ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO has been a hot topic since its opening, with various new facilities constantly being unveiled. Now, on May 10, 2024, Japan's first-ever permanent ramen area in a professional baseball stadium, "Nanatsuboshi Yokocho Ura-roji Ramen Terrace," will have its pre-opening. Let's dive in and see what delicious ramen you can enjoy at the ballpark.

This new ramen-exclusive spot is located on the second floor of ES CON FIELD. You can find it by heading to the back of the "Nanatsuboshi Yokocho" dining area on the third-base side of the stadium and stepping outside. The area brings together six shops: five from outside Hokkaido and one from Sapporo. It offers a wide variety of genres, including miso, soy sauce, veggie potage, tonkotsu (pork bone broth), and abura soba (oil noodles).

You can enjoy your purchased ramen at the terrace seating or take it back to your spectator seat. The grand opening is on Tuesday, May 21, and it is scheduled to be open not only on game days but also on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays when there are no games.

Now, let's introduce the exciting lineup of shops at "Nanatsuboshi Yokocho Ura-roji Ramen Terrace."

"Naniwa's Golden Rich Tonkotsu Shoyu ~with Seared Chashu & Seared Kakuni~" 1,000 yen

Founded in 2012 in Takatsuki, a ramen battleground in Osaka, this shop serves a tonkotsu shoyu (pork bone and soy sauce) ramen where the thick, rich soup clings perfectly to the thin, straight noodles. It's topped with two kinds of pork: braised pork belly (kakuni) and chashu, both seared to release an irresistible aroma into the soup.

"Special Salt Paitan Ramen with a Hint of Truffle" 1,150 yen

The owner, originally from Kyoto, moved to Sapporo and opened the salt-based paitan noodle shop "Men Shoki" in Higashi-ku in 2022, which now makes its debut at ES CON FIELD. The soup, made by slowly extracting the umami from chicken bones and whole chickens, is thoroughly emulsified with a blender to achieve a creamy texture. It features a rich chicken flavor with a refreshing aftertaste.

"Nagoya's New Specialty: Niku Miso Ramen" 1,000 yen

A popular shop from Nagoya has also made its way to ES CON FIELD. The soup is made by simmering chicken bones and pork bones to extract their umami, and the sweet miso flavor is simply irresistible. The generous topping of pork belly is very satisfying. You can also add spicy seasoned ground meat and a raw egg as toppings.

"Hokkaido Seared Scallop Shoyu Ramen" 1,300 yen

"Jinrui Mina Menrui," a popular chain mainly in Osaka, has changed its name to "Jinrui Mina Hokkaido" for this new location. The seared scallop topping is thick and fragrant, accompanied by smoked adductor muscle powder and iwanori seaweed. This soy sauce ramen is infused with the rich flavors of the sea.

"Tokyo Niboshi Abura Soba" 1,100 yen

The aromatic oil, made by infusing a large pot of oil with plenty of niboshi (dried sardines) for five hours, is incredibly rich. The tare (sauce) uses raw soy sauce, and with every slurp of noodles, a mellow aroma fills your mouth. The chashu toppings are also meticulously prepared: moist and tender chicken breast cooked sous-vide at 63°C, and fragrant smoked pork shoulder roasted by hanging.

"Tori Tsukesoba" 1,280 yen

Popular Tokyo shops "Takematsu Tokyo" and "KIZARU" have collaborated to offer a unique flavor available only here. The noodles are made with whole wheat flour, giving them a strong elasticity and a distinctive nutty aroma. The soup is a so-called veggie potage style, rich with the umami of paitan soup and other ingredients. It's topped with three types of meat that change almost daily. Future plans include chicken ham and Schau Essen sausages.

At a preview event held before the pre-opening, pitchers Hiromi Ito, Takayuki Kato, Koki Kitayama, and Ren Fukushima sampled their favorite ramen. Pitcher Fukushima commented, "I hope everyone enjoys watching the game while eating delicious food." Not just for baseball fans, ramen lovers should definitely make a trip to ES CON FIELD!

Nanatsuboshi Yokocho Ura-roji Ramen Terrace (inside ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO)

■Operating Schedule
Pre-opening: Game days on May 10(Fri)-12(Sun), 14(Tue), 15(Wed) & non-game days on May 18(Sat), 19(Sun)
Grand Opening: From May 21(Tue)
■Operating Hours
Game days from May to Sep: Night games from gate opening to end of game, Day games from 11:00 AM to end of game
Non-game days from May to Sep: Closed on weekdays, open on Sat, Sun, and holidays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Click here for details and map information for "Nanatsuboshi Yokocho Ura-roji Ramen Terrace"

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