What is RAMEN? Everything You Need to Know
What is ramen? When and how did it come to be? Learn all about this beloved Japanese dish in all its glory!
Ramen Blog
The 5 AM Ramen blog dives deep into the world of ramen. "Best Ramen Lists" include top picks in Tokyo and elsewhere in Japan. Check out "Not Ramen" for other delicious food.
New Tokyo Ramen Tour: Make Ramen Like a Pro
On this brand new tour, you’ll get to make ramen alongside one of Tokyo’s best ramen chefs. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a ramen shop kitchen! Inside one of Tokyo’s Top Ramen Shops This experience takes place in one of Tokyo’s top ramen shops. You’ll get to meet and work with the owner, a well-known figure in the ramen world. Make Ramen like a Pro The ramen making includes everything from ladling the broth to carefully adding toppings at t
Fish Ramen in Shinjuku – 5 Must Try Shops
From sea bream to shrimp ball toppings, here are 5 shops you have to try for fish ramen in Shinjuku!
Best Duck Ramen in Tokyo (Ueno): Kamo to Negi
Since 2016, Kamo to Negi (らーめん鴨to葱) has served what’s probably the absolute best duck ramen in Tokyo.
Creamy Chicken Ramen Specialists: Takeichi
Takeichi specializes in one thing: supremely tasty chicken ramen. On top of their 11 branches in greater Tokyo, they have 10 overseas. Along with their signature creamy chicken ramen (paitan), they’ve got lighter broth ramen, spicy miso ramen, and even tsukemen. All ramen are of course chicken based! Thanksgiving Gravy Ramen? If it’s your first bowl at Takeichi, creamy chicken (tori paitan) is the necessary choice. But do be forewarned – it’s really rich and creamy. Shoyu wit
Contemporary Ramen and Tsukemen: Men Labo Hiro
Men Labo Hiro near Gakugei-Daigaku station serves sensational contemporary ramen. This shop has won multiple awards since it opened in 2016. The Ramen In their ramen, or “Tori Soba”, chicken plays a prominent role. The chicken collagen supplies just the right amount of richness to the broth. But the broth also has a hint of fish. You can choose a saltier shoyu or a springier shio as a base. For either, a touch of mitsuba, capers, and yuzu citrus peels round everything out. St
The Best Tonkotsu Ramen in Asakusa: Urinbo
Ramen shop Urinbo (うりんぼ) has the best tonkotsu ramen in Asakusa, hands-down.
Hokkaido Style Ramen in Ginza - Funamizaka
Ramen eatery Funamizaka (船見坂) makes great ramen in Ginza – ramen that will make you feel like you’re in Hokkaido. The bowls are massive and start at just ¥700! Sapporo Miso Ramen More specifically, Funamizaka makes terrific Sapporo style miso ramen. Just like in Sapporo, they serve it piping hot! This is to help one combat the harsh temperatures in Sapporo during Winter. The miso commands the overall taste of the bowl but I like that it overall isn’t too sweet. Even if you or
Classic Ramen in Ebisu – Ozeki Chukasoba
If you want old-school ramen in Ebisu with a twist, check out Ozeki Chukasoba. This shop is adored by locals and is very close to Ebisu station. All their ramen starts at ¥830! Chukasoba – their Top Dish Their most popular dish is “Chukasoba”. Ozeki keeps it old-school, as “Chukasoba” means “Chinese noodles”. Chukasoba with egg: ¥930 The broth has a light soy sauce flavoring and includes chicken from Koushu, Yamanashi and premium pork stock. The vegetables are “gently” boile
Bazoku: The Best Handmade Noodles in Tokyo
Ramen shop Bazoku in Asakusa arguably has the best handmade noodles in Tokyo.
Michelin Ramen Shop Soba House Konjiki Hototogisu
The latest Michelin ramen shop on the block is Soba House Konjiki Hototogisu (SOBA HOUSE 金色不如帰). The Michelin Guide had featured them for 3 years. But in 2019, it officially became the third Tokyo ramen shop to be awarded an official Michelin star. It’s well-deserved. How to Order First of all, go on a weekday if you can. Furthermore, if you arrive at 11:00 am (before doors open at 11:30 am), there’s a chance you’ll be first in line. It definitely helps to know what to order
Mensho San Francisco – Green Tea Ramen, Cheese Chicken Ramen
Only at Mensho San Francisco (メンショー サン フランシスコ) can you find brightly colored green tea ramen or cheese chicken ramen. But these wacky ramen deliciously work! Located in Shinjuku and open since July 2018, the shop is modeled after their popular San Francisco shop. At this Mensho outpost, the speciality is thick and creamy chicken ramen (tori paitan). Green Tea Ramen? This is definitely one for Instagram. A dramatic bright green layer coats the top of the bowl, with walnut, men
Niboshi Ramen Master: Ramen Emoto in Naka-Meguro
Ramen Emoto (らーめん 恵本将裕) is the perfect introduction to Niboshi Ramen (dried fish ramen). Tucked away in the backstreets of Naka-Meguro since Sept 2014, they take their craft very seriously. Epic Wall Art Emoto-san, the man behind it all, is actually from Kyushu – best known for rich tonktosu ramen. But it was in niboshi ramen that he decided to make his mark. Niboshi Ramen – Shoyu Niboshi is dried sardines. At Emoto they use 3 types of sardines and 1 type of horse mackerel.
Pumpkin Ramen, Red Ginger Ramen in Meguro
Ramen shop Only One Noodle Ichifuji in Meguro is now serving a seasonal pumpkin ramen that’s insanely good. But if pumpkin isn’t your thing, you can choose from 4 other sauces, including lemon / yuzu citrus. Pumpkin (Seasonal) Niboshi (Dried Fish) Lemon and Yuzu Citrus Sichuan Pepper Pumpkin Ramen / The Broth What a bowl, this pumpkin ramen. They use the pumpkin just enough to make it feel like an Autumn ramen. Regardless of your sauce choice, the broth is light and clear, wi
Tokyo Ramen Show 2018: Uni Ramen to Premium Kelp Ramen, 12 Bowls
This year’s Tokyo Ramen Show at Komazawa Park was spectacular, featuring 36 hand-picked ramen shops from all over Japan. Over eleven days, they diligently dished out thousands of deliciously complex ramen bowls. There was so shortage of variety – from the top voted uni ramen, to premium kelp ramen. In total, I dived into 12 bowls this year. Check them ALL out below and even find out where the shops are located throughout Japan. First Group: Oct 25 – 30 Snow Crab Miso Ramen T
Indian Ramen in Ikebukuro – Ramen Spice Shaka
Indian Ramen?? Ramen Spice Shaka in Ikebukuro has boldly and beautifully created ramen that incorporates a great number of Indian spices. Still…Indian Ramen? Indian Ramen might sound like a novelty. But this this new ramen shop is the brainchild of Tomoharu Shono, the legend behind the Mensho ramen shops and Shankar Noguchi, an Indian cuisine maniac and spice expert. So this ramen shop doesn’t mess around. Indian cuisine is ridiculously complex, much like ramen. But they’re b
Tokyo’s First Ever Ramen Tasting Tour Launched!
Tokyo’s first ever Ramen Tasting Tour was successfully launched on Oct. 15th, 2018. This one-of-a-kind tour includes 6 mini bowls of ramen from 3 award-winning shops. Mini Bowls – Tour-Exclusive This Ramen Tasting is only possible thanks to mini bowls. Ramen shops normally only serve full bowls of ramen. But on the tour, you’re served ramen in bowls that are 1/4th to 1/3rd the normal size! Hence, this allows you to enjoy a wide variety of ramen – 6 wildly different bowls! Mor
Revolutionary Ramen: Mapo Tofu Ramen in Tokyo
A Tokyo ramen shop that calls itself a “laboratory” serves a spicy Sichuan style Mapo Tofu Ramen. 2 culinary worlds deliciously collide – China and Japan. Niigata Sanpoutei Tokyo Labo (新潟三宝亭 東京ラボ) is this shop’s name. Just try and remember Sanpoutei, the name of the group company. Sanpoutei has origins in Niigata prefecture and they have Chinese restaurants and ramen shops all over the country. But the only have 2 ramen “laboratories” in Japan. 1 is in Shibuya and 1 is in Nak
Cold Hiroshima Ramen (Tsukemen) in Akihabara
Perfect for any hot summer, grab a bowl of cold noodles at Ramen Hiro in Akihabara. They serve a Hiroshima ramen (tsukemen) in a cool, spicy broth. Hiroshima Ramen (Tsukemen) Hiroshima has their own homegrown ramen (tonkotsu shoyu) and Ramen Hiro serves it. But Ramen Hiro also serves Hiroshima-style tsukemen. What makes Hiroshima tsukemen unique is its cold, sweet and spicy broth. Hiroshima Tsukemen, All toppings: ¥1,080 (¥860 without toppings) To prepare this broth, Ramen Hi
Incredible Cold Ramen, Hot Ramen in Shibuya: Nakajima
Nakajima (麺飯食堂なかじま) in Shibuya is loved by locals for its tasty cold ramen AND hot ramen. Its big menu, BIG ramen and reasonable prices are a huge draw. Cold Ramen Dishes for Summer With record-breaking temperatures this summer, piping hot ramen might not be the first thing you crave. But Nakajima has plenty of satisfying cold ramen dishes to help cool you down in the insane heat. Hiyashi chuuka
Meaning “chilled Chinese cuisine”, hiyashu chuuka makes a grand appearance every