The Ever-Evolving Culture of Ramen
Food and Drink
Travel
Sep 29, 2025
Kōyōken has its roots in a yatai food stall launched in 1953, before ramen was a mainstay in Japan’s cuisine. The restaurant is loved to this day by diners coming for the original Takaida-kei noodles, treasured for their thickness and robust flavor.
The first time you try a bowl of noodles at Kōyōken, you might wonder if it even is ramen. It is easy to mistake it for udon at first, given the super-thick and chewy noodles. Those noodles match the chicken-based broth and rich soy-sauce flavoring for an impressive, richly flavorful bowl that’s frankly habit forming.
Address: 3-20-14 Fukae-Minami, Higashinari, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Official social media account: https://x.com/taishou3rd (Japanese)
(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Char Siu Men at Chūkasoba Kōyōken, ¥900. © Yamakawa Daisuke.)
Osaka
ramen
cuisine
AloJapan.com