Photo/Illutration Riku Kamino shows wild boar ramen, which he developed along with other club members, in Okayama on Jan. 5. (Shinya Haraguchi)

OKAYAMA--Taste testers gave an “A” to high school students from Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, who are using locally sourced wild boars and vegetables to create a lip-smacking ramen dish.

They will be offering it to the public in Okayama city on Feb. 3 in collaboration with a private association.

Twelve students who are members of a club committed to community service decided to make the ramen.

“Using wild boars culled as harmful wildlife supports local production for local consumption,” said Riku Kamino, the club leader. “The wild boar ramen could also become a specialty of Takahashi.”

He apprenticed at a ramen shop for a month after school.

The high school’s name changed from Takahashinisshin High School to Houkokugakusha High School on June 1 last year.

To mark the end of the old school’s name, the club members sold the wild boar ramen to people for one day only at the end of May last year.

However, the dish received only a lukewarm response, with some saying, “It lacked a distinct wild boar flavor.”

The club members said it was overcooked and had a sweetness similar to pork bone broth soup.

Through trial and error, they perfected the recipe by slowly cooking the bones over low heat for six hours to extract the marrow.

“We were able to create a ramen that not only utilizes the unique taste of wild boar but is also enjoyed by women,” Kamino said.

The club members also decided to use locally grown garlic and green onions.

Sourced through a member, they were able to procure thin noodles used at a popular ramen shop in Kasaoka, also in Okayama Prefecture. 

The initiative caught the attention of the general incorporated association SGSG, which promotes creating places where junior high and high school students can freely spend their time after school and on holidays.

On Jan. 5, before offering it to the public, the students served the ramen, boasting a broth made from wild boar bones, to the staff at the Hokan Town Youth Center in Okayama operated by the SGSG.

They received comments such as, “This is delicious” and “It has a nostalgic taste.”

The wild boar ramen will be sold at 800 yen ($5.40), including tax, to the public at the youth center from 11 a.m. on Feb. 3. The supply is limited to only 80 servings.

“Securing a consistent supply of wild boar bones is a key challenge,” Kamino said. The club members are making preparations with the hope of achieving full-scale sales in Takahashi.

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