In the Ramen Hunter annual tradition, we get Frank from 5AM Ramen and Brian of Ramen Adventures back on the pod to discuss the Ramen Walker 2024 Tokyo guide. This is the 15th edition of the Ramen Walker Tokyo Guide, and there are some new things to check out in this issue. First we get to hear about Brian's recent Germany/Poland trip. He brought some well regarded Ramen Masters to run pop-ups out there, so we get some cool stories. We also touch on Ramen Festival season and highlight some that a...
Nov 07, 2023•58 min
Ramen Pharmacist's most recent hunting expedition took him to Wakayama, an underrated spot in the Ramen wilderness. This was a great chance to get him and other fans of Wakayama Ramen on the pod. Joined by Keizo Shimamoto as well as first time guest and Kansai based hunter, The Gourmet Bear. Keizo shares some updates, including a rare appearance of the Ramen Burger. We dive deep into the OG shops in Wakayama, and the fellas share some tips for navigating your way in this part of Kansai Shops men...
Aug 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min
What happens when a prominent Ramen Chef/YouTuber takes subliminal shots at the biggest Ramen YouTuber? Sparks fly!! Is there a right way and wrong way to eat Tsukemen? Are Ramen otaku's going overboard with their detailed description of the bowls? Listen as Ramen Beast and Ramen Guide break down the details and share their opinions of the drama. Shops mentioned in the pod: Totonoe ramen club トトノエ Gokan Japanese Ramen 五感 Hinari Ryuou ーめん亭 ひなり竜王 Shinsen 一番だしラーメン しんせん Hachan Ramen ハちゃんラーメン Taisei ...
Jul 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Have you listened to this podcast dreaming of making a Ramen trip to Japan? While it is fun to imagine, it can also be a bit daunting to figure out the logistics and scheduling. Ramen Fiendd and Ramen Pharmacist are two US based Hunters who join the pod to break down their recent excursion to Japan. With the overwhelming number of options, the fellas discuss their strategies for how to maximize their time on the ground. Get some tips for navigating Ramen Shops, the train system, and more with li...
Apr 17, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Join us on this episode of Ramen Hunter as we explore Ramen History with friends of the pod: Abram aka Ramen Beast and Cody aka Ramen Guide Japan. Today we look into the legendary Class of '96. A group of shops including Menya Musashi, Aoba, and Kujiraken than pushed the Ramen into the 21st Century. Learn how the things we take for granted in modern shops trace their influence to this class, from bowl construction to design aesthetic. We also discuss the passing of two significant figures in the...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 12 min
First episode of 2023, and managed to trick Keizo Shimamoto into sitting down with me to talk Ramen. First we get into Keizo's recent trip to Japan with his family. Learn tips on how to manage family when you are trying to sneak in bowls during your vacation. Hear the story of how the Mochiko/Ramen FEEL pop-up came together. We also dig into current events, including Strawberry Shortcake Ramen (??). Last year Keizo put out an Onomichi Ramen kit, which prompted me to learn what defines "Onomichi ...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Ramen Festival season is over, and I wanted to get Brian of Ramen Adventures and Kim aka The Ramen Mistress to talk about their experience at the annual Dai Tsukemen Haku Festival in Tokyo. Before getting into this years festival, Brian and Kim talk about recent slurps. We also get into the updated Hyakumeiten (Tabelog Top 100) list for 2022. Some new additions to the lists this year. Find out which shops stand out. Dai Tsukemen Haku started in 2009, and we get to hear about its evolution over t...
Dec 15, 2022•56 min
Another year, another "Tokyo Ramen of the Year" review. Bringing back Abram aka Ramen Beast and Cody aka Ramen Guide Japan for our annual discussion of the TRY rankings. Before getting into the magazine content, Abram shares some updates on the Mensho US operation including happenings at the Twitter building. Cody discusses the vibe in Tokyo with tourism openings up. We also touch on the passing of Onishi-san of Tsuta fame. The guys share their experiences at the shop, and address some of the ne...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 32 min
Able to get Frank from 5AM and Brian of Ramen Adventures back on the pod to discuss the Ramen Walker 2023 Tokyo guide. For those of you who don't know, Brian is a contributor to the Ramen Walker guides, so its always a treat to hear what he has to say. First we get to hear about Brian's recent Russia trip. Learn about the Ramen scene in places like Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Siberia. We also get into the growing trend of Automated Restaurants, even in the noodle space. Brian's breaks down this ...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Last year I stumbled across a new Ramen Hunter on IG who brought a perspective I've been really curious about: The Female Ramen Hunter. Kim aka The Ramen Mistress graces us with her presence and tells her story. Am joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen to navigate the discussion. Learn about how Kim got her Ramen start, life in Yokohama, and hunting as a woman. Is her shop experience the same as with guys? Are there any unique services she experiences due to her gender? Find out all these questions and...
Aug 10, 2022•1 hr 4 min
On a car ride through Modesto recently, I decided to grab a bowl at Konfucious Eats. I paid my respects to the chef Ernie and lo and behold he is a listener of Ramen Hunter! After staring at his Yamato Richmen Noodle Machine sitting in the restaurant floor, I knew I had to hear his story. Earnie got some of his friends to join the pod, so we're also blessed with the presence of Ryan from Oniyatai Ramen (Salem, OR) and Alan aka gamer.ramen, an up and coming Ramen creator. Hear their respective Ra...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 17 min
I saw an interesting tweet announcing a new Ramen Noodle company in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I had to investigate. Figured this would be a good time to talk specifically about noodles and give the listeners a taste of how complicated this rabbit hole is. I enlisted Mike Satinover aka Ramen Lord to help me in our discussion with Shotaro Uchida-san of Iseya Craft Noodle. Uchida-san is gearing up to launch in April this year, and we wanted to hear his story. Learn about the definitive ingred...
Mar 29, 2022•1 hr 9 min
I got hit up by Shawn aka Ramen Fiend asking why I don't do an episode about Ramen Hunters in the US? This Schmoe was at a loss, and asked him to round up some friends to educate me on the Southern California Ramen scene. Ramen Fiend is joined by Ramen Zac, and Raphael (aka Yolo), and they drop knowledge on the evolution of Ramen in Southern California. Learn about the first dedicated Ramen shop that started in the 70's, along with the different trends that defined SoCal Ramen through the decade...
Mar 04, 2022•59 min
Honored to sit down with Hideyuki Yamashita-san, founder of Yamachan Ramen and a Ramen veteran with over 40 years of experience. Yamashita-san shares the history of Nagasaki Champon, a style first served in 1907 at a shop called Shikairou . Learn how a chain called Ringer Hut took this style and made it famous across Japan. Hear about Yamashita-san's start in Ringer Hut Japan, and the journey to bring this chain to the US. We learn how Yamashita-san pivoted from Ringer Hut to his own brand, Yama...
Dec 16, 2021•45 min
Abram aka Ramen Beast and Cody aka Ramen Guide Japan are back on the pod to discuss another issue of Tokyo Ramen of the Year (TRY) 2021-2022 magazine rankings. Before getting into the magazine content, we discuss a recent tweet storm that sent the Tokyo Ramen scene ablaze. What is a Ramen "critic", and what value do they have for shop owners. What happens when critics cross a line? We also into the new Tokyo Ramen of the Year (TRY) 2021-2022 magazine that dropped on 10/22. What do the fellas thi...
Oct 28, 2021•1 hr 18 min
Joined by the Frank from 5AM and Brian of Ramen Adventures fame to discuss the Ramen Walker 2022 Tokyo guide. Brian is an annual contributor to the guide, so his input is invaluable. First we get into recent slurps (1:34). We discuss an update to the Tokyo Ramen Street in Tokyo Station (9:24). We also touch upon the growing trend of frozen ramen (12:02). I ask the guys their thoughts on the cancellation of the Dai Tsukemen Rahaku Event (17:21). Brian's kicks off the Ramen Walker 2022 discussion ...
Sep 15, 2021•1 hr 16 min
Joined by the Ramen Hunting crew of Noodle Slurp, Ramen Guide Japan, and Nama Japan. First we discuss recent slurps (1:44). We also get into Nama Japan's story (11:15) and learn about his website and YouTube channel. Later on, Ramen Guide Japan shares some secrets to increasing web traffic and sales on websites (19:49). We get into the history of Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto (25:11), a Spicy Ramen chain that has a cult following. Noodle Slurp is THE expert in the English speaking world on Mouko Tanmen ...
Aug 13, 2021•1 hr 20 min
Joined by friends of the pod, Abram Plaut and Keizo Shimamoto! First we discuss Keizo's new position as Director of Innovation at Myojo Noodle (0:44) Abram also shares updates on MENSHO's activities in the US (9:00). The guys also discuss the new trend in Japan of Ramen Vending Machines with frozen noodle kits (15:13). Will this be a thing?? We get into the background of Kannana (33:40), a 50km road arcing around Tokyo that is dotted with Ramen shops. This stretch of road heated up in the 80's i...
Jun 06, 2021•1 hr 20 min
Bizentei is a fantastic Ramen Shop that's been around since 1979. On a trip earlier this year I noticed a poster for "Come Back Anytime", an upcoming documentary about the shop. My curiosity was piqued, and reached out to Director John Daschbach and Producer Wataru Yamamoto to discuss their project. John and Wataru share what inspired them to make the film, and give us wonderful stories about the Master Ueda-san and his wife. Bizentei has no successor so watch as Ueda-san lives life to the fulle...
Apr 24, 2021•1 hr 17 min
A recent trip to the Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum inspired me to do an episode on instant noodles. Gathered up my old friend 5AM Ramen along with the greatest instant ramen expert in the world, Hans aka The Ramen Rater. The guys talk about recent slurps (1:46) including a product that can best be described as "motel air conditioning" flavored (4:22). Hans tells us about his start as The Ramen Rater (13:00). We dig into the life story of Ando Momofuku-san (24:12), the founder of Nissin Foods and t...
Mar 27, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Joined on this episode by friends of the pod Abram aka Ramen Beast and Cody aka Ramen Guide Japan. We first talk about recent slurps, including Ramen Mu (6:21) which provides syringes to shoot up your ramen bowl. Abram recommends Shimomae Shoten (11:27) in Yokohama Chinatown. Edwin asks the guys about their thoughts on a new "healthier noodle" product launched by Sakai Seimen (13:12). We get into a legendary Tokyo shop called Ichijo-ryu Ganko Ramen (18:15). You won't find this shop in Michelin o...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Joined on this episode by friends of the pod Abram aka Ramen Beast, Brian aka Ramen Adventures, and first time guest Mike Satinover aka Ramen Lord. Listen as Brian experiences an extortion attempt while we are recording! We cover some recently slurped bowls, and talk about Mike's Ramen journey through Sapporo to his home kitchen in Chicago. The guys kick knowledge on Sapporo style Miso Ramen, from the pre-Miso years to the OG shop Aji no Sanpei. We cover the evolution of the Miso Ramen scene in ...
Jan 24, 2021•1 hr 35 min
Joined this episode by the friends of the pod Abram aka Ramen Beast, Brian from Ramen Adventures, and Frank from 5AM Ramen. We touch on the recently announced Michelin Guide Ramen list, as well as the Tabelog Top 100. Is Brian a secret Michelin reviewer?? The guys also share their picks (bowls eaten in 2020) for the following: - Overall top 3 shops - Shop that required the most effort to get to - Coolest shop atmosphere - Shop that best represents 2020 to you - Shop that could be a trendsetter f...
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr 18 min
Joined this episode by the friends of the pod Abram aka Ramen Beast and Keizo Shimamoto, noted LA Clippers fan. We get into current events, especially the recent effects of COVID19 on Abram and Keizo. Also get to hear about Abram's crazy trip to Fukuoka which segues into a deep dive into Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen. We cover some of the history, and Keizo walks us through the tricky process of cooking the stuff. We also get into how Hakata Ramen blew up and became a global phenomenon. The guys share t...
Dec 04, 2020•1 hr 31 min
Joined this episode by the famed Ramen Hunters Brian from Ramen Adventures and Frank from 5AM Ramen. The guys share their experience at the newly launched Ramen Walker Kitchen in Saitama, featuring a "who's who" of Ramen Masters. We also get into Franks recent travels in Aomori prefecture to sample the local Ramen styles. Learn about Tsugaru Niboshi Ramen and the infamous Miso Curry Milk Ramen. We also review the Fuji TV Ramen special "鬼旨ラーメングランプリ第二弾" that aired on 11/08/2020. This show featured...
Nov 15, 2020•1 hr 8 min
Am joined this episode by Abram aka Ramen Beast and Cody aka Ramen Guide Japan, two elite English speaking Ramen Hunters. These guys are on a mission to hit-up every Ramen Jiro, a soul crushing style of Ramen know for volumes of noodles, vegetables, and oil. Ramen Jiro is a genre that literally has a cult following. Ramen Jiro is also notorious for shunning media, so it's tough to get English language (and even Japanese) info. Jiro Heads are not necessarily Ramen Heads, so the culture has evolve...
Nov 01, 2020•1 hr 28 min
Abram Plaut aka Ramen Beast joins the pod for a chat. We cover his journey morphing into the Ramen Beast, as well as his involvement with Menya Shono's overseas projects. We also dig into his Ramen travels, specifically his recent trip to Okayama prefecture which has some hidden ramen secrets. Do they really put Tonkatsu in Tonkotsu?? Abram also tells us about some of the elusive bowls on his wish list. Listen closely, and take notes on what it truly takes to call ones self a Ramen Hunter!!...
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 12 min
Frank from 5AM Ramen joins as we have a conversation with Ramen Walker contributor Brian MacDuckston of Ramen Adventures. Ramen Walker publishes an annual guide of worthwhile shops to check out, and we dig into the Tokyo edition that dropped on 9/07. We touch on new shops, the best of various styles, the Grand Prix Rankings, and more! This years edition features 429 shops, so its a bit overwhelming. Join as as we navigate the content and talk about shops we are excited about. Ramen Walker Tokyo ...
Sep 13, 2020•1 hr 21 min
Brian MacDuckston of Ramen Adventures fame sits down for a pod! We dig into the tools that Ramen Hunters use to guide their slurping activities. Hear about his involvement with Ramen Walker, one of the top annual guides for Ramen content across Japan. We also get into Brian's TV appearances and interaction with pop idols. Make sure to Google "Go!オスカル!X21" to see some of his hilarious appearances. In honor of (the end of) summer, we also discuss the combination of Ramen and Shaved Ice. A natural ...
Sep 04, 2020•1 hr 28 min
Keizo Shimamoto of Ramen Shack/Ramen Burger fame sits down for a chat. We cover his blogging days and journey to Japan. Learn about Tantantei and other shops that influenced Keizo. We also discuss going from being jobless in New York to becoming an overnight sensation with the Ramen Burger. Learn the story behind the Ramen Shack and his current project, Shimamoto Noodle. Most importantly, listen to the end in order to learn Keizo's DJ name!
Aug 20, 2020•1 hr 10 min
