来来 (Rairai in Fukuoka Prefecture)

0 Reviews

来来

In the world of Japanese ramen shops, perhaps none is quite as epic to ramen hunters as Rairai. Simple, clear tonkotsu broth with nicely folded noodles and a basic chashu topping. It doesn’t look like much, but this shop is so much more. If you’ve been, you know. If you haven’t, read on.

Six in the morning on a cold end-of-autumn day. We arrived at the crack of dawn to see a line of three people. They had been waiting since five. You see, Rairai is very, very desired amongst ramen hunters. The shop opens sometime between five and eleven, maybe two days a week. No one really knows. The shop always sells out. If you want to slurp here you’d better line up as early as you can. We spent the night in a local business hotel to avoid having to wake up even earlier than those coming from Fukuoka City. You see, this shop is in Fukuoka Prefecture, not Fukuoka City. Izuka City is somewhere up in the mountains. The city’s claim to fame, apart from Rairai, is that they were one of the largest producers of coal back in the day. We looked for a bar the night before but everything was closed.

Rairai is one of the original shops serving clear tonkotsu soup. It’s light and refreshing. It is also a bit of a trend in the 2021 ramen scene. Most notable is Tsukiya (豚そば月や), with shops in Kyushu and Tokyo. If you just have a passing interest in this style, that might be a better bet for you.

An elegant bowl made with love. An iconic bowl. A bowl I was happy to spend the time to get to. Keep in mind, the shop only sells a very limited number of bowls a day. I’ve heard the number is around 20. If you read online accounts of Rairai stories, you’ll find many about people showing up at seven, waiting for a few hours, and then being told by the master that they won’t be served. I’ve also read accounts of it being sold out as early as five. Imagine waking up at three am, lining up for ramen, and then being told it’s not going to happen. Crazy.

So what’s the deal? Why do they serve so few bowls? And why so slowly? The chef prefers to chat with everyone. He’s a ramen hunter himself and has a lot to share. Chances are you’ll learn about some new shops in Kyushu. If you come from overseas he’ll definitely want to hear your story. His name is Ikeda-san, and he flatly refuses any kind of media attention. In the shop, he’ll let you take photos of your food, but please refrain from anything else.

How is this ramen made? It’s a secret. I have it on good authority that he uses femurs and also a lot of meat to make the broth. Something about boiling at high temperature followed by boiling at low temperature.

Turns out the people in line in front of us were ramen dudes from Yume Wo Katare, a Jiro-style shop with a few branches around Japan. Most people coming to Rairai are ramen chefs, ramen hunters, or just those with a deep love of ramen.

The last person in line each day gets a special “大終了” card and is put in charge of telling anyone who shows up after them that they missed their chance. If you collect three of these cards, you become some kind of VIP. You’ll get a free bowl with extra chashu. Has anyone ever done this?

To be honest, this shop is hard to justify. That said, it was one of the best ramen experiences of the past few years. I’d like to visit again sometime, despite the hurdles.

Did I say six in the morning? Looks like I was out here even earlier than that. This was on a Tuesday. I’ve heard you should line up much earlier for the Saturday service.

Please be careful if you want to slurp at Rairai. Their opening days and hours can change on a whim. I know people who have tried to go three or four times before making it. If you are coming from somewhere like Tokyo, you don’t want to waste a day failing here.

If you really, honestly plan on coming here, feel free to reach out to me and I can try and check if they are open that week. Do this the week before your plan. And don’t blame me if you end up high and dry in Izuka, Fukuoka.

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