Sapporo Ramen
It’s almost unbelievable how obsessive ramen fans can be about their favorite bowls of noodles. Up and down the length of Japan, various regional versions of ramen spawn fiercely partisan factions, and for at least thirty years Sapporo ramen has been one of the heavy hitters. But what’s the difference?Ramen is really just noodles in a broth, but variations between noodles and, especially, the soup can make two versions of the dish substantially different. Sapporo ramen is famous for its inclusion of miso in the broth, which can be pork or chicken based.
Sources disagree on the exact year that Sapporo ramen made its grand entrance, but everyone agrees that sometime between 1952 and 1962 Morita Omiya, owner of a restaurant called Aji-no-Sampei, dropped some ramen noodles into a soup of pork broth and miso (a salty, fermented soy paste) and decided he was onto something. Miso soup, of course, is one of Japan’s most basic dishes, and it’s amazing that no one had thought of doing this before. At any rate, Morita tinkered with the recipe and, when he knew he had a winner, put it on his menu and claimed his place in the ramen pantheon.
Today there are more than 1,000 ramen shops in Sapporo itself, and Sapporo ramen can be found on menus across Japan. Besides the miso base, another characteristic addition is butter and corn, two of Hokkaido’s most iconic products. It may take some getting used to, but once you’ve converted there ’s no turning back. Patty and Kevin, taking a cue from three Sapporo natives, went to Aji-no-Tokeidai, a local favorite. There’s also an alley tucked away in the Susukino drinking district called Ramen Yokocho that has dozens of ramen shops crowded together. Some noodle fans dismiss Ramen Yokocho as a tourist trap, but several of the shops are excellent. Just keep an eye out for the crowds, and don’t be afraid to wait for a seat. The shops with a lot of space at the counters are probably empty for a reason.
More Info.:
Sapporo Okurayama Ski Jump
Sapporo City:http://www.welcome.city.sapporo.jp/
