In this third installment of the Amazing Food in Narita series, we would like to introduce “Ramen Bayashi.” Check out the previous articles from here if you haven’t read them yet! ・Amazing Food in Narita (Part 1): Kawatoyo Honten—The Secret to Delicious “Unagi” ・Amazing Food in Narita (Part 2): Kikuya—Exquisite Japanese Cuisine at a Long-Established Restaurant

Narita Station is only one station away from Narita Airport, and as you enter the Naritasan’s sando from the station, you will see the highly acclaimed Ramen Bayashi on the right-hand side in just two minutes. Winning the Tripadvisor’s Certificate of Excellence five years in a row and being inducted into the Hall of Fame, this shop is always bustling with foreigners and people in the airline industry.

The first thing that caught my eye was a plethora of airline-related items. Because this shop is loved by people in the airline industry, so many items including pilot hats and jackets, airplane models, and airline stickers are displayed in the showcases and on the walls, so you can enjoy the unique atmosphere of a shop in an airport town even before sitting at a table.

As soon as you enter, you'll see airline-related items.

There is even a pilot's jacket!

The notebooks of different airlines are filled with messages from the crew members.

After walking around for a while, looking at the airline items (because it was so fun), we finally opened the menu to place my order. This shop is obviously popular among foreigners because the menu is written not only in Japanese, but also in English and Chinese, and the use of words like “Best” and “Popular” is simple and easy to understand. The shop is also religion-friendly, as you can change char siu pork to chicken for some dishes.

This time, we chose Negi Miso Char Siu, which is labeled as “Best,” and Sichuan Ramen, which is labeled “Popular.” We were going to take time to see the items in the showcases after placing our order, but we couldn’t do it because our ramen were ready in no time! The nice smell of miso hit our nose. Let’s eat while they are still hot!

Negi Miso Char Siu is topped with a crazy amount of green onions! What makes it even better is that there is a lot of other veggies such as cabbage and bean sprouts hiding under the green onions. The soup tastes like that of good old fashioned miso ramen, and it goes very well with the crispy vegetables. The noodles are medium thick and on the softer side. While it has a mild taste overall that anyone would love, the salty and chunky char siu gives it a nice accent.

Sichuan Ramen, as its name suggests, has bright red broth that looks very spicy, and is topped with a generous amount of stir-fried vegetables. Despite its spicy look, it has a surprisingly mild taste. The slight sweetness and the sesame flavor, which are nicely blended in the spicy broth, makes it easy to eat, and it tastes amazing with the generous amount of vegetables it has. Both ramens are super tasty and highly recommended.

After finishing our ramens, we decided to take time to check out the items on display that we didn’t get to see. Ramen Bayashi satisfies and entertains customers not only with its tasty dishes, but also with features unique to a shop close to the airport. It would be a wonderful idea to visit the shop, together with visiting the Shinshoji temple when you come to Narita.

■DATA Ramen Bayashi Address: 1F Komeya Building, 533-9 Hanazaki-cho, Narita city, Chiba

(Information as of March 2024.)