By chance, I found myself in Kitakata and encountered the
uniquely firm and chewy texture of hand-kneaded, high-hydration noodles with a rich and robust, umami flavor profile.
Captivated by the taste of Ban-nai Shokudo, I humbly requested
an apprenticeship, but was repeatedly turned down. Undeterred,
I visited the restaurant every day, and finally, I was given the
opportunity to learn from the founder of Ban-nai Shokudo,
Master Shingo Bannai, and his wife, Hisa-san, leading to a deep
culinary understanding. It was my goal to learn their craft and
share Ban-nai's delicious ramen with the world.
Our aspirations is to make the "Ban-nai"
name widely recognized.
Driven by this goal, we participated in numerous department
store and event exhibitions.
Then, in 1984, we decided to launch
"Kura," the predecessor to Kitakata Ramen Ban-nai, under the
railway overpass in Uchisaiwaicho. Following that, in December
1988, we opened the first "Kitakata Ramen Ban-nai" restaurant in
Tomi City in Nagano Prefecture.
Moving forward, we remain committed to
Creating flavors you'll never tire of even if
you frequented us daily.
We want our customers to leave with a smile
on their faces after having our delicious food.
We will continue to convey the taste and sentiments inherited
from Ban-nai Shokudo.