中華麺 / Chūkamen / Eifukucho Taishōken — Eifukucho, Tokyo

The original Eifukucho Taishōken style ramen. Niboshi shoyu soup is made from pork bones, kombu, onions, carrots, potatoes and a large amount of dried sardines. The sardines (niboshi) are a blend of high-quality brands from Nagasaki, Yamaguchi and Ibaraki prefectures. The bowls are large by ramen standards, the soup covered in a surface layer of scalding hot pork lard which seals in the heat. Noodles (two servings in each bowl) are supplied by the purveyor (and family relative) Kusamura Shōten. Topped with stewed pork loin chashu, Taiwanese bamboo shoots (which are slowly boiled for 6-7 hours), negi and naruto. Raw egg for noodle dipping on the side.

Shop founder Kenji Kusamura’s family moved to Tokyo from Niigata when he was a young boy. His father ran a noodle manufacturing and wholesale business in Suginami Ward, by helping him is how Kenji learned the ways of being a merchant. When he was 26 years old, he decided to open his own ramen shop in front of Eifukucho Station. A few years later in 1962, they purchased an ice machine and began serving free ice water, a practice unheard of by ramen shops during that time. To this day, the store runs an apprenticeship system in which recruits are hired during a strict and lengthy process that can take up to a year. They work hard for five years, knowing they will get the support to go independent after that. There are roughly 20+ existing ramen shops with direct apprenticeship connections to Eifukuchō Taishōken, and 20+ more shops with apprenticeships or affiliations to those shops. Separately, there are also roughly 20 or so known other shops which have absolutely no connection or relation yet serve ramen inspired by Eifukucho Taishōken. The original flagship store is still family owned and operated in the same location, now run by Kusumura-san’s son-in-law. 23 seats. Open since 1955.