Tokyo has the highest number of restaurants in Japan. From Japanese cuisine like sushi to high-end French restaurants, and chain restaurants like yakiniku and izakaya, there's an endless variety of dining options.
Additionally, there are numerous ramen shops, which are a staple in Japanese daily diet. Tokyo is famous for being a fierce battleground for ramen, with skilled ramen shops competing day and night. Due to the intense competition, I experienced my favorite miso ramen shop only to find it's been replaced by a different ramen restaurant.
Walking through Tokyo's streets, you'll find ramen shops everywhere, allowing you to choose from a wide variety of ramen types.
In this article, we'll introduce some of the most popular ramen shops in Tokyo, which could be contenders for the title of best ramen Tokyo 2024.
The Ramen Scene in Japan
Ramen, now loved worldwide, is said to have originated from Yokohama Chinatown during the Meiji era (1868-1912).
A distinctive feature of Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores is that they always sell cup ramen (instant noodles in a container that you eat by adding hot water). Ramen has become so familiar to Japanese people that not only can they eat it at ramen shops, but they can also easily enjoy cup ramen at home.
Given its immense popularity, ramen naturally comes in a wide variety. While there are classic, simple ramen and hearty, filling ramen, there are also creative variations that challenge ramen conventions, such as using tomatoes or lemons in the soup.
Types of Ramen
Ramen comes in various types, with bases including soy sauce, miso, salt, and tonkotsu (pork bone). Especially miso ramen and soy sauce ramen, which use traditional Japanese seasonings, are very easy to eat and enjoy unwavering popularity from children to adults.
Punchy flavors like tonkotsu shoyu (pork bone soy sauce) and rich seafood-based ramen are also popular. In Japan, these types of ramen are often eaten after drinking parties or after work.
Recently, Tantanmen, which uses plenty of spices, has become trendy among spice lovers and those seeking a kick.
Ramen is popular not just in Tokyo but throughout Japan, with "local ramen" varieties like Sapporo ramen and Kitakata ramen boasting high recognition for their unique regional characteristics.
Recommended Ramen Shops in Shinjuku
Umakara Tanmen Seiya
source：Official X
Umakara Tanmen Seiya gained attention for opening as a shop inspired by "Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto," which sparked a spicy food craze across Japan.
Despite only serving Tanmen, they offer a wide variety, including their standard Umakara (delicious and spicy)Tanmen and Seiya Tanmen. You can customize your order by choosing from five levels of spiciness.
Among the various Tanmen on the menu, my recommendation is the mapo Tanmen. The rich mapo tofu clings generously to the medium-thick straight noodles, providing an exceptional eating experience. The thick mapo tofu stays hot until the end, allowing you to enjoy it piping hot throughout your meal.
The sweetness and umami from the stir-fried vegetable topping create a deep, rich flavor profile that's not just spicy but also complex and satisfying.
- Address: 1-3-13 Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo
- Hours: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM / 6:00 PM - 6:00 AM
- Closed: Irregular
- Phone: 03-6826-9903
- Official X: https://x.com/seiyashinjuku
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umakaraseiyashinjuku/?hl=ja
Menya Sho Main Shop
source：Tabelog
Menya Sho Main Shop uses a soup that incorporates the umami of chicken stock. It's a famous shop in Shinjuku that has been selected multiple times as a favorite among gourmet enthusiasts, potentially making it one of the best ramen Tokyo 2024 destinations.
Their signature dish, the Chicken Chashu(thin-sliced meat) Salt Ramen, features a delicate yet mellow salt flavor and a yellowish, clear soup that's captivating. Despite its transparent appearance, the chicken stock is rich, providing a satisfying experience. It pairs well with the thin, straight noodles.
The soy sauce ramen, which combines chicken stock with soy sauce flavor, is also popular. Unlike the salt version, this one features a dark-colored soup characteristic of soy sauce.
My recommendation is to add wonton as a topping to the soy sauce ramen. The ginger inside the wonton provides a nice accent.
- Address: 7-22-34 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
- Hours: Weekdays 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM / 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Weekends and Holidays 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM / 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Closed: New Year's holidays
- Phone: 03-3364-5787
- Official Website: https://menya-sho.co.jp/menu/nishishinjyuku.html
- Official X: https://twitter.com/papamamatoget
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menya.sho/
Chuka Soba Rukawa
source：Official X
Chuka Soba Rukawa is a unique shop where you can enjoy ramen with concentrated umami from beef bone and shellfish stock, a rare combination in the ramen world. Their signature Gyukai Seito shoyu soba (beef and shellfish clear soup soy sauce noodles) will immediately catch your eye with the vivid pink color of the Chashu (thin-sliced meat) when it arrives.
The perfect low-temperature cooking results in a juicy and tender texture. The soup, glistening beautifully with a layer of oil on the surface, has a rich flavor from the beef bone and shellfish stock while remaining light.
Their rich Tsukemen (dipping noodles) with a pork bone, chicken, and seafood base is also very popular. This Tsukemen is a menu item inherited from the now-closed popular shop "Ore no Men Harumichi." It has strong support from long-time fans, and many people who initially came for other menu items at Chuka Soba Rukawa become intrigued by the Tsukemen and return to try it.
- Address: 1F Shinjuku Daikan Plaza Business Kiyota Building, 7-9-15 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
- Hours: 11:30 AM - 11:00 PM (Last order 10:30 PM)
- Closed: New Year's holidays
- Phone: 03-5389-4033
- Official X: https://twitter.com/rukawa_noodle
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noodle_rukawa/
Recommended Ramen Shops in Shibuya
Ichiran
source：Official website
Ichiran is a popular tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen shop that originated in Hakata. You can enjoy tonkotsu ramen extracted solely from pork bones, packed with umami and free from any unpleasant odors.
Ichiran's interior is famous for its unique layout of counter seats, each separated by partitions. This design reflects the shop's desire for customers to focus solely on eating and deeply savor the ramen.
Without worrying about others' gazes, you can eat while sweating profusely or order multiple servings without embarrassment. It's especially a comfortable ramen shop for those who enjoy solo dining.
There's also a unique culture of "kaedama" (noodle refill) in tonkotsu ramen. Kaedama is a system where you order just noodles after finishing your ramen and add them to the remaining soup.
For the second serving with kaedama, you can enjoy a different taste by adding special vinegar or toppings.
- Address: B1F Iwamoto Building, 1-22-7 Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo
- Hours: Open 24 hours
- Closed: Open year-round
- Phone: 050-1808-2546
- Official Website: https://ichiran.com/index.php
- Official X: https://twitter.com/ichiranjapan
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichiran_jp/
Hayashi
source：Tabelog
Hayashi's menu is extremely simple, offering only three types: ramen, ajitama (seasoned egg) ramen, and Chashu ramen. This simplicity reflects the shop's strong commitment to ramen and their desire for customers to truly savor the ramen. In fact, it has gained unwavering popularity, being selected multiple times as a favorite among gourmet enthusiasts, potentially making it one of the best ramen Tokyo 2024 options.
The ramen, featuring a rich soup made with plenty of pork bone, seafood, and chicken stock, paired with medium-thin straight noodles, mysteriously becomes more delicious as you eat.
Being one of Tokyo's most popular shops and having only counter seats, there's always a line. It's especially crowded on weekends, so visiting on a weekday when it's relatively less busy is recommended.
- Address: 1F Social Dogenzaka, 1-14-9 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo
- Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM
- Closed: Wednesday, Sunday
- Phone: 03-3770-9029
Chuka Men-ten Kiraku
source：Tabelog
Chuka Men-ten Kiraku is a Chinese restaurant with over 70 years of history that has been loved for many years. It has been selected as a favorite among gourmet enthusiasts for more than five consecutive years, receiving high praise from many people.
If you want to try the standard menu at Chuka Men-ten Kiraku, I recommend the chuka soba (Chinese noodles). The simple soy sauce-based soup and crunchy bean sprouts create an exquisite harmony. Its addictive taste makes you want to eat it again and again. The wonton men (wonton noodles), which has chewy wontons topping the Chinese-style soba, is also popular.
Being a local Chinese restaurant, it's also nice that they offer side dishes that go well with ramen, such as fried gyoza and stir-fried meat and vegetables. Why not try this addictive ramen at this famous shop that always has a line of local regulars and ramen enthusiasts?
- Address: 2-17-6 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo
- Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11:30 AM - 8:30 PM
- Closed: Wednesday
- Phone: 03-3461-2032
Recommended Ramen Shops in Ikebukuro
MENYA NAKAGAWA
source：Official X
MENYA NAKAGAWA is a unique ramen shop famous for its Tsukemen (dipping noodles) and cheese risotto as shime (a finishing dish). The noodles are straight and thick with a good texture and the aroma of roasted wheat germ, allowing the rich chicken and seafood soup to cling abundantly to the noodle surface.
The highlight of this ramen is undoubtedly the risotto you can enjoy at the end. After finishing the Tsukemen, you add special rice and cheese to the remaining soup, transforming it into a Western-style dish. You can enjoy the dashi-infused soup without getting bored until the very end.
The shop is characterized by its overall clean and stylish cafe-like appearance. You can experience beautiful ramen, with noodles neatly arranged like pasta. I always take photos every time I visit.
The menu also has English descriptions, so those who can't read Japanese can order with ease.
- Address: 2-38-7 Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo
- Hours: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Closed: Open daily
- Phone: Unknown
- Official X: https://twitter.com/menya_nakagawa
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menya_nakagawa/
Vegepota Tsukemen Enji
source：Tabelog
Vegepota Tsukemen Enji is a popular ramen shop known for its Tsukemen eaten with a soup that combines vegetable paste and pork bone broth. Entetsu has created a unique Vegepota by combining not only pork bone but also seafood stock.
Vegepota is a coined term from "vegetable" and "potage," typically made by combining vegetables like potatoes, onions, and tomatoes with a pork bone-based soup. Despite the very thick soup that looks incredibly rich, it's easy to finish without feeling heavy on the stomach because it's extracted from vegetables.
The Chashu topping, which often plays a supporting role in ramen, is slightly sweet, tender, and delicious enough to be considered a star in its own right. When you visit Vegepota Tsukemen Enji, be sure to enjoy the excellent Chashu as well.
After finishing the noodles, the advanced way to eat is to add soup wari (diluting soup) to the rich soup to thin it out appropriately before drinking.
- Address: 1F Lestage Ikebukuro, 2-48-2 Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo
- Hours: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
- Closed: Open daily
- Phone: 03-3985-6405
Gyumon Halal Ramen Ikebukuro
source：Tabelog
Gyumon Halal Ramen Ikebukuro is a halal-certified ramen shop where Muslims can eat. Gyumon Halal Ramen Ikebukuro is based on "beef bone" and doesn't use any pork in its ingredients. The soup, simmered with beef bone as the base, can be eaten with peace of mind by Muslim customers.
The standard menu item is the wagyu white soup ramen, featuring chewy medium-thick noodles. They also offer ramen using high-grade Japanese black beef and "sukiyaki don" based on the traditional Japanese hot pot dish "sukiyaki."
The shop is also equipped with a prayer room, allowing for prayer at any time. With menus mainly in English and preparation of fork-tipped spoons for those not used to using chopsticks, foreign tourists can use the shop with ease.
- Address: 4F Dai-3 Mineoka Building, 2-42-1 Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo
- Hours: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM / 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM
- Closed: Unknown
- Phone: 050-5593-4949
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gyumon_ikebukuro_halalramen/
Conclusion
In this article, we've introduced various types of ramen shops in Tokyo, Japan's fiercest ramen battleground. From specialty shops' Tanmen to ramen that maximizes the umami of dashi, to creative ramen using vegetables and cheese, Tokyo's ramen shops offer a wide repertoire of flavors.
Moreover, in Tokyo, where shop turnover is frequent, ramen shops are constantly innovating to be more attractive than others. That's why the environment for eating ramen is also well-developed, with shops offering counter seats for focused eating and shops catering to Muslim customers.
When you visit Tokyo, be sure to find your favorite ramen shop. You might just discover the best ramen Tokyo 2024 has to offer!