ラーメン + ヤクミ / Ramen + Yakumi / Umenoya — Futtsu, Chiba

Takeoka Ramen. Pork belly chashu is simmered in koikuchi Miya shoyu, a dark soy sauce naturally brewed in kioke wooden barrels using wheat only grown in Chiba. Located nearby in the Sanuki area of Futtsu City, Miya Shoyu has been in business since 1834. Once the pork chashu is done simmering, the meat is removed and the liquid is saved to form the base of the ramen soup. Dried noodles are provided by Miyakoichi, a noodle manufacturer based in Chiba City. Miyakoichi noodles are made from wheat flour, kansui and salt. The noodles are curled while still raw, air-dried and cut into blocks. Miyakoichi was the first company to create and offer this type of noodle to the public in Japan, established in 1953. When Umenoya opened one year later, these noodles were readily available at the Takeoka Port. At Umenoya, the noodles are boiled in a clay pot using charcoal for fuel. After the noodles are cooked, the leftover noodle water is not discarded but added to the saved chashu liquid— this makes up the ramen soup. Toppings consist of pork belly chashu, menma, nori and diced onions. Extra onions (yakumi) are a recommended add-on and ordered by most customers.

Takeoka Ramen is a hyper-regional style of ramen invented in the early 1950's near the Takeoka Port in Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture. The genre has several unique characteristics, Umenoya is considered by many to be the original Takeoka Style. According to locals, the taste here is still the same now as it was many decades ago. The shop is run entirely by women. 20 seats. Since 1954.