Recommended bowl: OG connections

Before opening Hiyoshi Taishoken in 2010, master Yoshida-san trained at the legendary Eifukucho Taishoken. The shop is located down a little side alley off one of the main shopping streets in Hiyoshi, on the outskirts of Yokohama. In typical Taishoken style, the bowls here are huge — at least 1.5 times the size of your average ramen bowl in Japan. The soup is simmered in a large stockpot visible behind the counter, brimming with four varieties of niboshi sourced from Chiba and lots of vegetables. The bowls also contain a piping-hot spoonful of dutch lard, which seals in the heat. The noodles are supplied by Kusamura Shouten, the noodle company run by Eifukucho Taishoken. A huge, satisfying old-school bowl.