This is what it's like behind the counter at a family owned japanese ramen shop.

So today I'm in Shinjuku Tokyo and back with another behind the counter video.

I'm so excited for this one because this one is unique.

We're going inside a family owned ramen shop that is fish based.

I can't wait to take you inside, but like always, if you guys want to see what I'm doing on the daily check on my instagram account, if you want to help support the channel, check out the japan merch and if you have any questions about japan or your japan travels, check out my discord community that said, let me take you behind the counter.

So here we go, coming in hot with another behind the counter video.

This time at a local family owned japanese restaurant menu, Cajun, the number one fish based ramen shop in Shinjuku Tokyo, a highly competitive area in the ramen industry.

But this mom and pop shop has found a way to always appear in the top ranking where they're beautiful.

Umami infused clear soup, luckily the shop is located only a few minutes walk from the Jr shinjuku station southeast exit.

Alright, so I'm just in front of the ramen shop.

I'm waiting for him right now.

Good morning, this is the 10 show a K.

A shop manager Endo son.

What time do you usually come in?

His mother who opened the shop 15 years ago is the owner?

I'm sure we'll meet her later on today.

Oh you use the timecard as well.

Why?

It makes sense.

Anderson is usually the first one to arrive at the shop.

So he performs all of the opening tasks.

Some of the ingredients are delivered before the opening so he puts them away when he arrives.

Where are the noodles from?

Japanese?

Ramen shops.

Usually buy noodles from the noodle specialty factory.

These noodles in particular have been blended from two types of flour and kneaded with charcoal purified water and then aged at a low temperature to create a firm yet bouncy texture.

So how much noodles do you go through a day?

I didn't want this?

Mm hmm.

Mhm.

He usually has two more stuff coming around 10 a.m. so until then he's all by himself.

Thank you First.

He prepares the soup sauce called today.

In japanese.

This stash she is the first part to making their signature today.

And it's made from shiitake mushrooms, bonito and kombu.

He squeezes the shiitake one by one.

To extract as much of its umami as possible then cooked slowly on low heat.

What's most important when making the sauce.

This is another ingredient for their delicious.

Damn.

It seems like a whole lot of different processes going on to pull the mommy from their seafood.

Mm hmm.

Oh, he's cutting the green onions for the topping.

He said that they used to cut it by hand.

But since they need to cut so much now They moved to a chopping machine.

So Anderson, how long have you been working here?

What did you do before this?

Wow, that has nothing to do with ramen.

Why are you making ramen then?

Which one pays better?

Apparently he worked as a pharmaceutical chemist for seven years.

But the previous store manager got sick so he decided to take over this job.

I guess that's what family does for each other.

Did you guys get any days off?

Cool.

What are you gonna do?

No cap.

Do you have any hobbies?

Oh, the onion cutters cleaned every single time.

It's used.

Nice keeping it.

Bling bling.

Do you get many foreign visitors even got an english menu?

Is this the song you used for?

The the shopkeepers are menu simple serving.

Only one type of soup ramen that uses different types of fish crabs based on what they can get from the fish market the day before.

But what's today's soup?

When did you prepare this?

Who in your family works with you?

Are you married?

Do you have any kids while he's still washing the green onions?

Oh, another worker has arrived.

Where is that from now?

He cuts the japanese leeks for tomorrow's soup.

Yeah, mm hmm.

So how long have you been working here?

Said, wow.

You've been here longer than Endesa while Anderson is working on the soup and topping she prepares the side menu.

What's that?

Mexico is a mackerel marinated and rice brand and it's mixed in with their own raggedy.

Are you working here every day?

Damn.

That's a lot of rice.

In fact, they sell about 100 on the weekdays and more than 250 on the weekends.

Apparently the only giddy is heated before serving so it must be squeezed firmly so it stays together when it's grilled.

Also, the only giddy is designed to be eaten with the ramen soup after the noodles have been finished its season lightly to pair with their mommy enrich soup.

Oh, he's putting the dashi soup into the scallop mix he was working on earlier.

Thanks the Dashi for the soup sauce takes about half a day to make while the main soup is cooked for about 8 to 10 hours.

So the preparation for today's soup started yesterday and the soup is working on right now is for tomorrow.

What are you going to do with that?

Awesome.

They don't let any of that delicious amount meat go to waste in this shop.

Now the main suit prep.

It's interesting to see that they're able to use different fish every day while also crafting a consistent taste and flavor.

I suppose though that their soup often has tie buddy and undergo plus the day's cats.

So maybe that helps with the consistency.

Hot Damn.

That smells good.

So the fish is grilled just before going into the pot to help maximize the flavor.

Oh man.

The grilled japanese leeks are also producing some of that smell.

Joy.

Mm hmm.

And there you go.

By this time tomorrow, this clear vat of water will be transformed into a pleasure pot of mouthwatering happiness.

Oh, one more person is here.

Is that your mom?

Were you a student when your mom opened this door, You must have eaten a lot of ramen here.

Wait, did you work part time here?

Oh, that's how you met her.

Let's go talk to his mom.

Hi, nice to meet you.

So why did you start a ramen shop?

Even her grandparents owned a ramen shop.

And as a little girl, she often ran around there.

So opening up her own shop was natural for her.

She says when she opened the store about 15 years ago, there was nothing around and people considered the area as a very dark side of shinjuku.

There was even an adult toy shop on the first floor.

Was it popular from the beginning?

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Cool, Let's get back behind the counter.

Oh, I have the same Ikea ziploc bag at home now she prepares the toppings, shrimp balls and chicken balls.

This batch was made the night before and part of the prep is to scoop them into a ball shape, making 400 balls before the store opens today.

Oh, there's the chicken balls look so spherical.

Okay, she's boiling the shrimp and chicken balls.

Now the balls are coated with the flour to help lock in the flavor and to prevent its flavors from mixing in with the soup.

The shop with such an enormous amount of effort to craft their soup that they want their customers to enjoy the soup and its other ingredients separately.

What are you doing?

Watch the Umami continues to build in the soup and the chicken balls come into form.

Anderson prepares the Takumi Ak condiments for the ramen.

She sold ginger and yoga?

Mm hmm.

Uh I guess it does look like needles.

Oh they got more rice delivered.

Is it delivered every day?

Covid affect your story says that a lot of customers are coming back but you lost a lot of workers during the past two years of the pandemic.

So they don't have enough staff to expand the business back to how it was.

What's that for?

Mckinney is a special meal only for workers.

And apparently there McConnell here is ramen.

How are you going to eat it?

Do you eat ramen every day?

She says that because the shop uses different fish, the soup's flavor profile changes along with the fish.

So she enjoys tasting the soup every day.

To see the differences just before opening.

They start to grow a few of the owner getting as it's commonly ordered with a ramen, which means they're early, customers don't have to wait after their order.

Now they're open for business.

Are you all set complicated.

It's okay.

Do what you normally do.

So was it good?

I'm so sorry.

Oh, here comes the customers.

The first customer ordered the orthodoxy show ramen, Wow.

It's so fast to serve up to 400 customers a day.

The shop needs to be quick and well prepared to minimize serving times.

That's one of the first customers.

Can I ask you a question?

You come here often.

Why do you come here.

I guess you came to the right place.

Let's go talk to that guy to.

Excuse me.

Can I ask you a question?

You come here often?

What do you like with the ramen here as he takes rahman orders.

He also checks on the soup throughout the day.

How long does the customer stay?

Are there any customers who stay super long?

So do you have a rule about staying a little kids come after the main lunch hour rush?

He finally gets to eat his own lunch.

How was the ramen?

Is it hot?

Don't you have a seat?

So what have you learned the most about making ramen?

What about you?

But she didn't, it was a car.

So even though there, so from here on out there, busy preparing the ramen and grilling on a giddy until the store closes.

So that's another video in the books at a japanese family owned restaurant.

If you want to visit this restaurant, I'll be sure to leave a link in description but come early, especially on the weekends as I sometimes have a line out the door.

There you go.

That's what it's like behind the counter at a japanese ramen shop.