Ramen shop Urinbo (うりんぼ) has the best tonkotsu ramen in Asakusa, hands-down. Their tonkotsu ramen is relatively light, clean tasting, and deliciously silky.
To be fair, the area of Asakusa doesn’t exactly have tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen shops on every block. Asakusa’s ramen scene is dominated by classic Tokyo shoyu (soy sauce) ramen. Regardless of this, Urinbo has one of the very best tonkotsu ramen bowls in Tokyo.
That Silky Broth
Urinbo’s tonkotsu ramen broth can only be described as silky smooth. It’s not overpoweringly creamy or thick and it has a clean taste. This could be from the heavy use of vegetables or from straining the broth many times over.
Their broth is so clean that there is ZERO funky pork smell when you walk into the shop.
Recommended: All the Toppings
It’s only ¥1,000 for ramen with all the toppings. Besides the standard negi and wood ear mushrooms, you get several sheets of seaweed, an awesomely runny egg, and chashu pork. The chashu pork is so soft it will melt in your mouth.
But most importantly, there’s a ball of mentaiko (spicy cod roe) in the middle of the bowl. This goes oh so well with the silky broth.
Just ¥650 for the Standard Ramen!
The standard ramen only costs ¥650 and you still get a good amount of toppings – negi, wood ear mushrooms, a slice of chashu pork, and a sheet of seaweed. If you’re a family of 4, that’s only ¥2,600 if you order 4!
I personally like to add the red benishouga (ginger pickled in plum vinegar) condiment halfway through. In the beginning, I prefer to enjoy the broth by itself. Right as the broth gets watery from the noodles, the benishouga electrifies it with a tangy and sour taste.
Ramen with a Garlic Blast
The menu item “Abarenbo” is inspired by Kumamoto’s tonkotsu ramen. Kumamoto is known for using large amounts of garlic oil. This Abarenbo is super garlicky as a result and the broth is a dramatic dark brown.
"Abarenbo" is loosely translated as rowdy or tough. But this bowl will satisfy ruffians and gentle folk alike. Enjoy the crunchy mountain of cabbage.
Inside the Shop
Urinbo has an earthy, Showa era wooden interior. They have tables too! You order from a menu, not a vending machine. English menus are available.
Urinbo is also open until 2 am! This is quite rare for the Asakusa area.
For the best, silkiest tonkotsu ramen in Asakusa, Urinbo is the place to go.