夫婦で守り続けるシーサイド激渋ドライブイン食堂に密着！

夫婦で守り続けるシーサイド激渋ドライブイン食堂に密着！

(Man) Mom, what’s the daily special? (Employee) Sashimi. Freshly caught that
morning . The sashimi is delicious. And it’s rare to get this many side dishes
too . Katsudon . I think the owner is a kind-hearted
person. He treats everyone the same. We’re all treated so kindly . Everything is
delicious . Operating for 50 years near the giant
Meoto Iwa rocks!
Up close with the couple whose shop serves
delicious fresh local fish Sakihama-cho, Muroto City, Kochi
Prefecture Along the Tosa Higashi Highway,
National Route 55 Established 1972 “Drive-In Meotoiwa” The owner and his wife (late 70s) Staff: How long has this shop been open? Over 50 years now. My dad ran it . Back then, you know, there weren’t any
convenience stores. It was busy. We stayed open until 10 PM . Opened past 8 AM too . We’d fillet the yellowfin tuna caught
locally in fixed nets . Staff) Your parents started the shop in
1972? Yes, yes. The owner originally worked elsewhere. He
was also a fixed net fisherman . He’d go out to retrieve the nets for fixed
net fishing , called Shiina Ooshi. We store the tuna in coolers to keep their
color beautiful . Staff) Is the fish served at the shop from
this area? Yeah, it’s from the fixed nets. We catch tuna , yellowtail… We were shown a whale caught in the fixed
nets . Various fish get caught in the nets,
sometimes even megamouth sharks . Staff) What was this area like before
the national highway was built ? There were no shops at all. Just gravel roads. Not a single store . Staff) Wasn’t anyone living here either? No one lived here. It was all rice fields. Cut the wild vegetable itadori. Mirin, sugar. Stir-fry until the flavors blend. Top with ground sesame seeds to finish. Cut cucumber . Cut dried tofu. Cooking sake, mirin, sugar, and other
seasonings into a pot and simmer lightly. The waves came all the way up to here. It was a typhoon heading for Chiba. About five years ago, the typhoon flooded
the shop. The vending machines were washed away, and all the glass broke . This is the road. After everyone came, they helped us get
things out. Staff) The refrigerator and air
conditioner too. So we closed for about a week. People from the aquarium that opened in
Muroto came to help with cleanup . Staff) The shop flooded and was ruined. Staff) I thought , “Let’s just quit here .” There’s no shop around here. And then I thought the pilgrims would be
in trouble. Everyone helped us out . Add beaten egg to the simmered dried
tofu in seasonings to complete the
simmered dish . Green beans with sesame dressing,
simmered dried tofu, stir-fried knotweed .
Three side dishes done. Chopping onions. Staff) Who taught you to cook? I just started because I liked it. Learned naturally. Used to prepare things on the boat, the
food we ate ourselves . Open the curtain. About 26 table seats . Sashimi set meal 1300 yen . Daily
special set meal 1000 yen . Today’s special : Sashimi from Shiina
Oshiki. Inside the shop is a wood stove made using
a truck wheel crafted by the owner’s
friend . Op ens at 10: The bright yellow building stands out
along the coast , catching your eye when
driving along National Route 55 . Open . Hours : 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (May close
early) . Closed Fridays (may be closed
irregularly). Making Katsudon Add sugar , soy sauce , and thinly sliced
onions. Bring to a light simmer . Add green onions and beaten eggs . Fry the pork cutlet. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Pour the finished egg mixture over the
cutlet. Arrange the side dishes prepared since
morning . A variety of side dishes line
the kitchen counter . Katsudon 750 yen (includes 5 side dishes) The katsudon, finished with a perfectly
runny, half-cooked egg . The thick, crispy-fried cutlet is
incredibly satisfying! The thick, crispy
cutlet is incredibly satisfying! We also had coffee . Packing rice into bento boxes. Dishes prepared since morning line up in
the kitchen : cabbage salad with
whitebait, fresh onion salad, etc. The side dishes change daily. Placing side dishes into aluminum cups. Marinated and grilled mahi-mahi . Staff: “Is the mahi-mahi also caught in
Muroto?” Yes, it was caught in a fixed net . The marinated and grilled mahi-mahi is
ready . Bento boxes are made to order for
neighbors. Handmade bento boxes using
local ingredients . The bento is complete . An order comes in for the daily special set meal. Sashimi for the daily special
set meal . Fresh sashimi procured by the
owner himself every morning. Cutting and placing lemon slices. Preparing miso soup . The daily special set meal is complete. Two customers, one man and one woman,
order the daily special . Customers visiting from Kochi City . Staff ) How’s the sashimi? It’s delicious. It’s incredibly thick. It’s pretty rare to get this many side
dishes too , I think. Savoring fresh sashimi from Muroto! Cutting tuna heart . 11:14 Two men arrive. Man) Mom, what’s
the daily special? Employee) Daily special
sashimi. Freshly caught this morning .
Ordered the daily special and sashimi set
meal . One more man arrives . Employee) What would you like today? Man) Today’s special, rice served. Cutting tuna . Sorry for the wait. The sashimi set comes with shrimp. A customer from Muroto. Visits every time
they come home. The sashimi is delicious. The local fish is delicious. The portions are quite generous too. And the price is cheap. Enjoying the owner’s carefully selected,
freshly caught tuna… One male customer orders the daily special
set meal . He eats the variety of side dishes… takes a big bite of sashimi, stuffs his mouth full of rice . Male) Thank you for the meal . Employee)
Thank you. We use Koshihikari rice from Kochi
Prefecture . Two male regulars visit . They order the
daily special . Two daily specials, please . Here you go . Staff) How long have you been coming to
the shop ? The man on the right is a regular who’s
been coming for 30 years. He stops by whenever he comes to surf . Staff: Where are you from? I’m from Amagasaki City . I’ve been coming for about 15 years now . I’m drawn to the kindness of the owner
and his wife . They treat me so well . Everything is delicious . A regular who’s been coming since the
previous owner’s time. Chatting casually
with his wife over coffee . Leaves the restaurant full. Heads
towards the clear blue sea… 12:16 Prepare daikon radish garnish. One male customer arrives. Orders sashimi set meal. Sashimi set meal . First, a big bite of rice… Wrap the sashimi in shiso leaf and savor
it together! The miso soup is packed with ingredients
and delicious! With fresh sashimi and superb side dishes,
I finish every last grain. Leaving the restaurant deeply satisfied
after enjoying the bounty of the sea. 12:43 Two customers, one man and one woman ,
order the sashimi set meal . The female customer takes a sip of miso
soup first … She progresses through the sashimi and
side dishes, also enjoying the view of the
Pacific Ocean from the window… Making shrimp tempura. Shrimp set meal 1300 yen. Set includes rice, miso soup, and side
dishes. Two large, hearty shrimp. Enjoying the golden-brown fried shrimp . Crispy and delicious! The hearty miso soup is comforting and
delicious! Surrounded by mountains and sea , the
restaurant flows with nature’s leisurely
pace… Making Amakusa yōkan. Washing it under running water while
breaking it apart . As the marine environment changes, the
amount of Amakusa yōkan harvested
decreases year by year . Simmering it down with vinegar. Tomorrow’s side dish: simmered bamboo
shoots and chicken. Making omelet rice. Cutting onions, bell peppers, and fish
cake. Stir-frying them in a pan . Adding rice. Salt, pepper, ketchup. Stir-fry while mixing to blend the flavors
. Top with the ketchup rice prepared earlier
. Omelet Rice: ¥650. A large omelet generously wrapped around
ketchup rice . The thinly fried egg is cooked firm , and
the tangy ketchup is irresistible… 00 Close shop. After closing, fold the hand towels . I asked about the owner and his wife . They’re very kind . I think they’re warm-hearted people, and they treat everyone the same. Their words might be rough, but I believe
they have compassion. Preparing marinated mahi-mahi . After 6:00, head to the port to buy fish . Go to Shiina Fisheries. Look at the fish and find what to use that
day . Come back and prepare it . Put it in the next day’s lunch boxes .
Preparing fried mahi-mahi. Salt and pepper . Staff: Is the daily special only
sashimi? Yeah, yeah . Only when we’re really low on sashimi do we think of something else . But that means we have to go buy
ingredients every day . Staff: Why go to such lengths? It’s the desire to serve delicious food. We don’t use instant ingredients for our
bento either. Preparing the fried fish is complete . Straining the reduced, melted Amakusa
syrup . We used to serve it in the shop too, but
since the harvest is small, we prepare it
for the next day’s bento. Pouring the strained syrup into trays,
coloring it with syrup , preparation
complete. Sweeping the shop floor . Peeling sweet potatoes for the sweet
potato fries . Preparing ingredients even after closing
time. Preparing for the next day’s business… “Drive-In Meotoiwa”
in Muroto. Located in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture . A
10-minute walk north from JR Ritsurin Park
Station. A long-established udon shop behind the
prefectural government building. Founded
in 1973. Sakaba Udon Main Store. 3:45 AM. President Sakaba arrives at work at
3:30 AM . He forms the dough into balls the previous
day and begins kneading early in the
morning . Preparing 1,000 servings of (small
portions) of udon. To stretch the dough with a rolling pin
and strengthen it, he treads it three
times total . Next, he stretches it with the rolling
pin and cuts it . When making udon, he visualizes how best
to stretch it . With his hands, he can press firmly or
stretch gently as needed. He checks the dough’s condition, thinking,
“Is it like this?” or “Should I stretch it a bit larger?” or
“Should I stretch it a bit smaller? ” (Years as an udon artisan) About 16
years since I was a salaryman. I started doing it back in my student
days. So if you think about it , it’s been about
45 years . Sakabashi Udon was originally a noodle
factory . The main store bought the location from
customers during the noodle factory days. The current president took over from the
previous owner five years ago . Before that, he ran another Sakabashi
Udon branch . He manages five stores in total. On weekdays, we make enough udon for 3,750
servings . On weekends, 5,000 servings . The busiest periods like New Year’s see 8,000-9,000 servings. We load the
goods and move them to the main store .
Sakabashi Udon Main Store 5:05 AM Employees arrive. Preparation begins . Transfer the broth for buckwheat noodles
to tanks in the dining area . Udon broth . Green onions, tempura crumbs, and toasted sesame seeds for optional toppings
. Wash thoroughly. Extract the second batch
of broth. Produce six large pots of broth daily. The first two batches each morning are
prepared by the previous president . Kombu, dried sardines, and flying fish. Set the timer for boiled eggs . Suppliers deliver chikuwa and fish paste
products. Arrange fish paste products. Fried tofu . Burdock root from Aomori
Prefecture . Simmer before frying tempura . Simmering before
frying softens the texture. Boiled eggs finish cooking . Sweet potatoes for tempura. Thoroughly remove pumpkin seeds. Cut off stems . Cut into tempura pieces. Onions. Shred for kakiage. Shredded for use . 5: 36 Chicken breast for chicken tempura . Frying . Make tempura batter . Sift to prevent lumps. Gradually add water while stirring. Flour for dusting. Make conger eel tempura . Conger eel tempura fries . Chikuwa tempura. Peel boiled eggs. Thoroughly pat dry . Coat in tempura batter and fry. Boiled egg tempura. Chikuwa, Anago, squid tentacle tempura
complete. Cut vegetables for kakiage . Julienne carrots . Kakiage vegetables complete. 5:42 Mr. Sakaeda arrives at the shop. Stretches the dough . Opens at 7:00 (varies by day). Regular holiday: Sunday (Saturdays may be
closed irregularly). Parking available. Total 48 seats . Self-serve udon broth. Table condiments: sesame, soy sauce,
shichimi pepper. Plain udon (small) ¥280. Meat udon (small)
¥530 . Tempura: All items ¥120. About 60 varieties of fish cakes and fried
items available daily. The first regular customer arrives and
chats with Mr. Sakaeda . Udon and soba are boiled in large pots . Staff: “Isn’t it a bit early to open?” We start prep at 6 and let regulars in. Officially opens at 7, but salarymen start coming around 6:30. Tuesdays are especially slow. Yesterday was busy though. Rinse soba in water . Divide into individual portions. Roll out dough with rolling pin. Cut rolled dough . Boil in large pot. Check udon condition and transfer to water . Quickly rinse in water . Sorry for the wait . Here you go. Two servings of soba to go,
two dashi packs to go. Medium kake udon +
tempura . Drain the noodles to my preferred
firmness. Top with fried tofu. Sprinkle green onions and tempura
crumbs. Turn the tap and pour the dashi . Slurp the udon. The familiar udon I crave from early
morning . The rich, flavorful dashi permeates my
whole body . Savor the dashi to the last drop . Clean plate! Season the sardines . Coat the pumpkin and sweet potato coated
with flour . Freshly fried sardines . Arrange shrimp tempura . Order small plain udon and inari. Inari 120 yen . Here you go . Small plain udon . Place in a tebo . Regulars blanch it to
their liking . Self-service tempura . Add condiments. Pour in broth. Let’s eat. First, bite into the whole chikuwa
tempura. Slurp the udon . Staff) What did you have today? Plain udon and two tempura pieces . Delicious. That’s my favorite. 6:15 AM Working guys come in before their
shifts. Enjoying udon and tempura for breakfast. Return the bowls to the return area . Full bellies, rubbing sleepy eyes, off to work. Here you go, sorry for the
wait . Regular customer who ordered plain soba
and whole fish cake tempura . Staff) Do you come here often? Yeah, every day. For breakfast before
work. Staff) How long have you been coming? “I’d say about 20 years. Might be longer . ” (What do you order?) “Soba. Soba. It suits my taste perfectly. I’ll keep
coming.” Gaining energy at Sakabashi Udon, heading
to work . Kake Udon ( Small ) with fried tofu skin and chikuwa
tempura . Pouring the broth. Topping with
green onions and tempura crumbs . Kake
Udon (Small) 250 yen , Chikuwa Tempura 120
yen, Fried tofu 120 yen. A whole, large chikuwa
tempura is incredibly satisfying. Large fried tofu. Soaked in broth,
delicious… Firm, springy udon noodles . Perfectly
paired with the broth… The aroma of dried sardines fills your
mouth. Wakame seaweed . Pour broth . Plain udon (small) 250 yen. Shrimp tempura
120 yen, Wakame 120 yen The joy of eating freshly made udon first
thing in the morning . Staff) How’s the rain affecting things? It’s affecting it, yeah. Totally. It’s different now. About 150 fewer
people. 7:00 A regular who comes every morning . Here, I ordered a small plain udon + one
tempura and ate it. Staff) What kind of tempura? Usually fish cake . Here they give you a whole one . Most places cut it in half, but Sakabashi-san’s is a whole piece . It’s a
satisfying amount. It’s like having it with rice. You could
eat it every day and never get tired of
it. Customers keep coming in from early
morning seeking udon. Finding time to stretch the dough . Noodle making . Boiling in the large pot. Here you go! Thank you! Meat for the meat udon. Coat boiled eggs in batter and fry them . Shrimp tempura . Arrange the freshly made tempura . Welcome! Three university students arrive. Order small plain udon + one tempura each. That’ll be 400 yen each. Let’s eat. Staff) Do you come to the shop often? No, this is our first time . Staff) Where did you come from today? From Shiga Prefecture. The noodles feel firm . Delicious! Refilling the udon broth. Refill complete! Two women arrive. Order small plain udon, small cold plain
udon + tempura. Choose sardine tempura . Let’s eat! First, savor the broth. Mmm! Delicious. Delicious… Next, the noodles. We came from Kanagawa. It’s delicious, isn’t it ? It’s delicious! Wiping down the table. I moved here from Nara a year and a half
ago. I come every morning. I looked around a lot, but I come here
every morning . It’s the only place like this in
Takamatsu City . I went all over Takamatsu, but this
place is close and the best. Two customers (male and female) arrive . Ordered medium Kama-tama udon and small
plain udon . So many kinds of tempura, hard to
choose. Let’s eat . Mmm, delicious . Staff) Where are you from? We’re from Shiga We’re going to a live show, so we figured we should eat udon while
we’re here . It’s delicious! Delicious! Even just the udon noodles are tasty. The broth is pretty light, but the flavor is solid, so it’s delicious . You could almost drink it. Checking the boil by touch. Putting freshly boiled udon into the bowl . Cracking in a raw egg . Pouring the broth over it completes the
Kama-tama udon . Looks super tasty . Topping with tempura flakes and green
onions . Mixing the broth, udon, and egg well . Damn good! Want some? So good! Yep! Delicious. It’s kind of different. Kama-tama Udon (Small) 380 yen. Udon, Mix the broth, udon , and egg well . The noodles are
chewy, and the broth and egg cling to
them… irresistible. As customers order,
set the udon in bowls . Make meat-topped udon . Add meat and grated daikon radish . Pour the broth over it to finish . Make meat udon . Tempura fritters . Tempura keeps getting added one after
another . Keep boiling the udon . 11: 10 Customers start lining up. We serve them in no time. Skim off impurities. Taste test . Remove kombu and dried sardines . Add bonito flakes . Replenish broth for peak hours. Staff) Do you come to the shop often? Every day. My usual: Bukkake, Bukkake, and Kake-kō. Sweet potato and chikuwa. Pretty much set lol. I get burdock root tempura . Cheap and tasty. That chewy texture is just different from
other places, right? The broth suits my taste best. Chikuwa tempura. Poke it with chopsticks to make sure the
inside is hollow. Chikuwa tempura comes in two types:
regular and seaweed-coated. Five customers (two men, three women)
arrive. They order one by one . Staff) Is this your first time here? Yes, it is. We came from Tokyo. On a trip . We were dying to come. Staff) What did everyone order? I ordered bukkake udon. I got hiyakake
udon . Kama-tama . I ordered niku udon! Hiyakake udon is cheap! Staff) How’s the authentic Sanuki udon
taste? It’s exceptional. So happy. The chewiness is different . Seriously… so chewy! The broth is delicious too! I could come here every day. 12:05 A line stretching to the entrance. A man in work clothes orders medium
bukkake udon + rice ball + 2 tempura. Sprinkles shichimi pepper. It was incredibly chewy and delicious
udon. I had the bukkake udon. It was light and
tasty. Medium kake udon . Meat udon. Medium kake udon 330 yen . Thank you. Here you go, warm . ~ Locals and working salarymen flock here
for udon. 12:30 The line that stretched to the
entrance is finally cleared . Staff: (Usually) Is the line longer than
this? Yeah, we line up. From around 12:00 until about 40 minutes
later, we just keep lining up . Meat Udon (Small) 530 yen. The sweet meat and broth match perfectly,
it’s the best. Meat Bukkake Udon (Small) 590 yen . The meat’s umami soaks into the broth,
it’s irresistible… The tender beef and udon go together
perfectly. It was super delicious . The noodle chewiness is totally
different! The soy sauce broth was incredibly tasty I ate a lot of Kama-tama and Meat Bukkake
Udon . The portions were huge too! The grated daikon and lemon on the Meat
Bukkake Udon were the best . They paired perfectly. Putting in disposable chopsticks. Refilling the table condiments . Since there are a lot of regulars, you
kind of get familiar faces. Just by looking at their faces, you can
tell who likes kama-tori (hot pot style), so sometimes the egg comes before the
order is even placed . That’s how it is
when there are lots of regulars . But it’s nice, right? They come every day. 3:00 PM Closing time. (Once noodles run
out) Sold out for today! Finished. Start cleaning the kitchen . Scrub every corner . Transfer leftover broth from the tank. The last customer leaves . Kochi Prefecture “Ekimae Shokudo” Self-service style: Choose your favorite
side dishes from the showcase . Fried rice, omelet rice , hamburg steak. The noodles are a bit tricky to eat, like soba dough. The broth was delicious, though. Hinohikari rice, home-grown . Amego trout are currently being farmed
too. Deep in the mountains, isolated from
civilization, we follow a long-established
diner run by a couple . Nagaoka District, Kochi Prefecture.
2-minute walk south from Tosa-Kitakawa
Station. Standing in the quiet mountain valley.
Established 1969 “Ekimae Shokudo” 6:00 AM Owner arrives, lights the wood stove . Staff: “It’s pretty cold, huh ? But today’s warmer than usual.” Showa-era interior. Broth made with Rishiri kelp and bonito flakes. This is the parent chicken. Shiitake mushrooms, ginger . Shiitake mushrooms—we make them at home,
so we add those dried shiitake . Owner’s wife : “What else do you grow at home ?” Chinese cabbage, cabbage , potatoes too. We grow all sorts of things . Carrots, tomatoes. We have rice fields . We have an old-fashioned combine harvester
, but now we cut with a binder and dry it . What variety is this? Hinohikari . What kind of rice do you use in the
shop? We grow our own . We also sell our homegrown shiitake
mushrooms and rice . Onions. Since we’re not a set-menu restaurant, the
daily dishes change . It’s kind of like whatever comes to mind
that day . Just like what mom would make at home . Like, “Okay, let’s make this today .” Staff: By the way, what about today? I was thinking maybe hamburgers. Breadcrumbs . Staff: Is that sound a train? Train? More like a locomotive here. Divide it into equal portions. I had some coffee . Staff) How many years ago did the shop
open ? 55 years. They built a railway bridge here, so the old shop was demolished. We rebuilt it here later . When the expressway was built? Business plummeted. Lots of shops closed
down. They get cut out of the middle, haha . It decreased significantly? This area too. Within a kilometer , there were three places , and they’ve all
closed. How many years ago did the generational
change happen? About one or two years ago. Grilling the prepared hamburgers. Staff) What did you originally do? I was a consultant too . In Tokyo . Thirty-one years in Tokyo . Left your hometown and stayed in Tokyo
the whole time? I was in Okayama as a student . Four years
there, then Tokyo . I saw my mom on Street View. It was around this time of year . She was dressed for the cold . She looked lonely . That’s why I came back . When things
settled at work . Staff) You came back . What are you
doing now? Now it’s the cafeteria, the fields, the
rice paddies , fishing, and forestry too. I’m raising amago trout, or sweetfish, a
bit. Currently farming them in the upper pond . Then, about two years ago , I ran for election. Everyone voted for me , so now I’m serving as a council member . Pasta seasoned with wakame rice furikake. Making hamburger sauce . Tomatoes. The hamburgers are done. Simmered with yellowtail roe . Simmered konjac in miso broth. Self-service side dishes. The ayu sweetfish were caught downstream .
Ayu. Around here we call it a set net, but nationally it’s called a gill net. You set the net against the current to
drive them in and catch them. Simmered daikon and scallop roe. Nikujaga . Carefully cracking the eggs to avoid
shells . Mixing thoroughly . Simmered greens. Tamagoyaki. One after another , they’re lined up in
the showcase. The shop owner’s uncle. Lots of delicious-looking side dishes
lined up . The day’s menu is written by hand. Staff: How about the flavor of the
shiitake mushrooms your nephew makes ? They’re delicious . Purchased some shiitake mushrooms and
left. Tachikawa Soba 650 yen, Beef Curry 700
yen, Miso Ramen 650 yen, Shoyu Ramen 550 yen
(Oden currently unavailable) Today’s Menu: Handmade Hamburger Steak 400
yen, Meat and Potato Stew 250 yen, Simmered Konjac with Sand-like Texture 210
yen, Wild Sweetfish Nanban 700 yen . Nutritional drinks, alcoholic beverages,
non-alcoholic drinks available . Table condiments : Soy sauce,
Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu sauce,
ichimi pepper, white pepper, black pepper,
Sesame Salt, Homemade Umeboshi Homemade Umeboshi Open at 7:00 AM Business Hours 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Closed:
2nd & 4th Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays We keep goats on the premises . The couple enjoys breakfast together. Staff) What do you recommend? We don’t really have recommendations. Everything we serve is meant to be eaten
as a side dish with rice , so there’s no one specific thing . Truck drivers come in a lot , so fried
foods sell well . When older folks come, simmered dishes are
popular. For noodles or rice dishes, which ones
sell best? Ramen and Tachikawa soba. For the ramen toppings, we use green onions grown at home , homemade chashu pork , and boiled eggs. We used to use Tosa Jiro eggs, but since they stopped laying, we now use eggs from a Kochi poultry farm. We raise Amego trout behind the shop . They’re cannibalistic, so we have to
feed them constantly . On weekdays, about 5-10 people, and
about 10-15 on weekends and holidays . Staff: I think it’s called Ekimae
Shokudo … The station is over there , on that iron bridge . Did the grandmother run it alone? Yeah, my mom helped out too when she was
young. I guess I took over, or rather, since
there aren’t many jobs in the countryside,
it just sort of happened that way . So I’m the third generation? Yeah, I’m the third generation . Tosa Jiro. Customer arrived by motorcycle. Ordered Tachikawa soba . Never had soba like this before. Wondered what it’d be like . It’s delicious . Feels a bit different from regular soba
. The noodles are a bit thicker, right? Staff) How’s the shop’s atmosphere? Nice. Thank you. It’s like soba-gaki. The noodles are a bit thicker and quite filling. Staff) Quite a strong soba aroma? Yeah. Also, the broth has shiitake mushrooms and things like that. Shiitake, bracken
fiddleheads… The broth was delicious. Packing their own rice into bags . Their home-grown shiitake mushrooms are
thick and have a great aroma. That day , the second customer arrived. Welcome! Yes, please. Choose your favorite side dishes and heat
them in the microwave . Tea is self-service. Pour the broth into a pot and put it on
the stove. Miso. Dissolve the miso and add vegetables. Homegrown Hinohikari rice, miso soup, pickles. Staff) Do you come to the shop often? Yeah . How’s the food? It’s good! Please eat. Since you ordered your usual earlier , this combination is pretty much…? Same. They make it when they see your face . Conversation flows, and customers
leisurely savor their meal. Once again , the truck drives off,
returning to work . Time flows slowly at “Ekimae Shokudo. ” Customers who came to buy rice and
shiitake mushrooms. I pass through here
quite often . When it’s not busy, I
thought I’d like to stop by sometime .
Staff) So today is your first time? Yes, this is my first time buying here. Inside, paintings by the owner’s wife are
displayed . She writes the base and then arranges her favorite colors
herself . Sometimes she displays them in the shop.
Shiitake Fried Rice. The owner and his wife’s lunch. Shiitake Fried Rice. Tachikawa Soba . Broth made with bonito flakes and soup made with old hen . We blend these
two types together. Putting the pot on the fire . Yuzu pepper Soba noodles , fried tofu, bracken fern, shiitake
mushrooms, fish cake, simmered egg , and green onions are added to complete
it . Tachikawa Soba: 650 yen. I’m happy it’s loaded with toppings. The fried tofu, soaked in plenty of broth,
is juicy. Egg, here I come . The noodles are quite thick, and the
buckwheat aroma really stands out . What’s on top is shiitake mushrooms. Homemade. They dry the shiitake mushrooms
and simmer them. We add seasoned bracken fern, dried and
rehydrated from local mountains . The noodles’ characteristic is they’re
tricky to eat—they break into chunks . They’re thick , about the size of these
chopsticks , so the texture is closer to soba dough. Because they’re thick, the buckwheat aroma
doesn’t escape . Staff: What percentage buckwheat flour
is used? This is 100% buckwheat noodles. Since it’s
pure buckwheat, we add broth and heat it . Dissolve miso, add vegetables , pickles , rice cooked with our homemade rice , miso soup. Hamburger steak 400 yen, rolled omelet 210
yen, large rice 200 yen, Miso soup 130
yen. Hamburger steak with a standout onion
texture. The homemade sauce is delicious,
giving it a homey taste. Tamagoyaki . The dashi-rich miso soup is deeply
satisfying. Sweet, steaming hot rice pairs perfectly
with the sides. It’s like coming back to your childhood
home – a nostalgic, comforting flavor . This is the chashu. Pork belly chashu. Thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms from our
own garden . Onion. Mixed vegetables. Staff) How did you learn to cook? I’ve always loved cooking. When you love something, they say practice makes perfect
. They generously added extra ingredients as
a service . Stir-fry the freshly chopped vegetables . Eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. Rice. Ketchup . Melt butter in another frying pan. Pour in the beaten eggs. Place the ketchup rice on top of the
omelet . Shape it neatly . Omelet Rice 800 yen (Available depending
on ingredients) Shiitake mushrooms and vegetables . A
classic omelet rice where you can taste
the sweetness of the eggs . “Ekimae Shokudo” – a place to relax and
take a breather. The two of them welcomed
us warmly . Owner: “If there’s leftovers, we have
Tupperware containers . It’s a lot , you
know .” Wow! The oversized fried rice is a huge hit! 90% of customers order it . Half-and-half
fried rice. Half-and-half fried rice 350 yen . Next, half fried rice. Weighing about 3kg, it’s seriously
impressive!
Half fried rice. More like a loss than a profit, I guess .
For the fried rice, seeing it in person is amazing! It’s huge , richly flavored, and
delicious. Filling the stomachs of working men . We
go inside this wildly popular ramen shop! Tsuda Honmachi, Tokushima City, Tokushima
Prefecture. 7 minutes by car from
Tokushima Tsuda IC. Established in 2010 . “Chinese Noodles
Takahashi” 6:00 AM: Owners Mr. Goto and Mr. Aida
arrive . Middle school classmates, they run the
shop together. First, they wash their hands thoroughly. Owner Mr. Goto begins prep work after 6:00 AM. Soup
preparation starts at 4:30 AM . Mr. Aida cooks the rice . Staff : How
much rice is cooked in the morning ? Aida) 120 cups. We cook this 6 times . Rinse the rice. Load the rice into the cooker. Prepare the pork belly for the ramen . Stack each slice of pork belly . Aida) This isn’t for chashu. Tokushima
ramen puts pork belly directly into the ramen. Cutting the pork belly. Putting the ramen base into the pot. Adding the cut pork belly to the pot. Putting the pot on the stove.
Simmering the pork belly down . Staff) Tokushima ramen seems to have a
pretty dark color, right? Owner) We also add sashimi soy sauce , so I think that makes the color a bit
darker . Repeating this process . Staff) Is this just for one day’s worth? Owner: Yeah , about 8 kilos total. We also put it in the fried rice . Aida: This is for the fried rice, but we
asked them to cut it a bit thicker . For the ramen, we slice the pork belly
thinner. The pork belly is done. Transfer it to a container . Staff: Have the two of you always run
the shop together? Owner: Yes, that’s right . Staff) What’s your relationship? Owner) We were classmates since junior
high . The previous owner of this shop said,
“Hey, someone’s gotta take over,” so we went to learn from him. We inherited the flavor , you could say . Let it sit for a while to cool down . Staff) Did you originally like the ramen
the previous owner made ? Owner) Yeah, it was a famous shop too. It’s considered the original Tokushima
ramen shop. We asked the previous owner , “Can we keep
the same shop name?” and they kindly agreed . We make the ramen soup by topping it up . (The base is) chicken bones and pork
feet. I make it exactly as he taught me. Skimming the scum off the broth . Aida) Skimming while topping up . This is the actual amount we use (what
we serve customers). When it gets low, we top it up from here. The noodles arrived from the noodle
supplier . We still use noodles from the
long-established noodle maker “Shiratama
Foods,” just like the previous owner did . Cutting green onions . Using local Tokushima brand green onions
“Itou Negi.” The rice is done cooking. Transfer the cooked rice to another pot . Prepare eggs for the fried rice . Owner) Preparing the fried rice. Owner) If too many orders come in, we
won’t be able to keep up. Crack the eggs in . Mix them with the
rice. Transfer the mixed rice to a container . Cover with plastic wrap and store in the
refrigerator . Staff) What’s being made now ? One
bowlful? Aida) This one batch makes : Half-and-half fried rice Half-and-half
fried rice, half fried rice Fried rice,
large fried rice Four types . Half-and-half is one bowl, half fried
rice is two bowls, that sort of thing . Staff) Is the portion just poured out
for the half-and-half fried rice? Owner) Yes. Aida) In terms of rice quantity it’s about
3.5 cups. Roughly 1.5 kilograms, maybe a bit less . We prepare just under 30 bowls of rice per
day. For the ramen. Cut the bamboo shoots . Use a spoon to carefully wash away dirt
and impurities. Thinly slice the washed bamboo shoots . Aida) Tokushima ramen’s characteristics
are pork belly and bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoots, not menma . Owner) Blanch them in hot water, then
season. Simmer for a while. Add seasonings to the blanched bamboo
shoots . Add the ramen broth . Simmer until the flavors soak in . Prepare the raw garlic for topping. Make breakfast. For the stir-fried meat and vegetables:
Cut onions. Stir-fry onions and pork. Add cabbage . Pour sauce over it . Stir-fried meat and
vegetables complete . Grill salmon . Serve freshly cooked rice . Breakfast is ready! Stir-fried meat and vegetables . The garlic packs a punch ! A flavor
where you can really dig into the meat and
veggies ! The fluffy grilled salmon makes the rice
go down smoothly! Staff) Do you eat breakfast together every
morning? Aida) Yeah, we usually eat around the same
time . Owner) Mm-hmm. Carefully wiping the table . Wiping down the tatami mats in the
seating area . Arranging the cushions . Carefully skimming the scum off the
soup. Setting the pot on the stove . Staff) I thought the stove might be low
, but since we use it for simmering soup and
boiling soup , it stays low like this . Aida) It’s heavy, and there’s a lot of
it. I think it probably takes more strength to
do it down here than up top . We open at 11:00, but I’m definitely open
by 10:30. Regulars just walk in whenever. When they come in, it’s like, “Okay , open
the shop . ” 11:00 Open . Parking for 6 cars (4 in front of shop,
2 across from shop). Chinese Noodles (Small) 650 yen Meat & Egg
(Small) 800 yen Half-and-Half Fried Rice 350 yen Half
Fried Rice 600 yen Chilled Dipping Soba (Small) 500 yen
(Large) 600 yen Table condiments : White pepper,
Worcestershire sauce Total 25 seats: Counter 7 seats, Tables 8 seats, Tatami room 10 seats Customers started arriving right away . A regular customer came in. Another customer followed. Orders for Chinese Noodles (Large/Small) orders
placed. Preparing Chinese Noodles. Warm bowls with hot water. Pour in broth . Add drained noodles to broth. Toss noodles and broth together. Boil bean sprouts. Bean sprouts, bamboo shoots , pork belly , green onions . Chinese Noodles (Large/Small) complete . Chinese Noodles (Small) White Soba (Salt) Half-and-Half Fried Rice
ordered. Garlic (Small) Half-and-Half Fried Rice ordered . Owner: “If I bring
two half-and-half fried rice orders, it’ll
be about 3kg . Is that okay?” Make half-and-half fried rice. Pork belly, green onions. In another pot, make half-and-half fried
rice simultaneously . Season with soy sauce-based sauce. Shockingly large portion. Half-and-half
fried rice . White noodles (salt) . Make Chinese noodles. Chinese noodles, white
noodles (salt) complete. The other half-and-half fried rice also
complete. Half-and-half fried rice . Second-time customer and first-time
customer . Wow!
Impactful. Delicious. A flavor you never tire of. Well-seasoned too. Customers keep coming in despite the rain. Two garlic cloves. Ordered half-and-half
fried rice . Two small Chinese noodles. Ordered
half-and-half fried rice. Meat and egg (large) Half-and-half fried
rice ordered Making half-and-half fried rice Making three bowls of Chinese noodles Three
customers arrive Ordered meat (small) Half fried rice , small Chinese noodles,
small meat and egg ordered (Owner) (The half fried rice) is
about 7 cups, but even the half-and-half (fried rice) is
about 3.5 cups . That’s amazing . This half-and-half (Fried rice) I’ve
just eaten half of it. The leftover fried rice can be
packed to take home. Make 2 small bowls of Chinese noodles and
small meat . Top with a raw egg . Small meat is
complete . Next, half fried rice . Uses about 7 cups of rice. Made using
two wok pans. First , plate one pan’s worth . Then pile more on top . Weighs about 3kg – seriously impressive!
Half Fried Rice. The half fried rice arrives. First-time customer : (Ordered) Half fried rice, small Chinese
noodles, small meat, and small meat with
egg . Staff: How was it when the food came ? All they could do was laugh . Ordered a small meat and egg bowl . Small meat and egg bowl: 800 yen . The soup, made by adding more broth, is
rich and thick yet refreshingly
clean-tasting . Crack an egg on top . The thin, straight
noodles soak up the soup and are
delicious! The pork belly , a characteristic of
Tokushima ramen , is sweet and savory and
pairs perfectly with the soup! The crispy texture of the bamboo shoots is
delightful. Two men came in . They ordered two small bowls of Chinese
noodles and a half portion of fried rice. Making the half fried rice. First-time customer and second-time
customer. I’d seen it on TV, but seeing it in person
is amazing! The fried rice is nice and rich. It’s tasty and the
portion is generous. Even if you can’t finish it, they’ll pack
it up for you to take home, which is really appreciated . Staff: How’s the ramen ? It’s a rich Tokushima ramen, isn’t it? I think it’s delicious. An order for half-and-half fried rice
comes in. A customer visiting for the first time
with their son . Staff: What size would you like for
this? Half-and-half (fried rice). It’s a big portion, rich flavor , tasty . The fried rice has a
strong flavor, so it’s delicious . Thanks for the meal! Two customers arrive . They order a small meatball topping and half-and-half fried rice . Small
Chinese noodles and half-and-half fried rice. Owner: “If I
bring two of these , it’ll be about 3 kilos.” 3 kilos!? (Half-and-half fried rice) Just one is
fine. Making the half-and-half fried rice.
Half-and-half fried rice . Owner) If there’s leftovers, I have a
container . It’s a lot . The shocking volume makes you laugh
involuntarily . A customer with children arrives. Then three more customers arrive . Ordered two large Chinese noodles , one
small Chinese noodle, and half a fried rice . Owner) Half fried rice is about 7 cups .
It’s about 3 kilos . Eh!? Alright, making half-and-half fried rice. Half-and-half fried rice arrives . Wow! Even for three people, it’s a massive
portion. Scoop the fried rice into bowls . Hot and fluffy fried rice, take a bite . Simple soy sauce base, but a solid, rich
flavor – delicious! Make the Chinese noodles (large & small). First, take a big gulp of the rich,
flavorful soup . Blow on the piping hot noodles and slurp them down in one go . Enjoy the fried rice
and Chinese noodles, leaving not a single grain of rice behind
. Clean plate! A small rice order comes in . Pile it high , overflowing the bowl . Small rice. Fried rice orders keep pouring in. 1:30 PM . The shop is packed. Half-and-half fried rice ordered. Half-and-half fried rice 350 yen . Weighs about 1.5 kg!
Impressive volume! One bite and you can’t stop!
A bold, soy sauce-based flavor. 14:00 Closing time . Staff: Since the shop opened … Aida: 14th or 15th year now , I guess. At first , it was just plain rice . Since we have a lot of craftsmen , we thought , “We want them to feel full,” so we decided together to serve extra
rice. That’s how we started this . Regulars started saying things like ,
“Make us fried rice!” (The request came
in) (Since we had) plenty of white rice , we
figured fried rice would be plentiful too . That’s how it gradually, gradually
evolved into what it is now . Profit-wise, or maybe loss-wise, with
the fried rice, since people look forward to it, being cheap and huge, unless something major changes , I think
we’ll keep doing it this way . Staff) I imagine you and Mr. Aida have
been running the shop together for a long
time . Owner) Communicating with customers … that’s something I’m really not good at . But Shuji (Mr. Aida) is great with
customers, he’s really skilled at it. He helps me out a lot . Aida) (My relationship with the owner)
Since I was 12? Thirty years… it’s been thirty years . Everyone worried we ‘d fall out, you know? But we haven’t really changed ,
have we? Shop Owner) Not much. Really , not much. I think the two of us just
click . Staff) Will you two keep going together
forever ? Shop Owner) Yeah, as long as we’ve got the
stamina. We’ll keep at it so people keep saying, ”
The ramen’s delicious ” and “The fried
rice is delicious. ” Take care on your way home.

0:00　高知）ドライブイン夫婦岩
地図　https://maps.app.goo.gl/1HDJZFqg5yv6EDYHA
住所　高知県室戸市佐喜浜町３
URL　https://youtu.be/tZMzGpsvJEQ

15:35　香川）さか枝うどん 本店
地図　https://maps.app.goo.gl/oszoDtPks3gmwL7V7?g_st=ic
住所　香川県高松市番町５丁目２−２３
URL　https://youtu.be/uxi_DdXJyXQ

1:02:01　高知）駅前食堂
地図　https://maps.app.goo.gl/pVdqUqp8VuitsQdQA?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
住所 高知県長岡郡大豊町小川１３７０−１
URL　https://youtu.be/AH-dk851PaY

1:29:53　徳島）支那そば たかはし
地図　https://maps.app.goo.gl/85kzKEXdVMsTQ1W68?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
住所　徳島県徳島市津田本町２丁目３−４６
URL　https://youtu.be/6KWB5SLgBk8

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