Interview with Mayuko Tanabe, the deputy owner of Harasho
Harasho, with its unique store and ramen.
I spoke with the deputy owner, Mayuko Tanabe, about the background of the business, the store's characteristics, and her dedication to ramen.
Originally, making ramen was a hobby
What led to the opening of the ramen shop?
Tanabe
The founder is my father.
He ran an electrical and gas store as a self-employed person and loved to eat ramen, trying various kinds.
Eventually, in search of his ideal ramen, he started making it.
Gradually, he began to think that he wanted everyone to taste the ramen he made.
So, he opened a ramen shop.
It's a case of turning a hobby into a job (laughs).
Now, he has entrusted the electrical and gas store to another family member, and both my father and I are dedicated to the ramen shop.
From hobby to food truck, and then to a fixed location
I heard you started with a food truck?
Tanabe
That's right. When starting the ramen shop, we couldn't just set up a store, so we placed a modified vehicle in our backyard and started in a food truck style.
It happened that our home faced the road.
We started operations in 2009.
At that time, the food truck had a different name, "Marushu."
We also occasionally participated in events.
As the number of customers increased, we decided to build a shop at the current location.
Originally, there was an electrical and gas store run by my father at the current site.
We demolished the building once, reduced the area of the electrical and gas store, and established the ramen shop.
Then, in 2012, we renewed and reopened under the current name "Harasho."
When we were a food truck, most of our customers were ramen enthusiasts, but once we became a fixed location, a wide range of customers began to visit, from business people to young people and families.
The trailer house is the owner's hobby, and the interior and exterior were designed by all the staff
The store is a trailer house, and the interior and exterior are unique. Is there a particular dedication to this?
Tanabe
This is my father's hobby (laughs).
In addition to ramen, my father was also interested in trailer houses.
He happened to see a trailer house in Nagano that he liked and thought of using it for the shop.
The exterior and interior were designed by all the staff together.
We all shared our opinions and decided on the details, such as the atmosphere and colors.
The name "Harasho" comes from the founding themes of "fun" and "laughter"
What is the origin of the unique store name?
Tanabe
We opened the shop because we wanted people to enjoy eating our ramen.
That's why we didn't just keep ramen-making as a hobby; we opened a shop.
We want people to eat our ramen and have fun and laugh.
"Fun" and "laughter" have been our themes since the founding.
From "fun" (raku) and "laughter" (shou), the word Harasho came to mind.
Harasho means "good" or "wonderful" in Russian.
From there, we added the auspicious number "8" to "fun" and "laughter," leading to the name "Harasho."
We hope that by eating Harasho's ramen, you will have a fun, happy, and wonderful time.
The menu is extensive, but each item is crafted with strong dedication
What led to the increase in the menu items compared to before?
Tanabe
When we started as a food truck, we only had Onomichi ramen (Harasho ramen).
Later, since we are in Kasaoka, we wanted to serve Kasaoka's specialty, Kasaoka ramen, so we started making Kasaoka ramen as well.
Once we became a fixed location, we were able to create ramen that we couldn't make due to the constraints of the food truck.
A representative example is Taiwanese ramen.
I originally wanted to make spicy ramen, but it was difficult to do so from a food truck...
Additionally, whenever we had a ramen that we wanted to eat or make, we researched it and added it to the menu once we reached a satisfactory level of completion.
There were also requests from customers, and we responded to those requests.
The introduction of the white Taiwanese ramen and the revival of the umami miso ramen were in response to customer requests.
What are your commitments in ramen-making?
Tanabe
With a large menu, some may worry that the quality of each item might be low, as they say "jack of all trades, master of none."
But rest assured at our shop!
As mentioned earlier, it all started from our desire to create ramen that we wanted to eat, and the increase in the menu is the result of pursuing our ideals and completing them.
Therefore, each ramen is packed with dedication.
With so many options, you can think, "I want to try this next," which is a point of our shop.
Customers come to our shop, pay money, and eat ramen.
So, we should ensure that there are no misses.
Our commitment is to make ramen carefully to ensure there are no misses.
During busy times or when large groups come, there may be a wait for serving.
However, we hope you understand that we are making it carefully to ensure consistent taste without cutting corners.
With a mainly female staff, the attention to detail unique to women is a strength
What other features or commitments does Harasho have?
Tanabe
At our shop, all the staff except the owner are women.
Many have experience in child-rearing, and the attention to detail unique to women is a strength.
Therefore, we are accustomed to handling customers with small children.
If a child spills ramen or something, we can respond immediately, so you can rest assured.
We have many family customers, but since the exterior doesn't look much like a ramen shop, some customers may find it hard to enter or may pass by out of curiosity.
With a mainly female staff, I believe we create a welcoming atmosphere, so please feel free to come, whether you are a family or a woman alone!
Finally
Harasho is conveniently located near the national highway, making it easy to visit with children.
Also, when there are many people, preferences can vary, but Harasho has a wide variety of ramen, so it's reassuring.
You might worry about being indecisive with so many types of ramen, but at Harasho, we have added menu items as we completed our dedicated ramen.
Therefore, all items are recommended, and you will enjoy whichever you choose!
If I were to recommend based on my preferences, I love Kasaoka ramen, so I would say the best is the "Kasaoka ramen."
Since it's a specialty of Kasaoka, I really want you to try it.
If you want to try a specialty of Harasho itself, I recommend the "Harasho ramen," which has been the signature menu since the shop opened.
If you like spicy food, definitely try the "Taiwanese ramen (red)."
Harashou Information
| Name | Harashou |
|---|---|
| Address | 3-25 Ichiban-cho, Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 0865-63-7028 |
| Parking | Available 7 cars |
| Business Hours | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Thursday |
| Payment Methods |
PayPay |
| Reservation Availability | Available ・Reservations may not be accepted during busy times ・Reservations by phone |
| Seating | Total 33 seats ・Table for 6: 1 ・Tables for 4: 3 ・Counter: 7 ・Terrace tables for 4: 2 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed only in designated areas) |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | ・Children's dishes available ・Children's booster seats available (for sofa seats) ・Strollers allowed |
| Barrier-Free | Ramp Wheelchair accessible (primarily counter seats) ※ Toilet is not wheelchair accessible |
| Website | Specialty store for Kasaoka ramen and Onomichi ramen in Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture | Ramen Harashou |
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