SAMURAI MACHO FIELD NOTES / 02
Small ramen.
Big finishing blow.
Butaichi in Matsuyama, Ehime — small ramen with garlic and abura, and chashu that steals the show.
Contributor visit documented with an original photograph and tasting note. The stamp describes our report; your own visit remains self-reported.
THE FIRST-HAND TAKE
“The vegetables, abura and garlic come together with those thick noodles. Then comes the finishing blow: incredibly delicious chashu. Absolutely delicious.”
Translated from the contributor’s own tasting note.
01 / THE BOWL IN 30 SECONDS
Everything meets the thick noodles.
This order was simple: small ramen, with garlic and abura. The pleasure in the contributor’s note comes from the combination — vegetables, pork fat and garlic mingling with thick noodles — followed by a memorable bite of chashu.
Vegetables + abura
Bean sprouts and cabbage sit beneath the glossy topping in the photograph. Abura means fat; here it is the rich pork-fat topping.
Garlic + thick noodles
The contributor singled out how the garlic and toppings come together with the thick noodles. That combination is the heart of this bowl.
The chashu finale
Two substantial rolled pork slices dominate the photograph. The tasting verdict is emphatic: “incredibly delicious.”
02 / THE SHOP’S STORY
A Jiro-style stop in central Matsuyama.
Butaichi describes itself as a Jiro-style ramen shop on its official Instagram. It is in Nibancho, close to Matsuyama’s central shopping streets. [1]
- 2022
A new arrival
A local opening report dates the shop’s arrival in Nibancho to 2022. [2]
- 2025
Local coverage
Ehime Komachi highlighted its thick noodles, chashu and customizable toppings. [3]
- THIS BOWL
The contributor’s choice
Small ramen with garlic and abura. The visit date and price were not supplied, so neither is inferred from the publication date.
03 / KNOW YOUR ORDER
Three words, three different jobs.
Shō ramen · 小ラーメン
The small size on this order. It describes the menu size, not a measured weight or a guarantee of a light meal.
Ninniku · ニンニク
Garlic. The contributor requested it as a topping and enjoyed how it worked with the vegetables and noodles.
Abura · アブラ
The fat topping. It is separate from the chashu slices, which provide the pork centerpiece in the photograph.
These are descriptions of this order, not numerical flavor ratings or a claim that all Jiro-style bowls taste the same.
04 / PLAN YOUR VISIT
Look for Butaichi in Nibancho.
- Shop
- Ramen Butaichi · Matsuyama Nibancho
ラーメン ブタイチ 松山二番町店 - Address
- Kodama Building 1F, 3-8-6 Nibancho, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan
愛媛県松山市二番町3丁目8-6 コダマビル1F - Hours
- The official profile lists 11:00–24:00, with no regular closing day. An older official post lists later Friday–Sunday closing; confirm the latest closing time before a late visit.
- Order in this report
- Small ramen with garlic and abura toppings
Official profile checked on 30 October 2026 (Japan time). Hours and menu availability can change. This bowl includes pork; ask the shop directly about ingredients or allergens.
WORDS FOR THIS ORDER
小ラーメン、ニンニク・アブラ
Shō rāmen, ninniku, abura.
Small ramen, garlic and abura. Show the words if helpful; follow the shop’s ordering instructions.
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Small ramen · Garlic + abura · Butaichi · Matsuyama Nibancho, Ehime
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