熟成辛味噌 / Jukusei Kara Miso / Sapporo Ramen Musashi - Sapporo, Hokkaido

Sapporo style spicy miso ramen. Clear soup is made from genkotsu (pork leg bones), using local Hokkaido pork. Also in the soup are pig trotters, chicken carcasses and vegetables. Overall over 20 kg of ingredients go into each batch of soup, which is simmered on low heat for four hours. The miso tare uses a unique miso special-made for this shop only, aged for 2-6 months depending on the time of year. Master Wajima-san previously worked at the famous Sapporo noodle company Nishiyama Seimen for 16 years. Naturally, the noodles here are supplied by Nishiyama Seimen, made on a special noodle machine which is only used for Musashi. When the noodles are delivered they appear white in color, having been aged for 2-3 days at the factory prior to arrival. The noodles then age further at the shop, 4-5 days in the summertime and 7-10 days in winter. As they age the noodles develop a chewier texture, release more umami and turn a golden color.

These days there are four masters in charge of making ramen, customers can recognize which master is in the kitchen each day by the color of the noren hanging at the entrance. When the noren is white, OG master Wajima-san is in. When the noren is blue, his son. When it's red, his 2nd eldest son, when it's brown his 3rd eldest son. When the noren is green, it means other staff are making ramen that day. Regular customers have been known to call the shop ahead of time and ask who is in. Open since 1990.