merchant-introduction
One of the best ramen shops in Hokkaido (Shimizu)
- address
- Minami 4 Jo 9-chome, Shimizu-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
- tel
- 0156-62-2584
- hours
-
10:30～20:00Ends as soon as the soup runs out.
※The business hours may be temporarily changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- holiday
- Tuesday
Introduction of FC management
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Commitment to a comfortable spaceThe owner’s commitment to creating a clean store is unparalleled.
The restaurant is cleaned by a contractor once a month, and by the staff about six times a day. The kitchen, which is prone to grease and grime, is polished every hour to maintain the cleanliness of the restaurant. Efforts are also made to prevent infectious diseases by taking measures such as separating the entrance and exit lines. By creating such a comfortable space, the restaurant has gained much support from local customers. -
Creating a restaurant that is loved by driversThe restaurant attracts many driver fans.
The parking lot is spacious enough that even large trailers can park there without problems.
Torouma Gokujo Chashu Ramen topped with five extra-large pieces of chashu pork and other hearty dishes can fill the stomachs of customers who have driven long distances. -
A menu focused on Tokachi productsThe soup of the Shimizu branch is made using Shintoku chicken from the neighboring town of Shintoku. The soup is slowly simmered over time to bring out the flavor of the ingredients. This assures a pure, rich soup.
The restaurant also uses local ingredients such as garlic grown in Shimizu Town, and continues to provide a taste that can only be savored here on-site.
A hearty menu with a focus on local products
In addition to being featured in the 2012 and 2017 editions of the Michelin Guide Hokkaido, the restaurant has been introduced in various media and is visited by customers from all over Hokkaido.
Preparations from the early morning, noodles are matured for different numbers of days depending on the season, and use of ingredients from Tokachi – ramen made with such care and attention to detail is constantly evolving.
The sight of the owner vigorously wielding a wok with his strong arms is also one of the features of the Shimizu branch.
It has been listed in the rankings of gourmet websites and continues to be loved by a wide range of customers as one of the best ramen restaurants in Hokkaido.
Preparations from the early morning, noodles are matured for different numbers of days depending on the season, and use of ingredients from Tokachi – ramen made with such care and attention to detail is constantly evolving.
The sight of the owner vigorously wielding a wok with his strong arms is also one of the features of the Shimizu branch.
It has been listed in the rankings of gourmet websites and continues to be loved by a wide range of customers as one of the best ramen restaurants in Hokkaido.
Q&A
Q
Please tell us about the media coverage of your restaurant.
A.
In addition to the Michelin Guide Hokkaido, we have been interviewed numerous times. Our Torouma Gokujo Chashu Ramen has been introduced in a number of magazines in Hokkaido, as well as Onigiri Atatamemasuka, Gussan no Nippon Kousokudoro Torakku tabi! and other TV shows. As a result, not only local people but also customers from all over Japan have come to visit us more often.
Q
What is the main selling point of the Shimizu branch?
A.
The hearty chashu pork is a product of one and a half years of careful selection from dozens of different kinds of meat.
The chashu-making process takes 11 hours to complete, and the texture is melt-in-your-mouth. It is packed with a rich, juicy flavor, without any greasiness.
It matches the clear soup well.
The chashu-making process takes 11 hours to complete, and the texture is melt-in-your-mouth. It is packed with a rich, juicy flavor, without any greasiness.
It matches the clear soup well.
Q
Please tell me the recommended menu?
A.
The most popular item on the menu is Torouma Gokujo Chashu Ramen.
This dish, with about 300 orders a day, boasts a topping of extra-large chashu pork that has been slowly prepared over a long period of time.
The soup, which has a thick yet clear flavor, is cooked slowly over time to carefully bring out the original flavor of the ingredients.
This is a signature dish based on the careful selection of ingredients and daily research through trial and error. On Sundays and holidays, up to 40 kilograms of chashu are sometimes consumed in a single day.
This dish, with about 300 orders a day, boasts a topping of extra-large chashu pork that has been slowly prepared over a long period of time.
The soup, which has a thick yet clear flavor, is cooked slowly over time to carefully bring out the original flavor of the ingredients.
This is a signature dish based on the careful selection of ingredients and daily research through trial and error. On Sundays and holidays, up to 40 kilograms of chashu are sometimes consumed in a single day.
History of Shimizu store
- 1978
- Opening
- 1993
- The current owner, Mr. Hirata, started business as the second generation
Franchise application
Franchise application
reception：11:00〜18:00
We provide various kinds of support to franchisees, including making proposals based on know-how cultivated over many years and supplying them with Horyu’s traditional miso sauce.
Two generations of parents and children at a locally loved ramen shop (Obihiro Odori)
- address
- 21-11 Odoriminami, Obihiro-shi, Hokkaido
- tel
- 0155-25-6488
- hours
-
11:00～23:30
※The business hours may be temporarily changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- holiday
- Tuesday
Introduction of FC management
-
Participation in community volunteer activitiesSince 1990, they visit local facilities once a year providing free ramen for 120 people. By boiling the noodles on the spot and using carefully prepared soup, they serve the taste of the restaurant as it is. This is an event that users look forward to every year, and the restaurant has become well known among locals for the many years of community activities.
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The key is ingredients harvested by the owner himselfMushroom Ramen and Wild Vegetable Ramen made with ingredients from Tokachi are among the most cherished items for many years.
The owner harvests the ingredients himself in the mountains of the Tokachi region. The harvesting spot is a best-kept secret, and the five kinds of wild plants picked there are used generously. It has a rich texture and is packed with the owner’s passion. -
Challenging the menuThe owner has created many visually pleasing ramen dishes, such as Chashu Ramen, which contains so much chashu pork that it protrudes from the bowl, and Negi Kimuchi Ramen, which is topped with lots of kimchi and green onions for added punch.
There are many customers who visit the restaurant for the original items on the menu.
Beloved local ramen restaurant run by two generations of father and son
The owner makes it a top priority to research flavors.
He visited the main restaurant in Sapporo from Obihiro and participated in numerous training sessions.
The attitude he developed while working in French cuisine of always being aware of problems and solving them, is also applied to making ramen. He tries to serve customers while keeping a proper distance to ensure a comfortable space. As a result of this sincere approach to flavors and the creation of a comfortable space, the restaurant has grown into a place where repeat customers continuously come back.
He visited the main restaurant in Sapporo from Obihiro and participated in numerous training sessions.
The attitude he developed while working in French cuisine of always being aware of problems and solving them, is also applied to making ramen. He tries to serve customers while keeping a proper distance to ensure a comfortable space. As a result of this sincere approach to flavors and the creation of a comfortable space, the restaurant has grown into a place where repeat customers continuously come back.
Q&A
Q
What made you decide to take over the ramen restaurant?
A.
My father originally ran a ramen restaurant, but I was living away from my parents at the time.
Then, when I was 20 years old, I had a traffic accident and was hospitalized for three and a half months. My parents were very worried about me. When I was 27 years old, my mother asked me to come back, because they were living by themselves and feeling lonely. I was on the road to becoming a French cuisine chef, but that comment opened my eyes to my parents’ needs and I decided to find my purpose nearby them.
At first I was daunted by the difficulty of having to run a restaurant by myself, but I am doing my best to properly do what needs to be done.
Then, when I was 20 years old, I had a traffic accident and was hospitalized for three and a half months. My parents were very worried about me. When I was 27 years old, my mother asked me to come back, because they were living by themselves and feeling lonely. I was on the road to becoming a French cuisine chef, but that comment opened my eyes to my parents’ needs and I decided to find my purpose nearby them.
At first I was daunted by the difficulty of having to run a restaurant by myself, but I am doing my best to properly do what needs to be done.
Q
What prompted you to build a new restaurant?
A.
I was planning to expand the scale of the business and to start operations in a new area. In the process, I found a company that was willing to sell me land at just the right location, and I purchased the restaurant.
I felt quite hesitant about taking out a large loan, but I decided to buy the property thinking that I would own it in the future.
I invested 55 million yen and took out a loan of 45 million yen. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, I am now regularly paying about 300,000 yen. Currently, my mother, who supports me, my father, who comes to help me from time to time, and my employees collaborate with me to keep the restaurant running.
I felt quite hesitant about taking out a large loan, but I decided to buy the property thinking that I would own it in the future.
I invested 55 million yen and took out a loan of 45 million yen. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, I am now regularly paying about 300,000 yen. Currently, my mother, who supports me, my father, who comes to help me from time to time, and my employees collaborate with me to keep the restaurant running.
Q
Please tell me the recommended menu?
A.
I recommend Fragrant Tanrei Miso Ramen seasoned with ginger and garlic, Chashu Ramen topped with hearty chashu pork, and Kimchi Chashu Ramen with a blend of three kinds of Korean chili peppers.
History of Obihiro Odori store
- 1980
- Opening
- 1990
- Started serving ramen noodles at Obihiro Shingyoen Retirement Home on a voluntary basis
- 2005
- The current owner, Mr. Igarashi, started business as the second generation
- 2016
- Relocated the restaurant to its current location
Franchise application
Franchise application
reception：11:00〜18:00
We provide various kinds of support to franchisees, including making proposals based on know-how cultivated over many years and supplying them with Horyu’s traditional miso sauce.
A well-known family-owned store loved by the locals (in Higashi Ainonai)
- address
- 210-2 Higashiainonai-cho, Kitami-shi, Hokkaido
- tel
- 0157-36-5951
- hours
-
11:00～21:30
※The business hours may be temporarily changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- holiday
- Monday (If Monday is a holiday, the next day)
Introduction of FC management
-
Special fried rice with a high reputationThis dish is prepared by the owner, a former Chinese food chef who wields a wok with gusto. The owner uses two types of gas stoves with the highest heat and finishes the dish in the blink of an eye while making a noise so intense that one can’t help but pay attention. This increases the appeal of the savory aroma of the ingredients.
The chashu made of Kamifurano pork is mouth-watering and will surely make you gasp. -
Meticulous customer serviceThe staff always try to pay attention to the needs of customers and proactively talk to them. Many customers have expressed their appreciation for the warm way the staff welcomes and sends them off with smiles, as well as the owner’s earnestness to please customers, some reasons why customers pay return visits. Such thoughtful consideration and warm atmosphere contribute as reasons why local customers support the restaurant.
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A unique combination of ramen and offal meatThe signature menu item is Fragrant Tanrei Miso Ramen Topped with Offal meat. Fragrant Tanrei Miso Ramen with the aroma of garlic and ginger is topped with fresh offal meat from the butchery. The offal is well-seasoned and complements the refreshing soup. This unparalleled combination has many fans.
The warmth of a family-run restaurant
The owner’s father, the previous owner, is still working in the restaurant, preparing the traditional ramen, while the owner also prepares fried rice and other side dishes, implementing his skills as a Chinese chef. The whole family collaborates to protect the restaurant, endearing it with local customers. Although the restaurant is located in the suburbs, it continues to grow as a popular destination for customers who live in the center of the city.
Q&A
Q
Why did you decide to run a franchise?
A.
It all began when my parents started a restaurant. I worked as a Chinese chef. My parents overcame many difficulties running their first restaurant, and we decided to go separate ways.
Even though I had seen those hardships, I wanted to protect this restaurant and the joy of serving food to customers in an environment surrounded by family and friends.
Even though I had seen those hardships, I wanted to protect this restaurant and the joy of serving food to customers in an environment surrounded by family and friends.
Q
What do you think is the appeal of Horyu?
A.
The first appealing point is the good taste. I am motivated to work because the taste makes my customers happy. I also greatly appreciate the freedom to take on challenges such as inventing new menus and introducing new equipment.
I live a great life surrounded by so many customers thanks to the fact that I can set my own business hours.
I live a great life surrounded by so many customers thanks to the fact that I can set my own business hours.
Q
Please tell us your future prospects
A.
In the future, many issues have to be addressed, such as the aging of the restaurant building, securing and training of human resources to break away from the family management style, and creating a new system.
We are now at a “turning point” where many things are changing, and I believe that “sustainable,” “healthy,” and such recycling-oriented matters will be key concepts for restaurants as well.
I am not planning to enhance our takeout or delivery services, but I want to be ready to respond when I feel the need to change.
Above all, I want my family and employees to be healthy and enjoy working, so that we can evolve and do a better job for our customers and the world.
We are now at a “turning point” where many things are changing, and I believe that “sustainable,” “healthy,” and such recycling-oriented matters will be key concepts for restaurants as well.
I am not planning to enhance our takeout or delivery services, but I want to be ready to respond when I feel the need to change.
Above all, I want my family and employees to be healthy and enjoy working, so that we can evolve and do a better job for our customers and the world.
History of Higashi Ainonai store
- 1946
- Managed a general store
- 1996
- Opened a ramen restaurant in the same spot
- 2011
- The current owner, Mr. Tsutsida, started business as the second generation
Franchise application
Franchise application
reception：11:00〜18:00
We provide various kinds of support to franchisees, including making proposals based on know-how cultivated over many years and supplying them with Horyu’s traditional miso sauce.