Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare

After visiting Nippon Ramen Rin Kyoto last fall, I thought, “Next time, I’ll try Miso Ramen there…”, and went to the affiliated restaurant Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare. This is the second branch of the famous Sapporo-based Japanese Ramen Noodle Lab Q in Kyoto, and I heard that this ramen shop offers two different types of ramen: miso ramen and Toripaitan ramen, which is different from Rin Kyoto.

While I am genuinely happy to be able to enjoy different flavors of ramen at two different locations, I myself was more interested in the miso ramen made in Kyoto by a ramen shop in Sapporo. So, one winter evening when the temperature was dropping, I visited Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare to try their Miso Ramen. Well…

A casual Japanese-style ramen restaurant in the food court of Daimaru Kyoto Branch…Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare is a ramen shop like this…

Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare is located in the 8th floor food court of Daimaru Kyoto Branch in Shijo-Karasuma, Kyoto, Japan. Actually, this is my first visit to this food court. Compared to the Takashimaya food court in Shijo-Kawaramachi, it is much more quiet, and the streets seem a bit lonely. On the same floor, there is a branch of Sumiyaki Unafuji, a famous eel restaurant in Nagoya, and a branch of Arashiyama Yoshimura, a popular soba noodle restaurant in Arashiyama, so I think there are quite a few good restaurants here.

That aside, let’s buy a meal ticket from the ticket vending machine in front of the restaurant and enter the restaurant, shall I? Compared to the nearby Nippon Ramen Rin Kyoto, which was a bit more upscale, the atmosphere of the shop was brighter and a bit more casual. There was no “seeing off” of the chefs after finishing their meal, and I think there is an aspect that this separate area is more like a regular ramen shop and can be used casually.

I ordered this ramen expecting hot Sapporo miso ramen, but… what did I think of Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare’s Hojun Miso Ramen?

Let me introduce the Hojun Miso Ramen I ordered at Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare on that day (price: 1,350 yen including tax). After handing the ticket to the waiter, it took about 5 minutes for the ramen to appear in front of me…

The toppings are gathered in the center of the bowl, somewhat reminiscent of the Japanese flag, the Hinomaru (rising sun). Looking at the rim of the soup, it appears to have a thin film of oil on it, perhaps influenced by Sapporo Junren, a leading Sapporo miso ramen restaurant?

I took a sip of the soup with this thought in mind… Huh? It’s not hot. ⁉︎ It’s a normal temperature. I was expecting the hot lard of the Junjusumi type, so this caught me by surprise in the opposite sense. The miso soup, which is a blend of seven different kinds, has a deep, salty flavor and a deep, delicious taste! It is indeed a Sapporo ramen restaurant! But it doesn’t end there. As the miso broth goes down your throat, the cool aroma of sansho (a Japanese pepper) comes wafting out of your throat and into your nose. This aroma is so pleasant that it makes you want to just keep scooping the soup into a bamboo ladle and gobbling it down.

On the other hand, the noodles are homemade, medium-thin, flat noodles with a silky and elegant texture, but the physical impact of the noodles is quite weak. If I dare to use a one-word analogy, knowing that it is a poor expression, the texture may be similar to that of flat noodles in a cup (of course, the texture is totally different from that of cup noodles). However, since these flat noodles scoop up the soup well, the flavor and aroma of the soup can be enjoyed to the fullest. Perhaps this noodle was made for this purpose.

The main topping, chashu pork, is a piece each of Kyoto Pork belly and loin. The roasted pork has a melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the roasted pork is rare and has a moist texture. But what actually had an even stronger impact than the chashu was the sprouts (is that right?) topped at the top. It seemed to be some kind of Western herb. The aroma of the sprouts lingered for a while after the meal. The aroma lingered for a while after the meal, making me feel very good.

Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare is an elegant dish that leaves a strong impact with its aroma as well as the flavor of the miso. Especially in terms of the aroma, it may be more appealing to foreigners than to Japanese. The price is a bit high, so I would say that this is the kind of ramen that you would go for when you are rich, rather than for everyday use.

Regular ramen menu at Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare (prices include tax)

• Hojun Miso Ramen　1,350 yen
• Hojun Spicy Miso ramen　1450yen
• Premium Toripaitan Ramen　1300yen

All can be changed with egg +200 yen, wontons +350 yen, chashu pork +450 yen, special version +950 yen.

Selling soy sauce ramen to-go at the store…Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare is a 3-minute walk from the nearest station, Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line (Shijo Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line).

Nippon Ramen Rin Hanare sells boxed soy sauce ramen at the store…

This soy sauce ramen is a to-go version of the soy sauce ramen served at the nearby Nippon Ramen Rin Kyoto. The box says “Made with Hokkaido Wheat ‘Kita Honami’ Noodles,” so you know they are not cutting corners just because it is a takeout item. The price for two servings of ramen is 1080 yen including tax. Why not buy one for an emergency meal or as a souvenir on your way home?

Now, here are the details of the shop…

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