Locals’ Favorite: Japan’s Top 10 Popular Ramen Shops

▲Menya Ippudo’s rich tsukemen with fish broth, photo taken at the Taiwan branch. (Photo / Reporter Huang Kexiang)

Reporter Huang Shiyuan / Taipei Report

If you follow ramen news closely, you’ve probably heard that Tsuta, Japan’s first Michelin one-star ramen shop, is coming to Taiwan. But is Tsuta really the best ramen in Japan? According to Tabelog, Japan’s most reputable food review site, the No. 1 ranked ramen on their Top 100 list isn’t Tsuta—it’s Menya Ippudo, which also has branches in Taiwan. As for Tsuta? It ranks at No. 9.

No. 1: Menya Ippudo
Menya Ippudo in Japan only offers super-rich tsukemen with fish broth, super-rich ramen with fish broth, shio (salt) ramen, and shoyu (soy sauce) ramen. Among these, the super-rich tsukemen is known as the “champion tsukemen.” Its broth is made from chicken bones, chicken feet, chicken fat, ground meat, and five different types of seafood, and it also features Japan’s first low-temperature cooked chicken and pork chashu.

The broth is the soul of ramen, and each variety at Menya Ippudo has its own unique flavor. For example, the super-rich tsukemen uses four ingredients—chicken bones, chicken feet, chicken fat, and ground meat—which are simmered for eight hours in a proprietary ratio and extracted in three stages to create a rich, smooth white broth. Then, five types of seafood are added to enhance the layers of flavor.

Address: 1-4-17 Higashi-Shin-Koiwa, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3697-9787

No. 2: Chuka Soba Tomita
Address: 1F Takahashi Building, 1339 Matsubara, Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture
Phone: 047-368-8860


▲Ramen at Washi DINING Kiyono. (Photo / Screenshot fromWashi DINING KiyonoTwitter)

No. 3: Washi DINING Kiyono
Although Washi DINING Kiyono is located in Wakayama, many people still make the pilgrimage there, which shows the charm of this shop. Its shoyu ramen is simple yet full of flavor, and the optional chashu adds even more depth to the taste.

Address: 696 No, Arida, Arita, Wakayama Prefecture
Phone: 0737-83-4447 (+81-737-83-4447)

No. 4: Homemade Ramen Muginao
Muginao is located in Shinagawa and is a newly opened ramen shop from 2016. Its signature ramen is a special shoyu ramen, with a broth made from chicken and tuna, low-temperature cooked chashu, and handmade medium-thin noodles. With only nine seats and extremely high popularity, there’s usually a queue during meal times.

Address: 6-11-10 Minami-Oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3298-5158

No. 5: Nedaru Ramen En
Nedaru Ramen En is a famous shop in the Hachioji area. Its most unforgettable offering is the signature shoyu ramen. As the name suggests, this ramen shop specializes in ramen with a niboshi (dried small sardine) flavor.

Address: 21-21 Yokoyama-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo

No. 6: Ichikawa
Address: A101, 2-9-2 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki

No. 7: Ramen Ya Iida Shoten
Address: 2-12-14 Dohi, Yugawara, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture
Phone: 0465-62-4147


▲ The No. 1 ramen shop in Hyogo and the sea. (Photo / from the Twitter account ofNagomiTwitter)

No. 8:ら0?幛筌门 Nagomi
Known as Hyogo’s No. 1, Nagomi serves handmade noodles with three toppings: pork, chicken thigh, and chicken breast, all in a rich broth.

Address: 2 Chome-19-3 Mukogawa-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture

No. 9: Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta
Tsuta was the first ramen shop to earn a Michelin one-star rating. However, its rating on Tabelog was not high when it first received the star, but its ranking has been soaring over the past two years. Due to its immense popularity, be prepared for a long wait. The signature ramen includes white truffle salt ramen and black truffle soy sauce ramen, incorporating truffles to add layers of flavor to the dish.

Address: 1-14-1 Plateau-Saka, Oshiage, Sumida City, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3943-1007

No. 10: Ore no Ramen Appare-ya
This ramen shop often ranks at the top of the Tabelog list for Kyoto Prefecture. Although it is within Kyoto Prefecture, it is somewhat far from Kyoto City and not close to either JR or private railway stations—taking a bus is recommended. The shop’s most popular item is tsukemen (dipping ramen), which is limited in quantity and may sell out if you arrive late.

Address: 11 Shinaji Shimoji, Joyo, Kyoto Prefecture