣🤣
I went to Takayama once, in late winter, early spring. It was very snowy, and I had my first wagyu beef there. I could swear that the cold and the snow added to the food experience! It's so nice to be warm inside, enjoying great food when you just came in from the cold and the snow.
Takayama is a beautiful city, isn't it? Absolutely - just like your wagyu beef meal there, the snow outside only added to the overall ramen experience. Snow (and rain in a different way) fits the Japanese landscape (buildings included) so well.
@@5AMRamen Oh you've been there? Nice! Did you visit Hida folk village?
What an epic adventure! Can't wait for the next part!
Thanks for coming along the adventure!
Brrrrrilliant bowls of ramen to sooth the soul! You are a ramen warrior! Trekking the snow and cold makes the ramen that much more memorable i bet😀👍🏿 Kudos for your valiant effort and fantastic reviews! Love these, esp bc you toughed out the weather for it! Stay safe and great job!!
Definitely - the cold made them even tastier! Thanks for watching and yes, these bowls involved a bit more sacrifice 😅. Same - please stay safe and all the best!
I get so many ideas for ramen. Got to tell my husband about ramen ideas.
Keep those ramen ideas coming!
That's some serious ramen dedication. The one with the ginger sounds so soothing. I'm battling the effects from my second covid shot and I bet that one would hit the spot. Also those gyoza looked really good.
Nice - I hear the second one is a little rougher. Yes, that ginger in the ramen is so soothing and feels like a big energy boost. The gyoza perhaps less of an energy boost but so delicious 😅.
I love the sound of Yokarou's light, shio ramen. I love simple, clean flavours. Ichii also sounds very tempting with the grilled flying fish bringing a more rounded flavour to their shio ramen... Tricky to choose between them, but Yokarou's incredibly good price probably wins it!
I like the sound of the pork back fat in the last ramen - that's definitely a meal to fend off the cold weather! Eat a few of those and you'll end up with a built-in winter blanket 😜
Yes - Yakarou is no frills but delicious simplicity. I'm kind of happy my plans got derailed a bit that first night...I otherwise wouldn't have visited Yokarou. I'm sometimes too focused on visiting the "top ranked" ramen shops...but these less publicized shops are just as good, in a different way. Haha and yes to the built-in winter blanket with that pork back fat 😅
What?! Snowing that much in July 2021? Indeed, it requires lamen all day long :))
This was a trip back in Feb 😊
Really enjoying this ramen tour, Frank. Great content and seems like you’re getting to sample “the best of the best”. Lucky you!
Great to hear you're enjoying it! Indeed, the "best of the best" up North 😃
Fantastic experience! Funny to watch when it's so hot outside this summer))
Thanks for watching! Editing the next one now. Hopefully these videos help everyone feel cooler....scorching hot now in Tokyo too.
I was going to say - quite often the cold and snow makes everything very dry, so I think there's something comforting about a bowl of steaming ramen beyond just the warmth - it bathes you in a gentle humidity that the face is probably crying out for! It is soothing, warming and nourishing - total comfort.
Spot on and well said 😃. I think among the bowls, I felt the most soothed and nourished after Aoshima Shokudo (the ginger ramen)....just because before that I experienced the most snow, dryness included.
Wow such dedication!! Snowy ramen is both nice and messy (to get there and to get out!). Can't go there now but glad that you are bringing us with you!
Thanks for coming along for the ramen ride (maybe on a sled with the snow 😃). Yes, the journey was messy but the rewards plentiful on this trip!
This video is amazing, you inspired me to make a new ramen style ^_^ thank you so much for your videos I love ramen and love learning about ramen from your videos!
Thank you for watching and I'm happy to hear that! Making ramen is no easy feat - hats off to you and best of luck with the new style 😊
All of them look good, but I love ginger so I'd most like to try Aoshima Shokudo. I do like all the veg in the one from the first place, Yokarou. The noodles at Koshu Haten looked awesome, but I'm not sure about the pork fat.
Great choices! Aoshima Shokudo is excellent with that ginger. Yokarou was great too, hearty without being heavy, veggies included. I loved Koshu Hanten...I thought all the pork back fat would be too much, but was pleasantly surprised.
It’s a toss up between 2 and 4 for me I love pork fat back,pork ramen in general seems to be my favorite.Stay warm out there especially if your feet get wet,I would hate to see you get sick!
Great picks (2 and 4)! I ended up using a blow dryer at Niigata hotels for those shoes - thankfully didn't get sick 😃
@@5AMRamen I am glad you didn’t get sick, I never thought of blow drying shoes(I hope I never have to try it😅), My brother had those shoes,we call them wallaby’s here in the US.
Channel name has "Ramen" in it. I automatically subscribed!
You had me at "Ramen" 😊
Thanks for subbing!
Frank, this is my dream job! I seek out ramen here where i live as well. I look for the vegan kinds which is why i enjoyed the video you made with tabi on this subject.
One of the best jobs in the world 😃. I need to do a Tokyo vegan ramen video in the near future. Let's keep up the ramen hunt 😃
Missed the chance to call yourself "Ramen Ronin." Like wandering in the snowy roads after finding out Lord Kagetora just got speared on the toilet.
TRUE! Haha, hopefully Lord Kagetora enjoyed some tasty ramen before passing.
@@5AMRamen I think they only had old school soba in 1578, which is also a tragedy. Although he was very, very Buddhist, so he might have stopped at noodles in fish dashi ie no chicken or pork. (Or "she," if we're to believe the Spanish account and the idea that his cramps were from uterine cancer or pyometra and not liver-related, ie, Buddhism can't stop him enjoying alcohol).
That area's one of the places I want to see in Japan. Like take a trip to Kawanakajima and see the statue of Kagetora/Kenshin charging Harunobu/Shingen. Then go have some ramen after to make for a totally epic weekend.
The noodles at Koshu Hanten look great. So do those gyoza! 😮 I already talked about Aoshima Shokudo on your IG, but damn, that soup really is hot. 🔥 Even in summertime, though, it's easy to crave it. Their chashu is excellent, too. I always liked that the Tokyo branch gives out some of it for free if you order a beer. A nice little snack while waiting for the bowl to arrive.
Those Koshu Hanten noodles!! I rarely order gyoza, but it seemed like the thing to do there. The Akihabara branch that we talked about really does a faithful recreation, come to think of it (as they should), chashu included. I haven't had beer there - good to know...it's been ages since I've been to the Akihabara branch. I imagine you'll be revisiting when you're back here?
@@5AMRamen I know I'll end up in Akihabara at some point when I'm back, so I'm sure I'll stop by Aoshima. I'd like to book a ramen tour with you, too, when I know I can actually lock in travel dates again. Hit up some Tokyo areas that I know I haven't been to, which is a lot. There's never enough time to see as much as I would have liked. 😅
that shoyu ramen with ginger slightly looks like mi ayam in indonesia here. must be very delicious 😆
With the the soy sauce base and lardy, oil flavoring maybe they're distant cousins 😊
Man, i miss traveling through Japan looking for ramen shops. It usually takes you places you wouldn't see otherwise, and you get the most unique tasty bowls.
F*** covid lol. Once things are normal again i'm getting a Japan Rail Pass and visiting all the ramen shops i can.
Well said. Soon enough you'll be back here doing the same thing, taking advantage of that Japan (Ramen) Rail Pass 😃
I wonder, do the restaurant made ramens in Japan have same high salt content as the instant package versions? I love ramen but limit myself to 2, maybe 3 a week because of the salt.
Ha! More like 2 or 3 a month for me.
Ramen soup can indeed have high salt content - you just don't need to drink all the soup 😊. Impressive number you're eating every week.
That's a good amount too!
Is it a good idea to eating SPICY, HOT ramen during the coldest winter?
I personally really enjoy eating spicy ramen during cold weather. But since the spice actually cools your body down, maybe we should seek non-spicy bowls for snowy days 😃
Bro perhaps u can consider live trips?
Something I might set up in the future. Just def not equipped for it now, wifi, battery packs and all 😅
@@5AMRamen looking forward bro
oy vey...90f here tomorrow
Cold ramen is in order over there 😃. This was back in Feb too.
I'm curious to know if the owner of Koushu Hanten (杭州飯店) traces his family's roots back to Hangzhou, China or is that just a coincidence?
All the websites I've looked at just mention that the first generation owner was Chinese...but don't specify where his hometown was. Maybe they just didn't record it at the time (1930s) - but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Hangzhou!
Do they have veg ramen?
They do not. Veg ramen in Japan is very rare - there are only a handful of places that serve it in Tokyo - Soranoiro and T's Tantan, to name two.