Recommended bowl: Gold standard

One of the most famous ramen shops in Wakayama, and perhaps the gold standard for Wakayama-style ramen. The master, Ide-san, started this shop as a simple food cart, serving ramen out on the street. One day he accidentally overcooked the soup, tasted it, and was amazed at how delicious it was. The over-simmered pork-bone broth had a richer, cloudier consistency, and a bolder taste. This style is now popular throughout the prefecture and has been adopted by many shops — of course, it's known as the 'Ide Shouten style' of Wakayama ramen. The head shop has been in its current permanent location for years, but it still feels somewhat like a street-side shack, with box-like seating on the interior, and the walls adorned with signs autographed by various celebrities and TV personalities. The soup is the perfect balance between tonkotsu and local Wakayama shoyu. Many Japanese tourists make a point of paying a visit when they pass through Wakayama — a ramen ambassador of sorts for the region.