Mendining Tsukinoya: Aridagawa's Third Way in Wakayama Ramen

Overview

Wakayama ramen is usually told as a story of two camps — the cloudy, pork-heavy Ide school and the clear soy broth of the Shakomae school. Mendining Tsukinoya, on a main road at Tenma in Aridagawa Town, belongs to neither. Its signature bowl, which the shop calls a new Wakayama ramen, builds its kaeshi from Yuasa soy sauce — made a few valleys away, in the town Japan credits as the birthplace of the seasoning — and sets it over a rich pork base from Kirishima in Kyushu.

Tabelog's reviewers took notice: the shop was chosen for the Ramen WEST Top 100 in 2023, its first selection, and again in 2024. The thin, straight noodles come from the Kyoto maker Teigaku. Gekko, a lighter wafu tonkotsu lifted with dried mackerel, is the quieter regular, while tsukemen, mazesoba and chicken paitan round out a menu that also runs to shirasu rice, karaage and prawn spring rolls — the dining in the name is not decoration. The signature bowl starts at around ¥920 (March 2026).

Kuriyama Kanako opened the shop in April 2009 and kept it for a decade before handing it to an apprentice. It closes on Tuesdays and serves 11:00–15:00 and 18:00–21:00, with last orders half an hour before each close; the richer bowls often sell out first. Cash only, and no reservations. There is parking in front and in the partner Okuwa lot opposite; by car it is about five minutes from Arida IC, and JR Fujinami station is roughly 1.3 km away. Check the shop's Instagram for seasonal bowls and current prices.