In the town of Takaida, there is a type of ramen that continues to live on.

There is no “local ramen” in Osaka. That is what I thought.
However, my perception was shaken a bit when I came to Takaida.

Takaida-style ramen” is the name of the restaurant.

This type of ramen is characterized by its extra-thick, straight noodles and a sharp, dark soy sauce broth with a hint of chicken stock and kelp. It is a combination of nostalgia and ruggedness that makes one want to call it “Chinese noodles” rather than ramen.

Chuka-soba Sumiyoshi. This is where it all began.

Chuka Soba Sumiyoshi” calls itself “the original Takaida-style ramen. Passing through the brick door, one finds the backs of regulars quietly lined up in a small space with only eight seats at the counter.

The first thing that catches the eye when ordering the standard Chinese noodle (700 yen) is the extremely thick, udon-like noodle. The noodles are chewy and firm, and are more of a “chew” ramen than a “slurp” ramen.

The taste of the soup is steeped in your memory.

The soup, made from chicken stock and kelp, with a dashi broth made from Marukin soy sauce, tastes a little sour at first, but that’s okay. But it is good. The taste slowly becomes addictive.
The chashu pork is a shoulder loin with little fat. The pork is a shoulder loin with a little fat and is topped with chopped green onions. This simple composition is clean and comfortable.

The strength of the restaurant is that it says, “We don’t change.

The current owner, Mr. Inazumi, says that he has inherited the flavor of the restaurant from his grandparents, who founded it, without changing it in any way. The noodles, soup, ingredients, and even the suppliers remain the same.

There is no lightness in the words, “We don’t do anything new. This is the taste of the town that has been preserved over time and effort. The strength of not changing lies here.

Morning ramen to fill the bellies of the workers.

There is a reason why Takaida-style ramen is “thick. This area has long been a factory town, with many jobs requiring a lot of sweat. That’s why people wanted more salt.
There is a rumor that the ramen became thicker and thicker at the request of customers. The taste of ramen has grown up. That’s a good story.

The “morning ramen” lifestyle.

Sumiyoshi opens at 8:00 am. This is quite early for ramen.This was for the night shift workers.

This morning bowl of ramen is also called “Ohayou Ramen. The aroma of the soup rising with the steam may have been a signal to start the day.

The culture of taking ramen home with you.

Sometimes they run out of noodles in the evening and close. But the regulars are not slackers. Take-out” has long been a staple at this restaurant.
In the past, customers used to have their soup filled in empty whiskey or shochu bottles. Even now, if you bring a plastic bottle or a bottle of soy sauce, you can take it home hot and fresh.

The noodles are custom-made by Young Dae Noodles. The noodles are made to order and served fresh, so you can enjoy the taste of the restaurant’s noodles at home. It is also fun to customize the noodles to your own taste.

When you eat it at home, you can make it your own as much as you like. Why don’t you find your original customization?

You can see the scenery of the town beyond this one drink.

It’s not flashy, and it’s not Instagram-worthy. But by getting to know this ramen, I think I can understand a little bit of the atmosphere of the town of Takaida.
The sweat of the workers, the persistence of the owner, and the morning routine of the regulars. All of these things are transformed into steam in the bowl, rising quietly in the air.