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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Oton Shokudou (おとん食堂)/ Shoyuya Honten (醤油屋本店)|Ramen Diner | Iwamizawa (Kurisawa)

Located in Kurisawa, Iwamizawa, "Oton Shokudou (おとん食堂)" is a very nostalgic diner, where we can feel the 20th century atmosphere!

This is its history. His father started "Kobato ramen restaurant(小鳩ラーメン) in 1935, and his son took over it in 1977, when it was renamed "Oton Shokudou (おとん食堂)", which means my father's diner. He's never forget delicious dishes especially katsudon (bowl of rice topped with tonkatu or pork cutlet) that his parents made, and keeps their secret recipe!

Look at the autographs!! Although the diner is located in a rural area, it is a very famous and popular place. We have to wait for a while before taking a seat, especially on the weekends!

Let's enter it!
It is like a museum of the 20th century!!!

Look at the koagari, or raised tatami-floored seating area! Is this a setting for a TV drama??? We were so excited!!!

Wow! Wow! Wow!
We've found manual pachinko (Japanese pinball) machines on the wall!!!

The dishes are on an aluminium tray like traditional school lunch!!!

Which should we order???? "School lunch sets" sound very nostalgic! Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) looks very big and delicious!!
*If you are interested in a "school lunch set", please be in a hurry. Only 5 sets are served a day!

We returned to a ramen stall seat.

Let us check the menu again! Kobato ramen must be ordered, but we wanted to eat something else.......

 They serve several set menus. Sounds perfect♪

Waiting for a while, we read the newspaper article, featuring this diner.

Voila!
This is a katsudon set.
*Katsudon is a bowl of rice topped with tonkatsu.

This is the taste of the owner's parents! Yummy x 2!!

This is a set of stir-fried shrimps in chili sauce!

Hot! Hot! Hot!
The shrimps are on the very hot iron plate!!!!

This is Kobato ramen, what I really wanted to eat!!!! Actually this is a prototype of ramen eaten in 1930's - 1950's!!

While very rich miso ramen is popular in Sapporo, this is very simple, non-fatty shoyu or soy sauce-flavored ramen! Yummy x 2♪

Yes! This is what I ate when I was a child!!! The noodles are made by Nishiyama Seimen, one of the traditional ramen makers in Sapporo.

Roasted pork is like this↓ While recent ramen shops serve big and tender ones, but it tastes very nostalgic!!!

Other toppings are also simple! Yes! Simple is the best!!!

Next to "Oton shokudou", there is "Shoyuya Honten (醤油屋本店)". We cannot eat there now, but can enter the traditional diner space decorated with very traditional furniture.
*"Oton Shokudou" serve the same samen now!

Anyway, let's enter it!

Wow! Wow! Wow!
I've seen the black-and-white TV set at my grandmother's home!!!

How wonderful the wooden menu board!!!

The metal tobacco sign remains me of the good old days!!!

Kids can get the traditional sweets or candies as a present here!

I really enjoyed the museum-type diner!

■Where are "Oton Shokudou (おとん食堂)" and "Shoyuya Honten (醤油屋本店)"?

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■Tour guide information■
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