Restaurants
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 大弘軒 at 中華料理 大弘軒
ラーメン / Ramen / 大弘軒 (Taikōken) — Uguisudani, Tokyo
Located in front of Uguisudani Station’s North Exit. This Showa Era Machi Chūka is inexpensive, fast and has a large menu of ramen and stir-fried dishes. Regulars cycle in and out throughout the day. 21 seats. Rumored to be open since the mid-1970s, 50+ years.
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 味の店大元 at Daigen
サンマーメン / Sanmāmen / 大元 (Daigen) — Shinagawa
Daigen is a family-run machi-chūka on the Kōnan side of Shinagawa Station. Once surrounded by rail yards and industrial facilities, the shop survived the area’s massive redevelopment into today’s high-rise business district and remains a rare piece of old Shinagawa. Approximately... More
サンマーメン / Sanmāmen / 大元 (Daigen) — Shinagawa
Daigen is a family-run machi-chūka on the Kōnan side of Shinagawa Station. Once surrounded by rail yards and industrial facilities, the shop survived the area’s massive redevelopment into today’s high-rise business district and remains a rare piece of old Shinagawa. Approximately 10 seats. Founded in the late 1960s. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 川越 大勝軒 at Kawagoe Taishoken
チャーシューワンタン麺 + メンマ + 生玉子 / Chashu Wontonmen + Menma + Nama Tamago / 川越大勝軒 (Kawagoe Taishōken) — Kawagoe, Saitama
Clear shoyu soup contains a base of niboshi and dried fish, finished with a layer of lard that keeps the oversized bowl extremely hot. Medium-thin, lightly curled noodles are supplied by Kusamura... More
チャーシューワンタン麺 + メンマ + 生玉子 / Chashu Wontonmen + Menma + Nama Tamago / 川越大勝軒 (Kawagoe Taishōken) — Kawagoe, Saitama
Clear shoyu soup contains a base of niboshi and dried fish, finished with a layer of lard that keeps the oversized bowl extremely hot. Medium-thin, lightly curled noodles are supplied by Kusamura Shōten, the historic noodle manufacturer closely connected to Eifukucho Taishōken. Noodles are served relatively soft and in the traditional large portions associated with the lineage. Topped with extra lean pork chashu, thin-skinned wontons, half a boiled egg, nori, negi and long hosaki menma, with additional menma added to this bowl. The wontons contain very little filling, placing greater emphasis on the soft wrapper and its texture in the soup. Nama tamago is served separately and can be used sukiyaki-style, dipping the hot noodles into the raw egg before eating.
The master trained at the original Eifukucho Taishōken in Suginami before receiving permission to open Kawagoe Taishōken as a direct noren-wake shop. Eifukucho Taishōken was established in 1955 by Kenji Kusamura-san and developed a distinctive style centered on niboshi soup, large portions and noodles from the founder’s family business, Kusamura Shōten. Unlike a franchise, Eifukucho operates through noren-wake: apprentices are permitted to use the Taishōken name after completing their training, while the resulting shops operate independently. Kawagoe preserves fundamental characteristics including Kusamura noodles, niboshi-shoyu soup, surface lard, oversized bowls and large portions while developing its own interpretation, notably the use of long hosaki menma and a broader menu. The shop is also unusual among the lineage for beginning service at 6am. 17 seats. Since November 3rd, 2010. @honkawagoe_taisyouken Less
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豚骨ラーメン / Tonkotsu Ramen / 国際秘羊館 (Kokusai Hiyokan) — Shibuya, Shibuya
Hakata-inspired tonkotsu ramen. The broth is prepared primarily from pig heads in small batches, replenishing old stock with new broth. Thin, straight noodles are supplied by the Fukuoka-based purveyor Seimenya Keishi. The standard ramen is completed with... More
豚骨ラーメン / Tonkotsu Ramen / 国際秘羊館 (Kokusai Hiyokan) — Shibuya, Shibuya
Hakata-inspired tonkotsu ramen. The broth is prepared primarily from pig heads in small batches, replenishing old stock with new broth. Thin, straight noodles are supplied by the Fukuoka-based purveyor Seimenya Keishi. The standard ramen is completed with pulled pork, kikurage mushrooms and chopped green onions, while takana, red pickled ginger, sesame, garlic and additional tare are available on the counter.
Kokusai Hiyokan is a jingisukan (bbq lamb) restaurant that opened in Shibuya in June of 2025. Manager Yahiro-san is originally from Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture, he began the ramen-only lunch operation as a pop-up in February of 2026. He independently developed the ramen on his own, trying to recreate the type of tonkotsu he grew up eating in Kyushu. He runs the entire lunch operation solo, including all prep and clean-up, before the bbq lamb restaurant opens for dinner. 6 counter seats. Opened February 2, 2026 @kokusaihiyoukan @hiyoukan_yahiro_no_ramen Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Tsujita (つじ田 神田御茶ノ水店) at Tsujita (つじ田 神田御茶ノ水店)
Recommended bowl: Established empire
Famed ramen shop with multiple branches and styles, both in Japan and overseas. The flagship in central Tokyo offers a soup containing pork, chicken, gyokai, kombu, vegetables and several other ingredients. Noodles are provided by Mikawaya Seimen, with different noodles for ramen and tsukemen. Both are recommended,... More
Recommended bowl: Established empire
Famed ramen shop with multiple branches and styles, both in Japan and overseas. The flagship in central Tokyo offers a soup containing pork, chicken, gyokai, kombu, vegetables and several other ingredients. Noodles are provided by Mikawaya Seimen, with different noodles for ramen and tsukemen. Both are recommended, however the tsukemen is probably the more popular choice. The recommended way of eating tsukemen is in thirds as follows: eat one third of the noodles the normal way by dipping them in the soup. Then squeeze the sudachi citrus over another third of the noodles. Finally, use the black shichimi spice powder on the counter for the remaining noodles. Original master Tsujita-san opened his first shop when he was just 24 years old. As of mid 2020, there are 17 Tsujita shops in Japan; 13 serve this style of menu, along with with three miso-themed shops and two tantanmen specialty shops. Tsujita-san also founded ramen shops in Los Angeles, however he has since sold those to a larger company and is no longer affiliated nor involved. Original Kanda Ochanomizu flagship open since 2005. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Aishin (麺屋 愛心 町屋店) at Menya Aishin Machiya ten (麺屋 愛心 町屋店)
Recommended bowl: Tantanmen w/ shrimp
Aishin first opened in Niigata prefecture in 2015, before opening in Tokyo in April 2018. The menu here is a collaboration of traditional Chinese skills and Japanese ramen. The niboshi used in the soup is from Ibuki-Shima and the katsuo is from Tosashimizu. Noodles supplied by Mikawaya Seimen. Three main offerings... More
Recommended bowl: Tantanmen w/ shrimp
Aishin first opened in Niigata prefecture in 2015, before opening in Tokyo in April 2018. The menu here is a collaboration of traditional Chinese skills and Japanese ramen. The niboshi used in the soup is from Ibuki-Shima and the katsuo is from Tosashimizu. Noodles supplied by Mikawaya Seimen. Three main offerings on the menu of Mabomen, Ebi Tantanmen, Niboshi Chuka Soba. The house-recommended Ebi (shrimp) Tantanmen contains ground-up ama ebi shells, black sansho oil, chili oil, minced pork, and negi. When your noodles are eaten, you get risotto type rice for free to mix with your soup. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Izuru (中華そば いづる) at Chuka Soba Izuru (中華そば いづる)
Recommended bowl: 5 types of fish
Located on a side street in Daimon, Izuru can usually be spotted from a distance thanks to the line out front. Only open for lunch until the soup runs out, this place specializes in niboshi ramen — a fishy, umami-rich soup made with five varieties of dried fish. The noodles are supplied by Murakami Asahi Seimen,... More
Recommended bowl: 5 types of fish
Located on a side street in Daimon, Izuru can usually be spotted from a distance thanks to the line out front. Only open for lunch until the soup runs out, this place specializes in niboshi ramen — a fishy, umami-rich soup made with five varieties of dried fish. The noodles are supplied by Murakami Asahi Seimen, and each bowl is topped with pork and chicken chashu, as well as iwanori seaweed. After you finish your noodles, the recommended go-to is the 'aedama' noodle reload served on the side. You can eat them as is, with vinegar, or add them to the remaining soup in your ramen bowl. A highly ranked shop. Open since 2017. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Gantetsu (ラーメン 巌哲) at Ramen Gantetsu (ラーメン巌哲)
Recommended bowl: High-qual, new school
Bowls at this new school shop are known to use ingredients such as maguro in the soup, as well a more traditional shoyu and shio soup with chickens sourced from Shiga prefecture. Limited seasonal bowls are also known to be high level, using selected products from all over the lands and seas of Japan. Master Yasuyuki... More
Recommended bowl: High-qual, new school
Bowls at this new school shop are known to use ingredients such as maguro in the soup, as well a more traditional shoyu and shio soup with chickens sourced from Shiga prefecture. Limited seasonal bowls are also known to be high level, using selected products from all over the lands and seas of Japan. Master Yasuyuki Hiramatsu trained under the Osaka-based Mentetsu ramen group. Open since 2014. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Ezawa (江ざわ) at Ezawa (江ざわ)
Recommended bowl: The OG
Ezawa Shokudō was founded in 1954 as a family restaurant in Katsuura, a remote coastal city on Japan’s Boso Peninsula. At that time, many local people worked on boats, such as fisherman and traditional ama-san (women shell & pearl divers). Master Ezawa-san wanted to make a spicy Sichuan-style tantanmen to warm up his sea... More
Recommended bowl: The OG
Ezawa Shokudō was founded in 1954 as a family restaurant in Katsuura, a remote coastal city on Japan’s Boso Peninsula. At that time, many local people worked on boats, such as fisherman and traditional ama-san (women shell & pearl divers). Master Ezawa-san wanted to make a spicy Sichuan-style tantanmen to warm up his sea weary customers, but it was difficult at the time to get some of the ingredients, such as Qi Mahjong (Chinese sesame paste). So he improvised and used chili oil instead, topping the dish with minced meat and onions. So began the ramen sub-genre of Katsuura-style tantanmen, a dish the region is now famous for. After the OG master Ezawa-san passed away in the late 1990s, his son reopened the shop in 2001. It later closed and moved to its current location in 2013. The shop is now in the OG master's grandson's hands, having survived into a third generation. This is the Mecca of Katsuura Tantanmen, so expect a wait at the door. The shop usually runs out of soup by mid-afternoon. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kazu (つけ麺 和) at Tsukemen Kazu Tokyo honten (つけ麺 和 東京本店)
Recommended bowl: Michi style
Master Kanai-san trained at the acclaimed shop Tsukemen Michi in Kameari, then became manager of Michi's second shop 'Michi no Buta' before opening Kazu in 2018. The soup here is a tonkotsu gyokai double soup, with noodles supplied by Kanejin (same as Michi). The tonkotsu soup is made from chicken bones, chicken feet,... More
Recommended bowl: Michi style
Master Kanai-san trained at the acclaimed shop Tsukemen Michi in Kameari, then became manager of Michi's second shop 'Michi no Buta' before opening Kazu in 2018. The soup here is a tonkotsu gyokai double soup, with noodles supplied by Kanejin (same as Michi). The tonkotsu soup is made from chicken bones, chicken feet, pig feet and pig heads. This base is then combined with a gyokai (seafood) soup made from niboshi, saba-bushi and ago (dried flying fish). The soup takes two days to make. No MSG. Unlike most tsukemen shops which rinse their noodles in cold water, the noodles here are washed in water at room temperature. A housemade garlic soy sauce can be used in the soup or put directly on the noodles. Less
