Tombo Ramen Near Kichijoji: Technically Brilliant
- Mar 6
- 2 min read
Tombo (とんぼ) is a must-visit ramen shop near Kichijoji and Mitaka (Tokyo) serving technically impressive ramen built on a triple soup of chicken, pork, and fish.
If you’re exploring Kichijoji or Mitaka, Tombo in nearby Musashino is worth going out of your way for. It’s understated but the bowl is technically impressive.
A Triple Soup Done Right
Tombo offers both shoyu and shio ramen, both built on the same layered base - a triple soup of whole chicken, pork, and dried fish. The chicken leads, the pork fills out the body, and the fish lingers subtly at the finish.
Multiple aroma oils are at work too, including chiiyu (chicken oil) and negiyu (spring onion oil), adding richness and a gentle sweetness to the surface.
The shoyu uses saishikomi shoyu - a double-brewed soy sauce fermented a second time with finished soy sauce rather than salt water. The result is deeper umami without being overpowering. It’s a light, refined bowl that lets the chicken base shine.
The shio is even more delicate, softer and rounder, with the chicken’s natural sweetness coming forward.
Noodles are from Mikawaya Seimen, one of Tokyo’s most respected noodle makers. They're thin, straight, and firm. Toppings are simple: clean chashu with just the right amount of fat, and not much else getting in the way.
Tombo Ramen Near Kichijoji - Worth Seeking Out
Tombo is the kind of shop that looks straightforward but is technically complex underneath. If you’re in western Tokyo, this is a strong bowl that doesn’t need to shout about it.
The chashudon (chashu pork on top of rice) is great too!
