I first encountered Taikaiken about 20 years ago. It was when I came to Moro Station for my son's entrance exam.
At the time, the store was located next door to where it is now. While I was waiting for my exam to finish, I went sightseeing in this town.
I visited Izumo Ihabi Shrine, Yanagibashi Jizo Shrine, etc., and as I was walking past the station on my way back I smelled the delicious aroma of dried sardines coming from this shop. It was already almost 2 o'clock, but customers were constantly coming and going. I couldn't resist going in and sat at the counter. While I was waiting, the landlady handed me a weekly magazine and said, "Here you go."
I remember that while I was waiting, the smell of ramen was so irresistible.
What I had was char siu wonton noodles.
I still remember the excitement I felt when I took that first bite. I was so impressed that I wondered what ramen I had been eating up until then. Soup, noodles, char siu, wontons, and a hint of yuzu. Since then, I have not been able to forget about this restaurant and come here twice a year. (It is 350 km away, so I stay nearby and eat there on both days before going home.)
After I returned home, I went to every ramen shop in my prefecture to see if there was a similar ramen, but I couldn't find one.
Over the past four years I have suffered from serious illnesses and have had several surgeries and radiation treatments, but I have come here to eat when I am feeling well. I was scheduled to have major surgery at the end of last year for which I was told whether my body would survive, so I came here to eat before the surgery with the feeling that it might be my last time.
I told myself that I would come back if I was still alive, and went through the surgery.
Although I was able to leave the hospital, I was no longer able to walk on my own and was about to give up, but I decided that I would somehow go and eat Taikaiken ramen one more time, so I worked hard on my rehabilitation for about six months.
I can now walk somehow, and I'm hoping to go eat there again soon this year.
My family laughed at me and said, "Food has a great power."
