Tanron （Nishinomiya,Hyogo）

Ramen Tanron is located between Nishinomiya station and Sakura-Syukugawa station in JR West Kobe Line. There are many ramen shops in the western side of Nishinomiya city, along Route 171 trucks. Mr.Wakamatsu, Tanron Ownner sheff, has the ability to develop ramens, good at creating new styled goods and generate traditional goods. Many people visit to try Aburasoba and monthly special menu reported recently by Ramen Walker Hyogo, the magazine in local area (Hyogo Pref).

On the day before yesterday, I tried a special ramen on January 2011, called "Niboshidamashii." blended strongly Niboshi dry fish. This has a dark brown and salty soup with Niboshi flavor, and heavy noodle that is the same as Tsukemen. I don't recommend this for people don't like fish well, however I like this menu. I'm looking forward to try new special ramen in February, announced by his brog.

　URL　http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/ramenfighter/

Higeinu (Amagasaki,Hyogo)

This place doesn't appare to be all that well-known southside of JR West　Amagasaki station, however it is featured in an issue of Ramen Walker HYOGO.　It is located near Amagasaki station within five minutes on foot. Higeinu　means miniatre schunauzer, a small size dog, maybe their pets. They have the variation of shio, syouyu, and tough meat(Suji-Niku). When I visited there in evening, it is very crowded with business men and women who tried Gyusuji-Tsukemen, Beaf tasted Tsukemen. I had already tried it, so I ordered Niboshishio, salt blend ramen. Niboshi-shio is based on consomme made by dry fishes, and it's character is exactly opposite of Gyusuji-Tsukemen. Niboshishio has a clear flavor and look, however Gyusuji-Tsukemen has a strongly flavord soup and impacted view. In the point of Noodle, Niboshishio is slender, straight and hard, but Gyusuji-Tsukemen is wide, soft and wavy a little.

I like Niboshishio better than the other, because I like ramen than Tsukemen just now.In next time, I will try syoyu blend ramen probably.

Yousukou Souhonten （Umeda, Osaka）

Yousukou means the Yangzi river, the huge and famous river in China. Maybe their ancesters had came from China to Japan long times ago, and then opened Chinese restaurant in Osaka. Now their ramen is so popular among business men at Umeda-Kita area in Osaka. It is so clear that looks like clear
consomme soup, that's slightly salty taste. Whenever I have Yousukou ramen, I realize the phrase that simple is best.

We Japanese have a unique custom that called SHIME or SHIMERU. This is the end of dishes ,drinking beer, sake and the othe sprits in party with business partners. Usually we have Ochazuke, Onigiri or ramen as a SHIME in Izakaya, Japanese traditional styled pub. But Yousukou has the best of dishes as SHIME ramen, it is filled with business men on the way to home. I'm one of them sometimes.

Toyonaka Mentetsu (Toyonaka-shi, Osaka)

I think that Toyonaka Mentetsu, located near Toyonaka station in Hankyu Takarazuka Line, is the most famous ramen shop in Kansai area. Many ramen shop masters had studied and worked as clerks there, and then they have opend the clone shops in Kansai. They are called "Mentetsu-Kei" or
"Mentetsu-group," but they are few shop under the direct control of Toyonaka Mentetsu.

I love the noodle of Toyonaka Mentetsu, that has specially erastic and smooth character and rich flavor. Because Mentetsu means the marverous specialist of ramen noodle. Incidentally their ramen soup has the highest quality. They have two regular soups, shio-blend and syoyu blend, looks clearly and tasts deeply. Their chashu pork grilled ewll is bigger than another shops.

Sandaime-Tamagorou (Umeda/Kitashinchi, Osaka)

Sandaime-Tamagorou is in the 3rd Osakaekimae building at 2nd basement floor, that's located between Osaka station and Kitashinchi station of JR west. They have special ramen and tsukemen based on Niboshi that means dried small sardines. The soup is filled with flavor of Niboshi and get along with their noodle, wavy, hard and heavy a little. Ramen fan maybe consider that this is one of the famous Niboshi-kei ramen.
I like their tsukemen. If you were not asked whether you want cold or hot, they will serve cold and wet type. My problem is that their tsukemen is cold enough that they make cooled down after a short time. So recently I order Atumori-type tsukemen(hot).

Syekarashika (Nigawa,Takarazuka)

Syekarashika is located with Hanshin Keibajou and Nigawa station, Hankyu Imazu Line, about five minutes walk from Nigawa station. They have Nagahama styled ramen that's called HAKATA RAMEN. HAKARA RAMEN has the soup based on pork born and special thin noodle. We can request the noodle condition by boiled time. The Hardest al-dente noodle is called KONAOTOSHI. I like BARIKATA al-dente that is more soft than KONAOTOSHI or HARIGANE a little. The topping someone are very simple, Benisyouga, Goma, Kikurage, Takana, and garlic.

Syekarashika is the most famous HAKATA RAMEN in Kansai area, but this is very small shop. So they opened two branch shop, Sumiyoshi and Umeda.

Gunjou (Tenjinbashisuji-6chome,Osaka)

In Osaka, Tenjinbashisuji-6chome is one of the most popular areas of ramen. Maybe, Gunjou that means ultramarine, is the most famous in this area. They have good team work to create high quality ramen that includes their spirits. Recently Gunjou changed their menus completely and promote renewal
to inquire more high-leveled ramen. I tried "Nidaime-Tsukemen" as brand new menu.

Tukedare(Tukemen soup) is based on Tonkotsu-gyokai made of pork-bones, fishes and shellfishes. And then this new arrenged tsukedare is added fruity sour of Sudachi a little. This is consisted of heavy and light taste, so I feel deeply their techniques. It's brand new noodle is harder and more
thick than before one, and arranged Kanto-style a little, I think.

Gunjou is so small that it must be filled with ramen fans at any time. If you visit at Gunjou, you must prepare oneself for long waiting in front of Gunjou.

Cique-Kibo-De-Kangaero (Fushimi-Sumizome,Kyoto)

Cique-Kibo-De-Kangaero is located near Sumizome station, Keihan Line. It
means "Think global scale." I don't know the reason why they named it.
Maybe, they would like to impress it's name deeply to ramen fans in Kansai
area. They offer Jiro-style ramen that include an extremely generous
portion. If you visit without prior understanding, you must be surprised at
huge ramen. Soup is based on Tonkotsu-Gyokai,that's made of pork bone, fish
and shellfish. Noodle is wavy, extremely thick and linguine-style. Their
ramen is generally called "Jiro Inspired category." Please order "Zen-Mashi.
" You will be knocked down by mountain-size ramen.

Cliff (Osakajou-Kitazume,Osaka)

Cliff is located along the main street going west from Osakajou-Kitazume station,JR-west Touzai Line. It is opend on October of 2010, as the second brand of Tsurumen, that is one of the most popular ramen shop in Osaka Joto area. Cliff looks like a husband and wife work together to create good quality syoyu and paitan ramens.

They have a very limited menu that's called "Jidori-Tsuke". Jidori means the special chicken grown in healthy and natural environment. So, Jidori is more tasty and nutritious than a broiler chicken. Tsuke, called Tsukemen for short, is served as Japanese Mori-Soba style. If you ordered Tsukemen in
ramenshop, you'll be served hot soup,and then served noodles. Hot soup(TSUKEDARE) based on Jidori is good flavor and jucie taste. Noodle is handmade, so very fresh. It is boiled as soft as aldente.

Cliff is my most favorite in Osaka-Kyobashi area recently. In next time I'll try a syoyu blended ramen.

Kinsei Takatsuki Honten （Takatsuki-shi,Osaka)

Kinsei Takatsuki Honten is located near Takatsuki-shi Station,Hankyu Kyoto Line, what is the most famous in Kinsei-group, that's one of the most popular ramen shops in Kansai erea. Kinsei looks like a good teamwork to create good quality miso-blend ramen.

They have special handmade-styled noodles,that's is fine,straight and aldente feeling．Miso-ramen has regularlly topping someone, for example Chashu pork that were well-grilled, sliced green onion, and "ajitama". Ajitama is boiled and tasted by Chashu souece,spice and syoyu. It'soup is
consisted of several blennded miso and sea food flavor oil.I think it is very unique.

They have a special dish called "Kotteri Syoyu Tsukemen", I have never tried. In next time, I'll eat it.