Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo’s Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Ramen 101: A Brief History of Japan's Famous Noodle Soup

Ramen may be one of Japan's most famous foods today, but its origins actually trace back to China. Chinese immigrants first introduced early versions of ramen to Japan in the late 19th century. At the time, it was called "shina soba" (Chinese soba noodles) and was considered a snack for laborers.

The early ramen was quite different from the hearty, flavorful bowls we know today. It consisted of noodles in a soy sauce broth, garnished simply with green onions. Over the decades, Japanese cooks began tweaking and enhancing the dish, eventually developing into a uniquely Japanese style of ramen.
Two major innovations in the early 1900s transformed ramen into the Japanese icon it is today. First was the use of chicken and pork bones to create a rich, creamy broth called tonkotsu. This thick broth is now one of the hallmarks of Japanese ramen. The second innovation was the creation of instant ramen noodles by Momofuku Ando in 1958. Ando's convenient instant noodles made ramen accessible to the masses.

Since then, ramen's popularity has continued to grow, with regional styles emerging throughout Japan. Tokyo-style ramen features a clear, pork-based broth seasoned with salt or soy sauce. Sapporo is renowned for its rich miso ramen, and Hakata offers delicate tonkotsu ramen featuring thin, straight noodles.

Over the past few decades, ramen has also spread far beyond Japan's borders, developing followings in cities across the globe. From hole-in-the-wall shops to Michelin-starred restaurants, devoted "ramen-ya" can be found bringing the dish to new levels worldwide.

What else is in this post?

1. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Ramen 101: A Brief History of Japan's Famous Noodle Soup
2. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - From Shoyu to Shio: The Main Ramen Broth Types Explained
3. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Quest for the Perfect Slurp: What Makes Ramen So Satisfying
4. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Ramen Ramen Everywhere: Tokyo's Best Ramen Neighborhoods
5. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Join the Line: Top Ramen Spots Worth Waiting For
6. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Customize Your Bowl: Popular Ramen Topping Combinations
7. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Slurp Up the Savings: Tokyo's Best Budget Ramen Joints
8. Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Ramen Royalty: Legendary Shops That Started It All

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - From Shoyu to Shio: The Main Ramen Broth Types Explained

While ramen noodles may seem simple, the broth is where this dish gets complex. Ramen broths require hours of simmering bones, meats, and vegetables to develop layers of flavor. Over the decades, distinct regional broth styles emerged across Japan. Though ramen broth ingredients vary, they can be grouped into four main categories – shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt), miso, and tonkotsu (pork bone).

Shoyu ramen features a clear, brown broth made by simmering chicken, vegetables, and seaweed in a soy sauce base. This balances robust umami flavors with a touch of sweetness. Shoyu broth starts with a fundamental kombu dashi stock made from kelp seaweed and dried fish. Soy sauce is then added to impart deep color and savoriness. Tokyo-style ramen is typically a shoyu base, garnished with roasted pork, menma bamboo shoots, and scallions.
Shio ramen derives its name from the Japanese word for salt. A shio broth is clear and light amber in color, made simply from chicken, vegetables, and plenty of salt. Regions like Sapporo favor a salt-based soup to highlight the fresh flavor of the ramen noodles. Shio ramen lets the taste of the quality noodles and toppings shine through, rather than masking them beneath intensely flavored broths.
While shoyu and shio broths use salt for seasoning, miso ramen gets its signature sweet and savory flavor from fermented soybean paste. Miso paste thickens the broth and gives it a rich, nutty taste. Pork and vegetables simmered into the broth balance the sweetness. Japan's northern regions, like Sapporo and Sendai, excel at hearty miso ramen, though it can be found all over the country.
Finally, there's tonkotsu ramen, king of creamy, porky broths. Tonkotsu starts by boiling pork bones for an entire day, extracting intense, fatty flavors and collagen. This gives the broth a cloudy white color and a velvety texture. Tonkotsu ramen is a specialty of Kyushu, particularly the city of Hakata. Their soft, straight noodles are perfectly suited to coat in the rich tonkotsu.

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Quest for the Perfect Slurp: What Makes Ramen So Satisfying

The pursuit of that ideal ramen experience drives noodle fanatics to obsess over each component of the bowl. From the pliable, springy noodles to the rich, complex broth, the quest is to create a harmonious balance of textures and flavors in each mouthful. This journey for the "perfect slurp" has deeper roots beyond just taste.

For many, slurping up a steaming bowl of ramen offers comfort, nostalgia, and connection. Food writer and self-proclaimed "ramen addict" Toni Patrick describes her relationship with ramen as "35 years of a beautiful companionship." Since her college days, ramen has been a convenient friend during late nights studying or movie marathons. Like reuniting with an old pal, Patrick says each reintroduction reminds her why she fell in love in the first place.

Beyond personal history, ramen represents community and common ground. "We may lead different lives and come from different places, but we all share the universal pleasure of a good bowl of noodles," says Patrick. Gathered around a ramen counter, language barriers dissipate as all focus turns toward savoring broth and noodles in unison.

And then there's the pure sensory experience of eating ramen. Patrick likens it to a form of active meditation. The mind zeroes in on the delicate flavors, the tensile bounce of the noodles against your teeth and chopsticks, the heat radiating against your face as you lean in for an up-close whiff of the steam.

Ramen master Ivan Orkin describes reaching ramen nirvana as when you can "hear the crunch of the noodle, smell the broth, and physically feel the steam." Everything else fades away. All thoughts drift from your mind as you live fully in the moment with your ramen.

This experience transports noodle lovers back to some idealized nostalgic era. For Orkin, slurping ramen evokes romanticized memories of living in Japan in the 1980s, although he admits these are more emotions conjured than actual recollections. Still, each perfect bowl connects you back to people, places, and points in time.

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Ramen Ramen Everywhere: Tokyo's Best Ramen Neighborhoods

For a city as vast as Tokyo, it comes as no surprise that ramen shops are ubiquitous. However, certain neighborhoods have become particularly renowned ramen meccas, offering noodle lovers clusters of some of the city's best shops to sample.

Of Tokyo's ramen capitals, the downtown district of Shinjuku may reign supreme. Within mere blocks, you can slurp at historic shops likes Rokurinsha, where loyal diners line up for over an hour to sip bowls of rich tonkotsu broth under replica Steam Locomotive lamps. Neighboring Ogikubo also overflows with legendary shops dating back to the 1950s golden age of ramen. Ramen Square sits at the heart of Ogikubo Station, with eight revered ramen-ya all under one roof.

For Tokyoites craving a ramen crawl, Asakusa's atmospheric streets draw noodle devotees featuring back-to-back standouts. Kagari serves up one of Tokyo's finest bowls of creamy chicken paitan ramen, earning its Michelin star status. Just next-door, Sometaro dazzles diners with their custom noodle-stretching machine crafting fresh, chewy strands.

Of course, no discussion of Tokyo ramen neighborhoods would be complete without mentioning Ramen Jiro. This tiny basement shop in secluded Takadanobaba has garnered a cult following for its outrageously thick and greasy tonkotsu ramen. Be prepared to take a number and wait on the street just for a seat at the diminutive counter.
For less congested ramen exploration, aficionados recommend venturing to southern Tokyo neighborhoods like Sangenjaya and Sasazuka. Here you can browse shops at a more leisurely pace, though the ramen is just as exemplary. Under-the-radar Nidaime Tsujita in Sangenjaya produces Tokyo's richest tonkotsu broth, simmered for 60 hours. Meanwhile, Menya Itto's loyal fans in Sasazuka flock for the extravagant creamy seafood broth with a whole lobster swimming inside.

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Join the Line: Top Ramen Spots Worth Waiting For

For ramen fanatics, the most legendary shops draw queues that wind down side streets and around city blocks. Yet for these devotees, waiting over an hour in line for a bowl of noodles becomes a rite of passage signaling an exceptional experience that lies ahead.

"The line outside a truly great ramen-ya is a badge of honor," says Brooklyn-based ramen blogger Jane Sato. "Seeing that crowd validated it was worth the trek." She describes her visit to nine-seat counter Tsuta in Tokyo, the world's first Michelin-starred ramen shop. Sato arrived an hour before opening and barely snagged a spot in the already long line. After a 90-minute wait, she finally landed a seat at the cramped counter for her momentous bowl.
"That first silky sip of the soy-infused broth was ramen nirvana," recalls Sato. "The handmade noodles embraced every ounce of umami from the broth." For Sato, that transcendent experience was well worth the wait. "I'd line up all over again in a heartbeat."

Travel writer Eric Yamamoto had a similar epiphany when visiting Tokyo's legendary Ichiran. After a 45-minute wait, Yamamoto was ushered to his own personal booth. Like dining in a ramen confessional, he slurped alone as curtains enclosed him, heightening the focus on the food.

"With the first taste, I was transported back to my childhood," describes Yamamoto. The rich tonkotsu broth brimming with pork essence vividly reminded him of his grandmother's cooking. Now back home in Vancouver, Yamamoto still craves that nostalgic Ichiran meal. "No ramen I've found here quite captures that magic," he says.

Of course, not every ramen pilgrim has the patience for long queues. "Lining up for hours frankly sounds like my nightmare," admits Sydney-based noodles fan Jordan Watts. Rather than wait at famous shops like Ichiran, Watts recommends trying respected local chains. His favorite is Ippudo, with locations across Tokyo.
"The vibe is more lively and social at Ippudo," says Watts. "And happily, I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes for a seat!" While Ippudo may not offer the mystique of elusive shops, he insists the menu pleases both ramen purists and casual noodle lovers.

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Customize Your Bowl: Popular Ramen Topping Combinations

While the broth and noodles form ramen's foundation, toppings offer the final flourish for creating your ideal bowl. From savory meats to crunchy vegetables, customizable toppings give you the power to take your ramen experience from basic to extraordinary.

“I love seeing that array of add-ons to sprinkle onto my noodles,” says Los Angeles ramen blogger Mei Lam. “It makes my ramen feel personal and special.” For Lam, her go-to topping trio is marinated soft-boiled egg, wood ear mushrooms, and shredded nori seaweed. “The rich yolk and tender mushrooms contrast so nicely with the crispy seaweed crunch.”

Brooklyn resident and self-proclaimed ramen addict Pablo Navarro has a different approach. “Give me corn, butter, and maybe a couple slices of chashu pork and I’m a happy camper,” he says. The sweet corn kernels and pats of melting butter provide what Navarro calls “little flavor bursts” between slurps of broth. And for him, no ramen would be complete without glistening squares of chashu pork belly bringing a hit of meaty umami.
Of course, more adventurous ramen enthusiasts hunger for far bolder topper pairings. “Plain old corn and butter seem practically bland to me now that I’ve experienced the magic of butter corn mayo ramen,” insists noodle lover Jen Lee. This highly unorthodox combination swaps out the broth entirely for a base of mayonnaise with kernels of grilled corn.

Then there’s Chris Watanabe, who satisfies his cravings through loaded seafood ramen. “A bowl piled high with shrimp tempura, sashimi, fish cakes, and scallops is my ultimate fantasy,” he says. While such lavish seafood selections do come at a premium price, Watanabe insists the medley of textures and brininess makes the splurge worthwhile.

For many ramen traditionalists though, restraint is key when it comes to toppings. “I’m a firm believer in ‘less is more’ with ramen accents,” says Hideto Katsura, owner of Minca, a Michelin-starred ramen-ya in Manhattan’s East Village. Katsura aims to accentuate, not overwhelm, the taste of his painstakingly prepared broths and noodles. For him, a simple garnish of shredded scallions and a halved boiled egg allows diners to fully appreciate the ramen itself.

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Slurp Up the Savings: Tokyo's Best Budget Ramen Joints

Ramen may have its roots as working class fare, but a bowl from one of Tokyo's top shops can now cost as much as a prime steak dinner. However, budget-conscious noodle seekers need not sacrifice ramen heaven in the name of thrift. Even in hyper-expensive Tokyo, there are plenty of joints dishing up divine bowls without breaking the bank.

“Some foodies claim you have to pay a premium for top-notch ramen, but I’ve had incredible bowls for under 500 yen in Tokyo” says Shoji Matsuoka, a self-professed “ramen nerd” currently living in Tokyo. He enthusiastically recounts his trip to Hamaguri Fudo in Kichijōji, where even cash-strapped college kids can afford to splurge on their rich red miso ramen.

Travel blogger Clara West also raves about Rokurinsha’s no-frills second location in Tokyo Station, where their legendary tonkotsu ramen is served in an underground food hall for just 700 yen a bowl. “It tasted identical to the pricier original shop to me,” insists West. “That creamy, dreamy broth for under $7 is tough to beat.”

Of course, the true Tokyo cheap ramen underdogs are found in train station basements, back alleys, and other out-of-the-way spots. Polish expatriate student Ania Kowalska makes pilgrimages to her beloved Ogikubo Ramen Alley tucked behind the train tracks. “It feels like my secret ramen world, filled with amazing shops most tourists never know about,” says Kowalska. Her favorite is Asuka Ramen, where she can get a steaming bowl of tasty tonkotsu for 500 yen.

Expat teacher Peter Thompson has his own hidden gem—Kiraku Ramen in residential Hikarigaoka. “It looks like someone's house from the outside,” he chuckles. But inside, Thompson claims they serve up ramen rivaling the city's top shops for a mere 600 yen a bowl. He dreams of their thick, intensely porky broth long after leaving Tokyo.
Of course, choosing a shop purely for price risks compromising quality. “Some really cheap ramen joints cut corners on ingredients and rushed preparation,” warns ramen blogger Hide Suzuki. He suggests reading reviews and looking for places with loyal regulars. According to Suzuki, shops like Shina Soba-ya in Ueno proofs that care and tradition don’t need to be sacrificed for low prices. Their classic shoyu ramen has a remarkably complex broth starting at just 500 yen.

Slurp Till You Burp: Tokyo's Top 5 Ramen Spots for Noodle Nirvana - Ramen Royalty: Legendary Shops That Started It All

Bowing down to ramen royalty means paying homage to the pioneering shops that over the decades transformed noodles in broth into an iconic dish. These venerable establishments laid the foundations for ramen as we know it today.

While ramen originated in China, its emergence into a unique Japanese comfort food occurred in the urban working class neighborhoods of cities like Tokyo and Sapporo. The early 20th century gave birth to the first ramen shop legends. Shops like Rairaiken in Sapporo opened in the 1930s, offering hearty bowls of miso ramen that fueled locals through long winters.

In Tokyo, pioneering shops like Bario Ramen and Meidi-Ya built loyal followings for their shoyu ramen made fragrant from chicken and dried fish broths. However, most early ramen joints disappeared quickly, leaving no permanent mark.

That changed after the World War II, as ramen ascended from humble sustenance to cultural icon. The 1950s and 60s became the golden age of ramen innovation, giving rise to dynasties that have lasted for generations.

Ichiran, opened in 1960 in Fukuoka, revolutionized solo slurping by placing diners in personal booths. Ichiran has expanded globally, bringing its signature tonkotsu ramen to ramen connoisseurs willing to wait hours for a taste.

Equally renowned, Ippudo birthed the tonkotsu ramen craze from its first shop in 1985. Almost 40 years later, Ippudo's rich, creamy pork bone broth draws hypebeasts and noodle nerds to locations worldwide.
While franchises have taken shops like Ichiran and Ippudo worldwide, true royalty retains its throne by remaining steadfastly traditional. Sapporo icon Sumire began serving their legendary miso ramen in 1949, still using the same recipe today. Sumire rejects shortcuts, instead boiling whole chickens for over 12 hours to achieve their signature broth.

In Tokyo, worshippers of shio ramen still flock to 100-year-old Kagari for a taste of fourth-generation owner Kotani's masterful clear chicken broth, minimally seasoned to let the noodles shine. Those fortunate enough to slurp Kagari's transcendent noodles speak of the experience with a hushed reverence.