Ramen Shop Harinezumi

I can’t quite remember how I first heard about this place, but there’s a ramen shop called “Ramen Shop Harinezumi” in Takatsuki, a highly competitive ramen hotspot in the Hokusetsu region. It’s a small shop that opened in 2017 and has been in business for just under 10 years, but it’s a true standout that has already been selected multiple times for Tabelog’s “Top 100 Ramen Shops in Western Japan.” Of course, I’d been thinking, “I really want to go there…” for a long time, but since they have many days off and limited evening hours, I just couldn’t seem to find the right timing… The other day, I finally managed to coordinate my schedule with some business I had in Takatsuki and made my long-awaited visit. So, what kind of place is this “Ramen Shop Harinezumi,” exactly…

From a self-taught entrepreneur to a regular on Tabelog’s Top 100… Ramen Shop Harinezumi is a place like this…

Ramen Shop Harinezumi is located near the intersection of National Route 171, just south of JR Takatsuki Station along Keyaki-dori Avenue. Although the shop has been open for less than 10 years, its retro vibe—which clearly shows they haven’t spent a dime on the exterior—made it hard to spot even as I approached. However, the interior was simple yet clean, and it felt very comfortable. There are only eight U-shaped counter seats arranged around the kitchen. Since the couple runs the place together, it had a homey atmosphere reminiscent of a neighborhood diner.

Also, there’s one surprising thing about this place. Apparently, the owner never even trained as a ramen chef—he’d never even worked in a restaurant before—and started this shop entirely through self-study. Isn’t it amazing that he’s a regular on Tabelog’s Top 100 list? The ramen in Takatsuki is truly on another level…

A commitment to completely chemical-free ingredients and homemade noodles… How did Ramen Shop Harinezumi’s signature dish—the Soy Sauce Ramen—actually taste when I tried it?

So, let me introduce the shop’s signature dish, the Soy Sauce Ramen, which I ordered at Ramen Shop Harinezumi that day. After waiting about five minutes from the time I placed my order, the ramen that was brought to my table looked like this…

Personally, aside from the two slices of rare chashu pork on top, it gave me the impression of a simple, rustic Chinese-style noodle soup. But apparently, not just the Soy Sauce Ramen—all of this shop’s ramen is made with no artificial seasonings and homemade noodles… I’m sure they put a lot of care into this ramen as well.

So, first, a sip of the soup… My first impression was a very intense chicken umami flavor. If you look closely, there’s a film of oil on the surface of the soup—it must be packed with chicken fat. The menu describes it as a “trio of Nagoya Cochin, dried sardines, and shellfish,” and while I can definitely taste the dried sardines and shellfish, the richness of the chicken far outweighs them… I wonder if the chicken fat comes from Nagoya Cochin too? Just imagining that makes me feel indulgent every time I take a sip of the soup.

As for the noodles paired with this soup, they’re straight, thin noodles made with whole wheat flour. These noodles have a very firm bite and a springy, al dente texture. And true to whole wheat noodles, the nutty aroma of the noodles themselves really comes through. It’s impressive that he developed this recipe all on his own…

And the main topping: rare chashu. It has a distinct rare pink hue that whets your appetite just by looking at it. It has a great balance of lean meat and marbling, and it’s incredibly tender. However, since it’s thinly sliced, the heat from the soup penetrates it in an instant, so if you want to eat it rare, you might want to take a bite the moment it’s served.

And just like that, I finished Ramen Shop Harinezumi’s signature dish, the Soy Sauce Ramen, in about five minutes and left the shop. I tend to think of Takatsuki as a mecca for shio ramen, whether it’s Asuryu or Kinsei, so personally, I’m thrilled to see a shop with such strong soy sauce ramen open up. I think the quality is definitely worth a return visit, but the short operating hours are still a bit of a drawback… All I can do is hope I have a reason to visit Takatsuki again at just the right time.

Other Menu Items at Ramen Shop Harinezumi (Prices include tax)

• Anchovy Ramen (Hand-kneaded Noodles) 950 yen
• Miso Ramen (Limited Quantity) 1,000 yen
• Pork Rice (Regular) 250 yen
• Rice (with Homemade Furikake) (Regular) 150 yen
• Bottled Beer (with Menma Snacks) 500 yen

It really go all out with their limited-time menus… Ramen Shop Harinezumi is a 9-minute walk from Takatsuki-shi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line.

At Ramen Shop Harinezumi, they put a lot of effort into their limited-time menus. On the day I visited, they were offering three special items: a limited-quantity Miso Ramen, a “Niboshi Brown” ramen limited to 10 servings, and a cold Dan Dan Ramen. With them putting so much effort into their limited-time offerings, I don’t think you’ll ever get tired of the food, no matter how many times you visit. If you’re in Takatsuki and in the mood for something other than Shio Ramen, I think you can’t go wrong by starting with this shop.

Now, here are the shop details…

P.S. If you are looking for delicious ramens in Osaka, please stop by this article below…