Rich Pork Bone Broth – A Must-Visit Ramen Spot in Tokyo for Taiwanese Travelers

Text & Photos byViviyu

Shop Name: 創房 無敵家 (Musashi)
Address: 1-17-1 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Sakimoto Building
Hours: 10:30 AM – 4:00 AM
Closed: Never
Access: JR Ikebukuro Station South Exit. Along Meiji-dori, corner of Minami-Ikebukuro 1st Intersection, 335m from Ikebukuro Station
2-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station East Exit
Official Website: http://www.mutekiya.com/

Turns out I still have so much about Tokyo leftunwritten. This Ikebukuro Menya Musashi is currently my favorite ramen spot in Japan. It uses a thick, rich pork bone broth that’s incredibly flavorful. The place gets packed with a long queue as soon as it opens every day, and the funniest part? You’ll definitely spot fellow Taiwanese people lining up for a pilgrimage here — I’m one of them.

Looking at the menu, there are actually quite a few choices. Even if you can’t read Japanese, you can just ask the staff for a Chinese menu—they offer it in four languages.

If you’re big eater, you can order a large bowl—it doesn’t cost extra. That’s what I did—I got the large size and shared it with my kid. Total satisfaction guaranteed.

Of course, there are also various toppings you can add for an additional charge—like green onions or soft-boiled egg—but I figured I’d try the original flavor first on my first visit.

It’s only about a five-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station, and you’ll see the Menya Musashi sign right away. There’s usually a long queue, and they use a two-line system. We waited about 30 minutes that day—can’t be helped, great food is worth waiting for.

During the wait, kids might get a bit restless. Bringing small toys or cookies can help calm them down, but I think the most effective thing is to tell them that super delicious ramen is waiting just around the corner.

The huge pot painted right by the entrance shows exactly what kind of ramen they serve here. Doesn’t it look absolutely mouthwatering? Maybe it was because I was so hungry, but seeing it made me want to dig in right away.

Once inside, everyone’s heads are down, busy eating ramen. I felt a bit awkward taking a full shop photo, but you can see the small seats are equipped with lots of seasonings—like raw garlic, spicy oil, and soy sauce—that you can add yourself to customize the flavor. But I’d recommend trying the original taste first.

The staff were really thoughtful and gave us kid-friendly utensils when they saw we had a child. He was so happy when he saw them~

Honmaru Ramen 800 JPY

On my first visit, I started with the basic ramen style. The first sip of the broth—wow, it was so rich it had an oily film on your lips, incredibly fragrant.

After a few bites, I added some raw garlic which made the broth even richer, with a slight kick that I loved. The garlic enhanced the deep umami of the bone broth without making it too heavy.

And of course, the pork slices were super delicious—tender and easy to eat, even for kids. They’re cut nice and thick, and my son Vincent especially loved the soft-boiled egg on the side.

The noodles were also perfectly chewy, soaking up the broth and delivering tons of flavor. It was so good that my kid asked to have it again the next day. The queue wasn’t too bad—we waited about 40 minutes, and the meal itself took just around 10. But there are so many delicious things to try in Tokyo, so I’ll save another visit for next time~

If you’re not sure how to get there, you can also check the map on the back of the business card showing the area around Ikebukuro Station. I highly recommend this ramen spot as one of the must-eats in Tokyo—it’s still unforgettable to me…

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