Seaside Ramen Masterclass with Pro Chef on a Setouchi Island

Ramen is best known as a noodle dish, but its umami is in the broth: too strong and it becomes overpowering, while a weak base will make it fall flat. Your host, Chef Tomowo, worked as a ramen chef at the Shio Soba Maeda restaurant in Mihara, Hiroshima, where he learned an original ramen recipe that took years to perfect. He shares it along with some of his best ramen-making secrets in this masterclass in the idyllic seaside of Momoshima island in the Setouchi Inland Sea. With thousands of islands, the Setouchi region is known as Japan’s Mediterranean, both because of its mild climate and beaches and for its fresh lemons, seafood, and olives. In this experience, you will garner the local offerings of Setouchi to create a restaurant-worthy ramen dish with help from an experienced ramen chef, which you will then enjoy in front of the ocean. Chef Tomowo will reveal his best ramen-making secrets. You’ll start by making his signature ramen soup base with Setouchi sardine dashi stock, kaeshi sauce, flavored oils, and a dash of Setouchi sea salt, then boil the noodles until firm and include fresh toppings, like Hiroshima pork chashu, to complete your dish. For a fresher alternative, you can select the ‘salad cold ramen’ option to make a cold ramen with baby greens and tomatoes sourced from a local Hiroshima farm instead. Once the cooking is done, enjoy your delicious creation while soaking up the blue hues of the Setouchi Inland Sea. Momoshima is an idyllic destination with several upscale resorts. Like other islands nearby, Momoshima has a vibrant art scene with modern art museums and galleries. While within Hiroshima Prefecture, reaching Momoshima involves at least a local bus, taxi, or car ride from any major station to the ferry port and a ferry boat ride to Fukuda Port. The venue for the experience is about 1.7 km away from Fukuda Port, for which this experience is recommended for guests staying on the island overnight.