Two Great Mita Gourmet Spots to Satisfy the Appetites of Keio students

Yamashoku and Ramen Jiro

2017/05/29

Keio University Mita Campus is home to second- to fourth-year undergraduates from the Faculty of Letters; third- and fourth-year undergraduates from the Faculties of Economics, Law, and Business and Commerce; and graduate students from the Graduate Schools of Letters, Economics, Law, Sociology, Business and Commerce, and Law School. While they may not exactly be growing children, these young people have hearty appetites, so we decided to report on the dining scene around Mita Campus.

Located on Mita Campus, the cafeteria with the longest history is Yamashoku, founded in 1937. This year marks its 80th anniversary. Among its many menu items, the quintessential student cafeteria curry that has captivated countless fans—not only Keio students but also faculty, staff, and Keio University alumni (graduates)—is the "Yamashoku curry."

"I'd bet there isn't a single person who has taken classes at Mita Campus and hasn't tried the curry (laughs)." What is the secret to being so beloved by Keio students? We spoke with the third-generation president, Tadao Tanimura.

"Perhaps it's because we make the curry roux itself from scratch right here. It's not a roux bought from a supplier; it's a homemade flavor, an original taste you can only get here. And we make sure the portions are generous."

Mr. Tanimura has been in the Yamashoku kitchen for over 60 years, since 1955, satisfying the appetites of Keio students, faculty, and staff. Its flavor has now become a part of Mita Campus history. For Keio students looking for a hearty meal, the katsu curry is also popular.

"We fry the cutlets here too, so they're crispy. All our other menu items are also handmade. Whether it's meat or fish, we source it directly from the market and prepare it here."

This dedication to handmade quality is surely what captivates so many fans. There is a constant stream of graduates visiting Mita Campus for the Yamashoku curry. In 2015, a retort pouch curry was even released as an official Keio University product.

"We are delighted that Keio University alumni (graduates) are purchasing it. I've heard some people even go out of their way to send it to alumni living abroad."

The packaging of this Yamashoku curry reads, "The Friday Taste." This is a phrase that Keio students who love Yamashoku began using at some point.

"We prepare the curry the day before and let it sit overnight. By adding a little more to it each day, it develops a rich flavor. The peak of that richness must have been what they called 'the Friday taste.'"

Mr. Tanimura, who has even attended the weddings of graduates, says that alumni still recognize and greet him on the street even when he's not in his chef's uniform. The legendary "Yamashoku curry," with its many anecdotes, will continue to fill the stomachs and hearts of current and former Keio students, steaming hot.

We also spoke with some Keio students who were eating at Yamashoku (*Affiliations and academic years are as of the time of the interview).

"I like the sukiyaki rice bowl," says Naohiro Kawatani, a third-year student in the Faculty of Business and Commerce. It seems the homemade feel of Yamashoku appeals to his appetite.

Tadahiro Yamao, a second-year Master's student in the Graduate School of Economics, says, "I'm drawn to the generous portions and the unique flavor." He is a Yamashoku fan who says, "I eat the curry as often as three times a week."

"I come here at least twice a week," says Hiroshi Yokoyama, a third-year student in the Doctoral Programs at the Graduate School of Law. He's a connoisseur who takes the original flavor to the next level by adding a generous amount of cheese to his Yamashoku curry.

Used by everyone for various purposes—between classes, after club activities, or for seminar meetings—Yamashoku is an indispensable part of Mita Campus.

Considered a hallowed ground even before the recent ramen boom, the famous Ramen Jiro Mita Main Branch, which still has endless lines, is located just a few dozen seconds' walk from Mita Campus. The owner, Takumi Yamada, speaks of his deep connection with Keio University.

"I originally started the business near Toritsu-daigaku Station. Many Keio students from Hiyoshi Campus used to come, but when that location had to be vacated, I was thinking of closing down. Then, a regular Keio student told me that a spot next to Mita Campus was opening up, so I came to Mita, essentially called over by the students."

From there, the relationship with Keio University deepened even further.

"Around the time Daisuke Yamashita (a former professional baseball player and 1974 graduate of the Faculty of Business and Commerce) started to make a name for himself, members of the Keio University Cheerleading Team began coming, and I became close with the Jukusei Shimbun (student newspaper) as well. Back then, I used to play a lot of pranks with the Keio students."

As Ramen Jiro became an essential fixture for students at Mita Campus, another crisis struck in the early 1990s. Once again, it was the Keio students and former students, the Keio University alumni, who stepped up.

"Later, when we faced another eviction due to road expansion, there was talk of moving the restaurant into the campus cafeteria, and it even led to a petition drive (laughs). The university administration seriously considered it, but the move onto campus was ultimately called off. Just then, luckily, some guys from the Judo Club told me that the owner of our current location was closing his shop, and they even helped me with the contract. Around that time, my wife was in a car accident, and from then on, students from the Keio University Cheerleading Team and the Athletic Association started coming to help out as part-time workers."

The flavor, too, was perfected alongside the Keio students.

"At first, it had a more traditional Japanese flavor, but we received requests from Keio students to make it richer, so after much research, it became the flavor it is today. We also sought out original soy sauce and noodles to create the current taste, but that was also in response to the students' requests. The portion size has also become about 1.5 times what it used to be (laughs)."

Later, the taste of Ramen Jiro was spread throughout the country by his apprentices. Today, the term "Jirorian" exists to describe lovers of Ramen Jiro, and the restaurant is so famous that there isn't a ramen connoisseur who doesn't know of it. A new branch opened in Kyoto in April 2017, and on its opening day, many ramen fans from all over the country flocked to it. That is how much Ramen Jiro and the Ramen Jiro Mita Main Branch are loved. The secret to its popularity is said to be not only the taste but also the personality of "the owner."

Taiga Iizuka (a 2015 graduate of the Faculty of Policy Management), a Sumo Club alumnus who worked part-time at Ramen Jiro as a student and later joined a food-related company, also visited Ramen Jiro for the first time in a while.

"I started working part-time in my second year of university. The pay was good, and it felt like having another club activity after my actual club practice. The part-time jobs were traditionally held by members of the Keio University Cheerleading Team and the Athletic Association, and for some reason, students from a Faculty of Letters seminar. It was fun, and there are countless stories. Something was always happening every day (laughs)."

He says it felt like the customers, the part-time staff, and the restaurant were all one.

"Even during the interview for my current job, the interviewer was surprised when I said I had worked part-time at Jiro. It still serves as a conversation starter in my sales work. In short, the connections I made through Ramen Jiro are a huge asset. Even now, many alumni come to see the owner of Jiro, and it has even become a custom for Keio students and Keio University alumni to come and give him updates on their lives. It's an indispensable part of our student life."

Yamashoku and Ramen Jiro. We hope they continue to preserve the flavors that will forever remain in the memories of Keio students and Keio University alumni.