Chūka Shisen

Chūka Shisen (中華四川) is a tantanmen (dandan noodle) specialty restaurant in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It was founded in 1975 by Mitsumasa Uchida, who had trained under the Chinese cuisine master Zhang Zhaoqin (張釗欽) at establishments including Koran in Ikebukuro and in Yokohama's Chinatown. The shop began as a general Chinese restaurant in Shimo-Ōi, Odawara, and later relocated to its current location in Kamisoga, where it narrowed its menu to focus almost exclusively on tantanmen. It is widely described as the origin of what is now called 'Odawara-style tantanmen' (小田原系坦々麺), a local ramen genre that has been featured in magazines and on television. The restaurant's signature tantanmen is distinctive for its thick, starchy, ankake-style sweet-spicy soup, built on a base of minced pork, zha cai (pickled mustard), garlic, and doubanjiang. It is not especially spicy by tantanmen standards, and customers can choose from seven levels of heat. The noodles are house-made: medium-thick, wavy, and enriched with egg for sweetness. The soup is a simple pork-and-chicken broth served around the noodles in a thick, viscous consistency. Diners are encouraged to eat it with rice or to add vinegar to change the flavor. The shop has no branches; other restaurants that serve similar tantanmen are either run by former trainees or inspired by it, and are collectively grouped under the 'Odawara-style tantanmen' label. The name 'Odawara Tantanmen' is trademarked. Despite its inconvenient location — roughly 7–8 km north of Odawara Station and a 13-minute walk from Kami-Ōi Station on the JR Central Gotemba Line — the restaurant has attracted attention locally and beyond. In the 2000s it began appearing in ramen features in magazines such as Yokohama Walker, and in 2005 it took first place in its category in Yokohama Walker's 'Umaimise Grand Prix.' In 2015 it participated in the Yokohama/Kanagawa Gourmet Festival, and in the same year Sugakiya Foods began selling a cup noodle version nationwide in supermarkets and convenience stores, followed by another cup ramen release in February 2020. The shop also sells retort-pouch tantanmen and related takeaway products, including online sales through its website. As of the mid-2020s it operates with reduced hours (11:00–16:00) and is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with 24 seats and three parking areas.

Chūka Shisen was founded in 1975 in Shimo-Ōi, Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, by Mitsumasa Uchida. Before founding the shop, Uchida trained under the Chinese cuisine master Zhang Zhaoqin (張釗欽), gaining experience at establishments including Koran in Ikebukuro (now closed) and in Yokohama's Chinatown. The restaurant initially opened as a general Chinese restaurant. In the 1990s it relocated to its current site in Kamisoga, Odawara, and at that time narrowed its menu to focus on tantanmen alone. In the 2000s, the tantanmen served at the shop began to attract wider attention, appearing in ramen features in magazines such as Yokohama Walker, and the style became known as 'Odawara-style tantanmen.' In 2005, the restaurant took first place in its category in Yokohama Walker's 'Umaimise Grand Prix.' In 2015, it participated in the Yokohama/Kanagawa Gourmet Festival. Also in 2015, Sugakiya Foods began selling a cup noodle version of the tantanmen in supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide, and in February 2020 another cup ramen product was released. The shop has been featured on numerous television programs, including Sunday Big Variety in May 2014, N-Sta in August 2014, News Every in October 2014, Ikinari! Golden Densetsu in October 2014, SmaSTATION!! in November 2014, and Minna no News in February 2018. The restaurant remains a single-location operation with no branches. Its name, 'Odawara Tantanmen,' is trademarked. Other shops that serve similar tantanmen are either run by former trainees or are inspired by it, and are collectively referred to as 'Odawara-style tantanmen.' This style is distinct from 'Odawara-style ramen' (小田原系ラーメン), a tonkotsu-shoyu-based flat wavy noodle ramen originating in Yugawara, such as Ajino Ōnishi. As of the mid-2020s, the shop operates from 11:00 to 16:00, is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, has 24 seats, and provides three parking areas. It also sells retort-pouch tantanmen and related takeaway items, with online sales available through its website.

• 2024

  Business hours changed to 11:00–16:00 for all days from July 6.

• 2023

  Price revision on March 1 due to rising ingredient costs.

• 2020

  Sugakiya Foods released another cup ramen version in February.

• 2018

  Featured on Minna no News.

• 2015

  Participated in Yokohama/Kanagawa Gourmet Festival; Sugakiya Foods began nationwide cup noodle sales.

• 2014

  Featured on multiple TV programs including Sunday Big Variety, N-Sta, News Every, Ikinari! Golden Densetsu, and SmaSTATION!!.

• 2005

  Won first place in its category in Yokohama Walker's 'Umaimise Grand Prix'.

• 2000

  Began appearing in ramen features in magazines such as Yokohama Walker; 'Odawara-style tantanmen' gained recognition.

• 1990

  Relocated to current Kamisoga site and narrowed menu to tantanmen only.

• 1975

  Founded in Shimo-Ōi, Odawara, as a general Chinese restaurant by Mitsumasa Uchida.

A legendary local tantanmen specialty shop, the origin of 'Odawara-style tantanmen', operating a single location with a focused menu and a strong local following.

• Tantanmen

  Signature dish: thick ankake-style sweet-spicy soup with minced pork, zha cai, garlic, and doubanjiang; house-made medium-thick wavy egg noodles; seven spice levels.

• Retort-pouch tantanmen

  Take-home retort pouch version available for purchase online and at the shop.

• Tantanmocchy

  A takeaway product priced at 800 yen.

• Takeout tantanmen hot pot set

  Customers bring their own pot; the shop fills it with tantan soup of desired spiciness.

1. 1小田原タンタン麺公式ホームページ - ＜公式＞小田原タンタン麺 中華四川shisenodawara.jimdofree.com
2. 2概要 - ＜公式＞小田原タンタン麺 中華四川shisenodawara.jimdofree.com
3. 3Chūka Shisen - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4中華四川 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org