Asahikawa Ramen Aoba-honten — Restaurant in Asahikawa

Aoba, a name practically synonymous with shoyu ramen in Asahikawa, is a very well established ramen restaurant with over 70 years of history. Numerous celebrities (both local and foreign) who have graced Aoba left their mark with their autographs on the walls.

It is a family run restaurant with a very homely feel and everyone there is very friendly and hospitable. They even have a guestbook for customers to pen their thoughts about the place. When it was offered to us, it was the 104th book! Even before the food arrived, you’re already drawn in by their charm.

When the food finally arrived, we already felt in favour of them, but of course we had to be impartial. We ordered both the shoyu (soy sauce) and shio (salt) ramen. Now having tasted Santouka’s signature shio ramen, it would not be fair to compare Aoba’s shio ramen with theirs, since Aoba’s specialty is their shoyu ramen.

Even though I prefer Santouka’s shio ramen, Aoba’s shio ramen is also tasty and good in it’s own right. Aoba’s shio ramen is far more delicate and subtle in flavour. When you take a sip of the broth, it sort of reminds you of your mum’s home cooking that you had a long ago that you somehow now miss. It’s that simple home-cooked goodness, which makes it feel so comforting.

As for the shoyu ramen, the shoyu brings a unique earthiness to the delicate broth and gives the ramen so much more character. The char siew was delicious to say the least. Aside from being tender and juicy, it was also very fragrant and flavourful (you know the porkiness when you eat pork? There’s the bad kind and there’s the good kind, their char siew was the real good kind).

And for that, I award them a...

During my visit to Asahikawa, I visited Ramen Aoba, a renowned shop known for its classic shoyu ramen. With high expectations, I savored the dish, but it didn’t quite reach the heights I had anticipated.

The broth had a rich, deep soy sauce flavor with a pleasant umami undertone, complemented by the richness of the chashu’s fat. This created a well-balanced and comforting dish. The firm and chewable noodles paired perfectly with the tender chashu. However, I felt that both the broth and the chashu lacked a certain level of boldness and distinctiveness. The bamboo shoots added a touch of brightness and texture, but they didn’t leave a lasting impression.

While Ramen Aoba served a solid, way above-average bowl of ramen, it didn’t quite meet the expectations set by its reputation as the top ramen spot in the “ramen capital” of Hokkaido. I had hoped for something more distinctive, bold, and interesting in terms of taste.

Despite its shortcomings, I still recommend a visit to Ramen Aoba. However, it didn’t quite earn the title of “unmissable” for me. I had to visit them for breakfast due to their early closing time, and I still had to wait for 30 minutes in line. For me, the fuss wasn’t worth it. Nevertheless, the ramen itself was still...

Came here with my wife around 2:50 after the Asahiyama Zoo and to our surprise, the restaurant was already open (sign said they opened at 3pm). There were already 5-6 people in there slurping away at their ramen noodles. There aren’t many seats in the restaurant (fits maybe 10-12 people) so I recommend getting there early. There are all sorts of pictures on the walls with people who have visited and of the owner throughout they years… gives a bit of nostalgia to the establishment. The couple who owned it were very cute and friendly. We ordered 2 of the signature ramen soy sauce ramen dishes: Soy sauce-flavored chashu (roasted pork) ramen. Unfortunately they were already sold out of eggs, but we still enjoyed the ramen greatly. The broth was light and not overpowered with soy sauce flavor. You could definitely taste the mix of the fish and chicken in the broth and it was so delicious. It wasn’t too oily either. The broth paired well with the thin noodles that were still slightly al dente. The chasu pork basically melted in my mouth with very little chewing required. Overall, both my wife and I really enjoyed the ramen and the service at this restaurant. I will definitely be coming back when...