Recommended bowl: Mensaibo roots

The tonkotsu-gyokai soup served at this shop takes two days to make. The first day, pork leg bones, back bones, trotters and chicken feet are simmered. The second day, chicken tails (bonjiri), dried fish and vegetables are added. There are three types of dried and smoked fish (bushi) used-- soda-katsuo (bonito), urume (herring) and saba (mackerel). Noodles are by Taisei Shokuhin, a noodle company in Nakano open since 1917. Master Watanabe-san trained at the shop Mensaibo in Nakano for 10 years, where he worked as the shop manager. Mensaibo is run by Taisei Shokuhin. Watanabe-san now runs this shop with his wife. Open since 2019.