Tokyo Ramen Noodle

Japanese Ramen, very typical noodle meal, which is getting more very popular not only in Japan but also worldwide such as New York and London. It is not necessary to mention that Tokyo is the hardest battle field for Ramen shops in Japan. We would like to introduce some of Ramen towns and its popular Ramen shops.  (Feb 2009)


Popularity of Ramen
This is very general and common noodle which most of Japanese would have experience to eat once in life. Originally, this has came from China as noodle in soup and this developed the own prosperity and expanding its fans around the world. Nowadays, topics and news about Ramen on TV, magazines and internet have never been disappeared and there are a lot of "The-Best" magazines and reviewers, making so much benefit in economy.

Introducing Typical Ramen Shop
We would like to show what typical Ramen shops are with the etiquettes. Customer goes through the Japanese curtain called "Noren" and gets into it. There are 10 to 20 seats in shop and it depends on shops if you should order at seat or buy ticket from vending machine before seated. Wait for some minutes and you finally see your Ramen. Use wooden chop sticks and "Renge" spoon and eat as you like. There is no etiquettes for eating Ramen, which is considered as very simple meal. After you finish eating, you better not stay so long in shop so check out and leave. If you paid before seated, you can just leave.

Ramen shops have motto such as being simple, quick, cheap and delicious. Next comes Ramen towns and their popular shops.

Ikebukuro
This is Ramen town which a lot of business men and students support such as Taishoken.


Marukyu Ramen
This is not actually good location but good Ramen shop in backstreet. From Sunday to Thursday, they serve Shio (salt) Ramen, and on Saturday and Friday, they serve Keihakutan (chicken white soup). This chicken Ramen especially shows its perfectness and you can tell that this is their masterpiece.
Phone: 03-5952-3500
Business Hour: 11:00am to 5:00pm (by the soup finished) / Sunday 11:00am to when soup finished.
Map


HigashiI Ikebukuro Taishoken
This is a long standing Ramen shop which was established by Yamagishi, God of Tsukemen noodle, and it has been renewed in 2008. Tsukemen is simple noodle and you dip this into dense soup and eat it. This shop is the original of this kind of noodle. There is always the long line who wait for Ramen but you don't feel bad because you see Yamagishi to greet people in queue.
Phone: 03-3981-9360
Business Hour: 11:00am to 10:00pm (close when noodle finished)
Map


Takadanobaba
Takadanobaba, where the main battle field for Ramen shops, is a big college student town, especially from Waseda University and had many of famous Ramen shops.


Watanabe
This is original Ramen shop which Ramen shop producer Watanabe Juan made. This Ramen specialized in harmonized taste with pork born and fish flavor. Don't miss toppings such as Menma.
Phone: 03-3209-5615
Business Hour: 11:00am to 8:00pm (close when soup finished)
Map


Ore no Sora
This is popular Ramen shop recorded the longest line. The main menu is pork Ramen, which has pork born and fish flavor, called W soup, and you can enjoy taste of animal flavor. Very popular among young people.
Phone: 03-3366-0631
Business Hours: 11:00am to 7:00pm (close when soup finished)
Map


Shinjuku
There are so many Ramen shops in Shinjuku such as Never-Sleep town Kabuki-cho and Shinjuku North down town Kotakibashi Street.


Menya Musashi
This is one of Ramen shops which contribute Ramen boom in 1990s. This Ramen with fish and soy source flavor is something truly-unexplored. Their seasonal menu is also one of popular reasons.
Phone: 03-3363-4634
Business Hour: 11:30am to 3:30pm, 4:30pm to 9:30pm (Sunday 11:00am to 7:00pm)
Map


Dotonbori Kamukura
This is very popular shop, originally based in Osaka. They have unique and secret Ramen with vegetable flavor and if you eat that 3 times, you will be addicted. You also enjoy their crystal interior.
Phone: 03-3209-3790
Business Hour: 11:00am to 8:00am (Next Day)
Map


Notes:
Have your spare time for being in queue.
Avoid taking unnecessary pictures in shops.
Sizzle loudly when you eat Ramen. This means you feel delicious!
It should be very hard for them to understand foreign languages.