One of Nagoya’s most famous restaurants in terms of popularity and love of ramen
We interviewed the owner of Nagoya’s popular ramen restaurant Ramen Shiyohana, Toya.
– On how he started his ramen shop
Toya owner: I was originally a ramen fanatic and a blogger. At the time, I didn’t think about becoming a ramen shop, and in one year I ate around 600 meals. From there, I now became a self-made ramen maniac and started making ramen at home. What made me decide to become a ramen chef was serving ramen at an event at a nursing home where I worked at the time. I served 100 bowls of ramen at that event and was so pleased with the food that I thought it was great that I could make people happy with my own creation, so I started my training at a ramen shop. I chose the shop of the owner of Mensoken Kanade (now Ramen Yamaguchi), who wrote a blog about his own ramen which I used as a reference when making my own ramen. I trained at Mensoken Kanade for three and a half years, then at Hachinoashiha in Yokkaichi for a year and a half, and at Tsukemen Maruwa in Nagoya for about six months before opening my own restaurant.
– On his commitment to ramen
Toya owner: I aim to make a bowl of ramen that will remain in the customer’s memory. We aim to make ramen that is not just about the noodles or the soup, but about the noodles, soup and ingredients, so that people are impressed by all of them. We chose shoyu ramen because it is what most people think of when they think of ‘ramen’, and it is a ramen that everyone, from young to old, can enjoy. We imagine ramen that looks light on the outside but when you eat it, you are surprised by the gap in the richness of the broth. There are other ramen influences such as Iida Shop and 69’N’ROLLONE, but we have chosen to make use of the chicken ingredients in the soup with other ingredients, and the noodles are flat noodles that give the soup a presence that is as strong as the soup.
– Why did you decide to make your own noodles?
Toya: Because all the places where I trained were making their own noodles.
I want to make noodles that I am satisfied with with with my own hands rather than cost.
– Why did you choose Yamato Seisakusho’s Richmen?
Toya owner: It was because I was using a Richmen at my apprenticeship at Hachi no Ashiha. Because it is compact, easy to use and easy to teach others.
I particularly like the fact that the roll interval can be adjusted with a single handle and the roll speed can be changed with a dial, so the firmness of the noodles can be adjusted slightly.
– On his goals and dreams for the future
Toiya owner: I don’t think there is no number one in ramen, so I want more customers to come and like my restaurant. I also have an apprentice who wants to become independent, so I want him to be successful and lead a happy life.
