Chūkasoba Kōyōken: The Higashinari, Osaka Birthplace of Takaida-kei’s Thick Noodles

The Ever-Evolving Culture of Ramen

Food and Drink
Travel

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

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