貧瞋癡

Tonjinchi is a tough-to-reach shop in Himi City (氷見市) at the end of the Himi Line in Toyama Prefecture. This line runs about once an hour, making it a real pain to get to. Once you arrive, you can expect lines of up to three hours to get a bowl of their niboshi ramen. Tonjinchi is on the infamous Tabelog Top 100 list, as they should be. This one is worth it for any real ramen nerd with a dedication to the hunt.

But first, something special. The Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route takes you over (and through) some of Japan’s tallest mountains in the Northern Alps. The route involves multiple forms of public transport (private cars aren’t allowed) to reach the summit. If you go early in the season in April or May, you can experience this magical road with snow walls almost 20 meters in height. Book a stay at one of the lodges if you want photos minus the droves of tourists.

The sunset from the mountain can’t be beaten. Toyama Bay is visible in the distance. In fact, the next day I retraced my route, got back on my motorcycle, and set up camp along that same bay.

The moonrise over the mountains can’t be beaten.

Camping just south of Himi at the Amaharashi Campground (雨晴キャンプ場) was a great idea. In the off-season, it’s completely free!

Easy access to this legendary ramen shop. Questionable motorcycle parking just outside the front door. I arrived about 30 minutes before opening on a gloomy day and was the 10th person in line.

Remnants of wine crates adorn the walls. It turns out Tonjinchi is a ramen shop at lunch and an invite-only wine bar at dinner. Let’s stick with ramen. Japan’s zero-tolerance drinking and driving laws mean I can’t touch a drop.

The presentation is quite beautiful. Perfectly cooked toppings next to a simple bowl of noodles and soup.

This is the Himi niboshi ramen, and it is the one that everyone orders. Local dried sardines add a touch of bitterness and aroma. It’s a fantastic bowl. Very satisfying. Noodles come from Kanno Seimen (菅野製麺所).

The empty wine bottles on display are very serious, with some costing a month or two of an average Tokyo salary. I asked if they’d pour the La Tache by the glass with lunch but they politely declined.

I was very lucky not to have a huge wait this time. I’ve heard of other ramen hunters waiting around three hours for their lunch. With all the travel time this one is a hard sell. I will say that Himi seems to be a quaint little town. There’s a rustic shopping street and oceanside hot springs. Maybe grab a cheap hotel or splurge for decent ryokan the night before.

Still reading? Did you know that I released a ramen cookbook? It’s available wherever fine cookbooks are sold, aka Amazon. Can’t wait to see what recipes you come up with!

Click here!

Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

貧瞋癡 (Tonjinchi in Toyama Prefecture)

みんみんラーメン (Minmin Ramen in Hachioji, Tokyo)

ゴールデンタイガー (Golden Tiger in Kumagaya, Saitama)

麺屋八海山 (Hakkaisan in Osaka)

貧瞋癡 (Tonjinchi in Toyama Prefecture)

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みんみんラーメン (Minmin Ramen in Hachioji, Tokyo)

ゴールデンタイガー (Golden Tiger in Kumagaya, Saitama)

麺屋 八海山 (Hakkaisan in Osaka)

麺屋八海山 (Hakkaisan in Osaka)