Recommended bowl: Asahikawa Legend

Ask locals for the best ramen in town and this place is one of the first answers every time. The head branch has been open since 1949 and is virtually unchanged since then, with an old school semi-grungy but totally awesome atmosphere. The soup is a combination of tonkotsu and aji (horse mackeral) broth, finished with a touch of katsuo and blackened lard. The lard is the key here, adding a murky but intriguing deep brown color to the bowls. Most fans opt for the koi (heavy) version with extra lard. There is a second branch closer to Asahikawa station, but everything is still prepped here at the head branch, including the handmade noodles.