The ramen shop “Iyabi” along Route 7 in Aomori/Fujisaki celebrated its first anniversary on June 28.

This restaurant offers 8-10 kinds of blended dried sardines ramen and ramen using Aomori Shamrock and Hinai chicken. Ryoma Fukucho, a native of Aomori and Kanagi who trained in the Kanto region, opened a store on the same day in 2019 at the age of 24.

After graduating from high school, Fukucho got a job as a company employee in Tochigi, but when he ate niboshi ramen from the popular store “Menya Tenmu” (Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture), he said, “I made my own ramen. I want to have a dream." Mr. Fukunaga recalled, “I asked to quit my job and work for “Tenmu”, but I refused and I was introduced to a famous store in Tokyo.”

Mr. Fucho, who trained in Tokyo for two years. “I had to eat ramen every day,” he said. On holidays, he ate around various ramen in the Kanto region, heard stories directly from the owner, and learned recipes. Return to Aomori in 2018. Although I had plans to go abroad, I was frustrated and decided to offer ramen from October of the same year at my family's coffee shop "Roba" (Kanagicho, Goshogawara City).

Initially, it was selling 2-3 cups a day, but Mr. Fukunaga's ramen was so popular that by the time he decided to open a store, he could sell more than 50 cups a day. We chose the parking lot as the place to open the store. It was a tenant who had a sushi restaurant and a ramen restaurant, and was said to be opposed by others. There are only 9 seats at the counter. The cardboard made from dried sardines is displayed in the waiting space. The store name is a word that means gratitude.

“When I first opened the store, I was just worried. I still don't feel the response. It's a world where people have different tastes and there is no right answer,” Fukucho said. There were times when I fell into a slump, and I took a break for two weeks and went to Tokyo. "About six months after the opening of business, I couldn't see what I was aiming for. When I learned how to make ramen again with the help of a person who took care of me, there was a new awareness and my doubts cleared." Speak to.

Looking back on the year, he was surprised at the ramen love of people in Aomori, which is different from Tokyo. On June 28th, when we released a limited menu with thanks for the 1st anniversary, there were people lined up from the day before. Mr. Fukunaga smiles, "I'm most happy that the customers I met at our store became friends and were able to interact with each other."

Mr. Fucho, who still eats ramen everyday. With the new coronavirus, I can't go to Tokyo to eat ramen, and I hope that it will converge soon. "There are many things I want to do, such as homemade noodles, takeaway menus, and collaboration with other stores. I have not given up on expanding overseas."

Business hours are from 11:00 to 15:00. Closed on Wednesdays.