Nagasaki Home of the best Ramen?

Temperature - 34

Food eaten - Tomato broth ramen - Hiiragi, Dr Pepper

Visits - Atomic Bomb Museum/ Peace Park/ Glover Garden and Amu

Feeling bold and adventurous, I planned a trip to Nagasaki with a fantastic tour guide! Nagasaki is one of the places I would bet most people have heard of for more sobering reasons.

My day started bright and early, Saga station was nice and quiet so I had a chance to navigate getting tickets. My Japanese sadly failed me, but I successfully sorted tickets by speaking to one of the clerks. Locating the train was straight forward and I memorized the switch. I was initially sad when I believed I wouldn’t see a Shinkansen for a while due to my location. But I was pleasantly surprised when my guide informed me I was on one. It just wasn’t doing the speeds.

The landscape transitioned into rolling hills with a beautiful view of the sea, triggering nostalgia for childhood car trips to the beach. Nagasaki was beautiful. And I quickly found the more I explored and learned that it was a prefecture after my own heart. Nagasaki was a happy medium between the sleepy rural Saga and bustling Tokyo. It is a more hilly prefecture with beautiful islands to explore. I certainly aim to explore more of it as it is so close.

Almost everything you can think of is covered, penguin aquariums, Corgi cafes, arcades, and history everywhere you look. But tons of places to escape the noise of the city, little parks and rivers dotted within walking distance. It perhaps was the first time since arriving I found myself relaxing. The Peace Park was quiet and the sound of the fountain added to the atmosphere.

I had narrowly missed the Memorial events, but the place was thought-provoking. I would recommend a trip to anyone considering visiting the prefecture. Maybe even to follow after a trip from the Atomic Bomb museum. As the museum was heavy, it covered a dark moment from our recent history. And I can understand how wanting to escape into a quiet park would help. The temperature felt more bearable in Nagasaki also. Perhaps due to its proximity to the sea.

After visiting these places, we suggested a much-needed change of pace. Glover’s Garden was stunning. Hidden away up a hill the whole place felt more like a garden visit that would feel right at home in the National Trust in the UK. Thomas Glover hailed from the beautiful land of the Scots and is credited with being a key figure in aiding the modernization of Japan’s shipbuilding and coal mining industries. Glover’s house is up a hill, but they have you covered by including escalators.

The first thing to become apparent to a visitor is the Western-style house. I noted a lot of the buildings on the approach also fit this vibe. Giving it a very European vibe. The house is spacious and a pond full of koi awaits a kind visitor who wishes to feed them.

The views from the Garden are gorgeous being higher up you get a view of the harbor and surrounding city. Sections of the city sleepily sprawl up the nearby hills. It made me a little homesick for the first time. As it reminded me a bit of Cornwall. But I am happy to know for the same price as a ticket to London I can visit this prefecture easily.

The highlight of this trip, the gem in the crown so to speak. Was my tour guides suggestion for dinner. I have long been a fan of Mike Chen, watching his food adventures as he traveled the world. It inspired me to eat more and travel. I recall Mike covering tomato broth ramen one time. I must have been curled up under a blanket feeling the cold of the UK. Quite the comparison to me just now throwing myself into the shower to escape the clinging humidity.

It’s very rare for me to change my rankings when it comes to best ramen. The offerings within the UK are nice but they are few. Up till this point Fried Garlic Tonkatsu Fukuoka style was king. The process to order was a ticket system that I have seen in several places within Japan. The option to add toppings is what I love about these places. I already had planned to try the Tomato broth before I even set off on the day trip.

I opted for bean sprouts, garlic, and extra pork slices. It comes with fried eggplant pieces as a base. The broth hit me first, its rich and slightly thicker than a standard ramen broth. It covers the noodles more evenly and the taste is very evenly balanced. The punch of the garlic pushed through politely. The fried eggplant caught me off guard, I am usually not a fan. But this was on a new level. Can I even call it eggplant anymore? It took on a new flavor of its own and the texture was nice in contrast to the firmer noodles.

The crunch of the beansprouts also added a great texture to break up the rich flavor of the broth. I had to take a few minutes to adjust to the fact my world had just been changed. I cannot remember the last time I ate something that nearly made me cry. But in a good way, it was beautiful and the company was awesome. The ramen has easily topped my best ramen list, there’s no comparison for me. Its flavor is rich and adds new notes to the toppings. I am irritated my lack at my lack of Japanese, I wanted nothing more than to convey my thanks to the chef, but couldn’t.

I fully recommend eating at Hiiragi and trying the tomato broth ramen just once. I am told that lines can be lengthy and I see why. If I lived in Nagasaki I would become a regular in no time. I am hopeful my journey around Japan can be full of more moments like this. Moments that I can recall later down the line and smile while wishing for another bowl of heavenly noodles.

You may have guessed by my username that I am a huge fan of all things noodles.

My trip to Nagasaki is so far the highlight of my Japan story, I am excited to see where the next chapters take me.