Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch

One weekday evening, while walking from Osaka’s Ogimachi area toward Umeda, a ramen shop caught my eye. That shop is Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch, which I’m introducing today. It was right around dinnertime, and I was thinking, “I’m hungry…” so I just wandered right in. Come to think of it, this might be my first time trying a Yokohama Iekei ramen shop in Osaka. Anyway, what kind of place was it…?

The second location of a shop founded in Nishinakajima Minamikata in November 2022… Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch is a place like this…

I hadn’t heard of a Yokohama Iekei Ramen shop called Tenraiya until now, but looking it up online, it seems Tenraiya is a relatively new Yokohama Iekei ramen shop that opened in November 2022 in Nishinakajima Minamikata, one of Osaka’s fiercest ramen battlegrounds. Looking at the shop’s Instagram, it seems the owner trained for seven years at Machida Shoten, a highly popular shop within the Iekei style. So, the Daiyuji Branch I visited this time is their second location, I suppose. Although it’s a brand new shop that just opened on March 19, 2025, being able to open a second location in such a short time surely indicates they have solid skills.

After entering, I bought a meal ticket from the vending machine on the left before taking a seat. The compact dining area had 8 counter seats and 3 tables for two, accommodating a total of 14 customers. However, I couldn’t help but feel the shop’s atmosphere was a bit gloomy… Personally, I find it concerning that the shop lacks a lively vibe, even before considering whether the ramen is good or bad.

“Yokohama Iekei ramen? What’s that?” Even if you’re clueless about it, you can still enjoy this… How was the Chashu Men I ordered at Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch?

So, let me introduce the Chashu Men (price: ¥1,260 including tax) I ordered this time at Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch. After waiting about 5 minutes after ordering, the Chashu Men brought to my table looked like this…

The bowl was a bit smaller than I expected, which was a slight disappointment, but the chashu pork covering half the surface of the bowl really does whet my appetite. Oh yes, at this shop too, the hardness of the noodles, the richness of the soup, and the amount of fat can each be customized in three levels, but for this order, I had everything set to standard.

Now, let’s dive right into the soup… True to its Iekei roots, it’s rich and deeply savory, but relatively mild for an Iekei broth. The soy sauce base has a rounded flavor, so it doesn’t hit me with a huge umami punch on the first sip. Put another way, it’s not at all heavy, letting me slurp it down smoothly. There’s absolutely no off-putting animal odor; if anything, it feels like a broth that could appeal to a wide range of tastes. For those accustomed to Iekei ramen, it might feel a bit lacking, but you can adjust it with flavor customization or the table condiments…

On the other hand, the noodles are short, flat, medium-thick noodles that fully capture the Iekei essence. However, they don’t appear to be the noodles from Sakai Seimen, the supplier often associated with Iekei shops. Well, since the owner trained at Machida Shoten, which uses homemade noodles, it’s not surprising that Sakai Seimen noodles aren’t used here. Compared to other Iekei noodles, these are slightly thinner, and the sensation when the chopsticks touch them feels a bit lighter. This reduced weight makes them easier to eat than those at other shops.

And then there’s the main topping: the chashu pork. It’s thick with fat, and eating it straight gives a heavy, substantial feel in the mouth. But when immersed thoroughly in the soup, the heat melts the fat, turning it meltingly tender. Pop it into the mouth like that, and the soup and melted fat combine to create an amplified umami that floods the palate… Getting to enjoy this sensation five times is a real treat.

While there are five condiments on the table—white sesame seeds, vinegar, doubanjiang, garlic, and chopped ginger—I finished every last drop of the soup without using them (what they call “kanmaku”). While its character isn’t overly strong, I think it’s a ramen that even someone thinking “Iekei ramen? What’s that?” could easily accept. One last thing to add: after I left the shop with a full stomach, the staff member actually chased me outside to hand me a “Kanmaku Coupon” – get ten kanmaku, and you get a free bowl of ramen. Since it’s a shop with such kind staff, I don’t think you need to worry about the service.

Register via the smartphone app for one free topping! Access to Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch is a 7-minute walk from the nearest station, Nakazakicho Station on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line.

At Yokohama Iekei Ramen Tenraiya Taiyuji Branch, download the smartphone app and register as a member to get one free topping as part of our current campaign…

This app also functions as a stamp card. Not only do you get a free topping upon initial registration, but repeated visits earn you free toppings or even a free bowl of ramen… making it a service that gets more rewarding the more you frequent the place. Can this app be used at the main branch in Nishinakajima Minamikata too? Either way, if you have the chance to visit this shop frequently, it’s definitely worth having the app on your phone.

Now, here are the shop details…

It’s about a 10-minute walk from JR Osaka Station.

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