Recommended bowl: Smooth & cloudy

Before opening Kusumotoya in 2006, the master trained at the legendary Wakayama ramen shop Ide Shouten. He also happens to be the elder brother of the master from the Wakayama shop Marutaya. Needless to say, this shop serves Wakayama ramen in the ‘Ide Shouten’ style — a smooth, cloudy tonkotsu soup perfectly balanced with local shoyu. The soup here is made from pig bones that have been completely drained and dried of blood. Kusumotoya also offers take out, a rarity at ramen shops in Japan — the raw noodles are served on the side (to boil at home) and the soup comes in plastic bottles.