Bursting with refreshing aroma—the famous Yuzu-flavored Afuri Ramen in Tokyo

Text and photos byXiaosheng

The rich broth of Japanese ramen has always been something I, Xiaosheng, longed to try, but a yuzu-infused broth was something I had never experienced before. The ramen map introduced this time will definitely overturn your imagination.

The ramen shop I’m introducing this time is called Afuri Ramen. It was my second favorite during last year’s Ramen Hell (where I ate at six ramen shops over four days XD). Afuri has several branches in Tokyo, and since we were staying near Harajuku, we went to the Harajuku branch. This branch isn’t located on a bustling street, so even though it had limited seating, we didn’t encounter any lines and smoothly settled in for a delicious meal.

The ordering process is very simple—there’s a ticket vending machine, and each ramen option comes with both Chinese characters and pictures, making it easy to order even if you don’t know Japanese. Afuri’s most famous offering is their yuzu-flavored ramen, so I ordered the No. 1 Yuzu Xi Ramen. My friend who goes crazy for anything spicy opted for the Yuzu Spicy Soup Ramen, while another tried the Amakuchi (tsukemen, or dipping ramen).

The seating inside surrounds the kitchen in a U-shape. The counter isn’t very high, so you can easily see what’s going on in the kitchen and get up close with the staff—though that might be lost on us non-Japanese speakers, haha.

After ordering, the air was soon filled with an enticing aroma—it turned out the staff were grilling slices of char siu pork. Despite the ventilation system, the smoky charcoal aroma wafted toward us, making our mouths water uncontrollably. Absolutely delicious.

On the table, besides utensils, there were also seasonings like shichimi spice for customers to use. But the flavor of Japanese ramen is already quite rich, so I didn’t end up using any of those.

Yuzu Xi Ramen (¥880): I ordered the No. 1 Yuzu Xi Ramen from the shop. In addition to the ramen, it came with a slice of char siu and half a marbled egg. My usual ramen habit is to take a sip of the broth first to gauge its flavor, and the moment I tasted the Yuzu Xi broth, its unique taste completely captivated me. Typical Japanese ramen broths tend to be salty, but Afuri’s Yuzu Xi Ramen carries a fresh yuzu aroma, so despite the rich flavor, it doesn’t feel overly salty. Instead, the yuzu adds a refreshing complexity I’d never experienced before—I absolutely love this broth.

The marbled egg is a must-have for ramen, and this one, smoked to perfection, was incredibly appealing from the first bite. Its soft, chewy texture was just wonderful.

The char siu was lightly grilled over charcoal, with visible char marks on the surface, but it didn’t have a strong smoky taste when eaten. However, its tender yet not overly crumbly texture was quite impressive—I liked it a lot.

Afuri uses thin noodles, but even though they’re thin, their firmness and chewiness are uncompromised. I really loved these noodles. The entire bowl of Yuzu Xi Ramen kept surprising me, and I still miss it dearly whenever I think about it.

Yuzu Spicy Soup Ramen (¥980): The spicy soup broth was intensely flavorful and aromatic, with a hint of yuzu in the spiciness. The taste was quite unique and not overly greasy. While the spicy soup ramen was good on its own, compared to the Yuzu Xi Ramen, the spiciness seemed to overshadow the yuzu flavor. I felt the Yuzu Xi Ramen better highlighted the broth’s distinct taste.

Tsukemen (dipping ramen): Another friend ordered the tsukemen, which came with noodles, half a marbled egg, char siu, bamboo shoots, and green onions. The tsukemen noodles were slightly thicker than regular ramen noodles, and because it’s a cold dish, the firmness was even more pronounced. The char siu was cut into thick, tender, and delicious pieces—I quite enjoyed this tsukemen.

The dipping sauce was made with a chicken bone and seafood base, blended with soy sauce, yuzu juice, and topped with sesame. Paired with the sauce, the tsukemen had a well-balanced tangy, sweet, and salty flavor. Especially on a hot day, enjoying the cool tsukemen was a real treat.

Afuri’s second-place finish in this year’s Ramen Hell was well-deserved. Its rich, yuzu-infused broth with a refreshing twist was incredibly alluring. Both the tsukemen and spicy soup ramen had their own merits, but I still preferred the No. 1 Yuzu Xi Ramen for its purest flavor experience.

Afuri Ramen
Address: 3-63-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo
Phone: (+81)3-6438-1910
Business Hours: 10:30–03:00

Xiaosheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey, every trip is a pursuit—even if I’m not entirely sure what I’m seeking, what I ultimately gain often exceeds my expectations. And so, my wandering journey will continue endlessly.