Kanda Ramen Waizu - Heavy-Hitting But Tasty

Kanda Ramen Waizu (神田ラーメン わいず) slings one of the heaviest-hitting, grungiest bowls out there. Their Ie-kei inspired ramen uses kilos upon kilos of pork bone.

Kanda Ramen Waizu and Kilos of Pork Bones

Their top ramen looks like a bowl of Yokohama style tonkotsu shoyu (pork bone and soy sauce). But it's cranked up in terms of heaviness.  

Waizu is known for having a special garbage collector dispose the mountains of pork bones they go through. Rumor has it they go through over 200 kilos (440 pounds) of pork bones per day. Regular city garbage collectors can’t handle it.

In the kitchen, you can really see how labor-intensive their ramen-making process is. Whoever is manning the pot stirs it vigorously, like a sea captain trying to right his ship through a pork bone storm.

They also practice "yobimodoshi," transferring soup from an older pot to a newer one, with two pots constantly going. The heat is so intense that their pots frequently warp and need replacing!

Their gas bill alone runs several thousand dollars a month, meaning they need to sell hundreds of bowls just to cover that expense.

The result is a broth so rich it's like each bowl went through five pigs. Sipped on its own, the broth is salty, garlicky, and shoyu-forward. But paired with the noodles, the creaminess from the pork bones really comes through.

The seaweed with its brininess wonderfully balances out the heaviness. The sweet and spicy touban paste condiment also helps cuts through this porky malestrom. 

Soft slabs of fatty pork chashu are the final reminder of the cholesterol amount...that and the pork bone fattiness that clings to your lips. 

Impressive Taiwan Maze Soba 

Waizu also makes a mean Taiwan Maze Soba (a soupless ramen style). This is actually the dish I order most often here. 

It’s thick across the board—thick noodles, bold flavor, and a good amount of spice (sometimes this style can get more fishy).

Before you know it, you’re sweating. But unlike the ramen, it doesn’t leave you needing a full detox afterward. 

That said, they don’t hold back on the garlic in this one either. You might want to cancel any meetings you’ve got lined up after this bowl. Still, it’s delicious—and one of my favorite Taiwan Maze Soba bowls in Tokyo. 

Hallowed Ground

Both these ramen dishes hit hard and without remorse. In Kanda, Ramen Waizu is considered ramen hallowed ground.

But not for those who want a light snack.