One-Chan Temple Katana Ramen with the Soul of a Samurai – Exclusive at Menya Musashi Bugei Store

Text & Photos /Shadow

Earlier this year, while strolling around the Uni-President Hankyu Department Store, I learned that Menya Musashi had opened a branch in Kaohsiung. At the time, there were quite long queues, but now the hype has died down a bit. Since I was seeing a friend off at the station, we decided to come here together for a meal. As the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, you have to line up on-site if you want to eat. Compared to the crowds during its opening, the queue isn’t as long now – you’ll only have to wait about half an hour to enjoy the legendary ramen said to have the soul of a samurai.

While waiting in line, the staff were very friendly, first asking how many people were in our party, then handing us menus so we could order while queuing. The exterior of the restaurant looks like the decor of a Japanese temple, and the hand-washing station at the entrance resembles those found beside temples in Japan, where worshippers can wash their hands and rinse their mouths. I think this hand-washing station here is just for show and not actually for customers to use. The lighting inside isn’t very bright, mainly to create a certain dining atmosphere.

The dining area is roughly divided into a large section to the right of the entrance, mostly with four-person seating, using frosted glass instead of paper windows to separate the different sections of the restaurant.

The middle section also features some Japanese temple-style decorations. Below the bell, there’s an offering box, and the money donated here will be given to charity at double the amount. You can do good while eating ramen.

Where others hang red lanterns, here they hang white ones. Each lantern has some words written on it – some with the names of the branches, others with wishes. It’s a rather unique design. This area is also the closest to the kitchen, which means it’s on the left side of the entrance. Due to space constraints, almost all the seats here are bar-style single seats, better suited for small groups of two to three people.

The staff gave us three laminated menus in total. The miso ramen, which is a limited edition for July, is the first-place champion ramen, with only 20 bowls sold at lunch and dinner each.

Ichijoji Katana Ramen is exclusive to the Bugei store. The bone-in pork rib meat got my husband really excited, and he didn’t hesitate to order it, even choosing to add extra noodles. More uniquely flavored ramen, like this one, gets its own dedicated section on the menu.

The Bugei-exclusive options also include Black Thunder Ramen, which surprisingly only costs 220 NT. Shadow chose the basic White Pork Ramen. Other than white and black pork flavors, there are also spicy and spicy-pork flavors, priced between 230 and 280 NT.

Besides ramen, you can also order side dishes and drinks.

Worried about ramen broth splashing on our clothes, the staff kindly asked if we needed bibs. Out of curiosity, we asked for some to try. They looked like bibs made of paper, with double-sided tape on the top two corners. You peel it off and stick it directly onto your clothes to prevent hot soup from splashing on them.

Bugei White Pork Ramen – 230 NT

Just sitting in the restaurant, you can smell the aroma of soy sauce-braised flavors. When the ramen was served, the scent became even more pronounced. That aroma is truly unique, like the smell of soy sauce simmered for a long time, filling the entire space. Shadow chose springier noodles and a rich broth.

This is the richest and most layered ramen broth we’ve had so far. In addition to the flavor of pork bones, there’s also the savory umami of the restaurant’s secret soy sauce recipe. The taste is deep and complex. The saltiness feels heavy at first, but the more you drink, the more you get used to it. Fortunately, there’s ice water with lemon slices on the table to cut through the richness.

Two pieces of pork collar, big and thick, after being braised for a long time and then grilled with a sweet sauce, resulting in such an incredibly flavorful taste.

The ramen noodles are perfectly cooked, firm yet chewy, giving a very satisfying bite. The normal portion size actually left Shadow unable to finish it.

Ichijoji Katana Ramen – 380 NT

This ramen immediately caught our attention as soon as it was served – its presence is truly extraordinary. Even though we added extra noodles without extra charge, we chose a lighter broth compared to the white pork one, and it was indeed less salty and much more refreshing. The black pepper bamboo shoots and soft-boiled egg were both above average in taste.

Only one bone-in pork rib can be obtained from one pig. After being braised with a secret sauce and then grilled with layers of pot-bottom oil barbecue sauce, it creates such an aromatic and delicious flavor. Paired with the thick pork collar, it wowed my husband, who’s a meat lover, who kept praising how delicious the bone-in pork rib was.

Korokke Curry Tsukemen – 300 NT

The korokke (Japanese croquette) is quite generous in size. Its filling includes mashed potatoes, stir-fried pork with onions, and corn kernels – one piece is very filling. This tsukemen (dipping ramen) has a curry-flavored braised pork sauce, which is thick and tasty. However, I still can’t get used to ramen without hot broth. Tsukemen also tends to cool down quickly in air-conditioned environments, which slightly affects its taste and texture.

Japanese ramen shops have been opening one after another in Taiwan, making it possible to enjoy authentic Japanese ramen everywhere. No matter how any particular ramen shop is rated, you won’t know if it’s good or not until you try it yourself. Any ramen that suits our taste, we find delicious. Some might say ramen broth is too salty, but that’s just how Japanese ramen is. We’re just experiencing Japanese food culture and respecting the spirit behind each dish. For those who haven’t tried it yet, go give it a try – we highly recommend it.

[Menya Musashi (Bugei Store)]
Address: 3F, No. 1, Zhanqian North Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 07-5811112
Business Hours: 11:00–22:00

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