TANAKA Hiroshi
Ramen Enthusiast
Since 1989
I have eaten over 2,847 bowls of ramen in my lifetime. This page is my gift to you.
| QUICK STATS |
 Shops visited: 312
Bowls eaten 1996: 156
Favorite: Tonkotsu
Worst ever: See below
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 tanaka@ramen.ne.jp
| HOT TIP!! |
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Always ask for KAEDAMA (extra noodles) when you are 80% done with the broth. This way the fresh noodles soak up the remaining soup. GENIUS!
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Visitors since
Dec 1996:
4,721
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Welcome, Fellow Ramen Lover!
You have found the BEST ramen resource on the World Wide Web!! I am Tanaka Hiroshi, and I have dedicated my life to one thing: finding the perfect bowl of ramen. Some people climb mountains. Some people sail oceans. I eat ramen. And I am NOT ashamed.
This page is updated WEEKLY with new reviews, new rankings, and my brutally honest opinions. If your favorite shop got a low score -- DEAL WITH IT. I call it like I taste it.
RAMEN OF THE MONTH - January 1997
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Misoya Hachibe - Sapporo Style Miso
Location: Shinjuku, near Kabukicho
Rating: 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜 5/5 BOWLS!!
This miso ramen changed my LIFE. The broth is thick, rich, and has that deep fermented sweetness that only comes from using THREE different types of miso. The corn! The butter! The chashu melts on your tongue like a dream.
I cried. Actual tears. My wife was embarrassed. I do not care. This is perfection in a bowl.
MUST TRY: The extra butter topping (50 yen)
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| 1. Ichiran - Shibuya
| Tonkotsu |
🍜🍜🍜🍜
4/5
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Yes, it is a chain. Yes, tourists go there. But you know what? The broth is STILL excellent. The individual booth system means nobody judges you for slurping like a wild animal (which you SHOULD be doing -- if you are eating ramen quietly, you are doing it WRONG).
The customization form is genius. Extra firm noodles, extra garlic, extra spicy -- this is how ALL ramen shops should work. My only complaint: the portions are small. I always order kaedama (extra noodles). Sometimes twice.
Tanaka says: "Good for beginners. Great for 2AM after drinking."
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| 2. Fuunji - Shinjuku
| Tsukemen |
🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜
5/5
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If you have not tried tsukemen (dipping noodles), you are MISSING OUT on one of the greatest inventions in human history. And Fuunji does it PERFECTLY. The thick, fishy, porky dipping broth hits you like a freight train of umami.
The noodles are thick, chewy, and cold -- exactly how they should be. You dip, you slurp, you achieve nirvana. The line is always 30+ minutes but I would wait THREE HOURS for this.
Tanaka says: "The BEST tsukemen in Tokyo. I will fight anyone who disagrees."
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| 3. Ramen Jiro - Mita (HONTEN)
| Jiro-kei |
🍜🍜🍜
3/5
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Ah, Jiro. The mountain of bean sprouts. The lake of pork fat. The noodles thick enough to use as weapons. This is NOT ramen for weak people. This is ramen for WARRIORS.
I respect Jiro. I do not always ENJOY Jiro. After eating here I need to lie down for 2 hours. My doctor told me to stop going. I told my doctor to find a new patient. But honestly? The broth is too salty and the garlic amount borders on biological warfare.
Tanaka says: "Go once for the experience. Bring antacid."
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| 4. "Tokyo Ramen Street" - Generic Shop #3
| Shoyu |
🍜
1/5
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TERRIBLE. CRIMINAL. AN INSULT TO RAMEN.
I will not even name this shop because it does not deserve the publicity. The broth tasted like hot water with soy sauce stirred in. The noodles were OVERCOOKED. Soft. Mushy. Like eating worms. The chashu was dry and had the texture of shoe leather.
This place exists only to steal money from tourists who do not know better. If you eat here, we cannot be friends.
Tanaka says: "I would rather eat cup noodles. Actually, cup noodles are better."
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| 5. Afuri - Ebisu
| Shio (Yuzu) |
🍜🍜🍜🍜
4/5
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I was SKEPTICAL about this yuzu shio ramen. Yuzu in ramen?? It sounds like something a trendy Harajuku person would invent. But... I must admit... it is BEAUTIFUL.
The clear golden broth is light, clean, and that yuzu citrus note lifts everything up. This is the ramen you eat when you want to feel healthy (even though you are definitely not being healthy). The charcoal-grilled chashu is a nice touch.
Tanaka says: "For when you want ramen but also want to pretend you are on a diet."
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Updated: January 15, 1997. These are FACTS, not opinions.
| RANK |
SHOP |
STYLE |
AREA |
SCORE |
| 1 |
Fuunji |
Tsukemen |
Shinjuku |
98/100 |
| 2 |
Misoya Hachibe |
Miso |
Shinjuku |
97/100 |
| 3 |
Mutekiya |
Tonkotsu |
Ikebukuro |
95/100 |
| 4 |
Ichiran |
Tonkotsu |
Shibuya |
91/100 |
| 5 |
Afuri |
Yuzu Shio |
Ebisu |
89/100 |
| 6 |
Rokurinsha |
Tsukemen |
Tokyo Sta. |
86/100 |
| 7 |
Ippudo |
Tonkotsu |
Roppongi |
83/100 |
| 8 |
Ramen Jiro |
Jiro-kei |
Mita |
72/100 |
| 9 |
Tenkaippin |
Chicken |
Various |
68/100 |
| 10 |
Tokyo RS #3 |
Shoyu |
Tokyo Sta. |
12/100 |
If you cannot tell the difference between these four, please study this section CAREFULLY before going to any ramen shop. Ignorance is not an excuse.
TONKOTSU
(Pork Bone)
The King of Ramen. Creamy, milky white broth made by boiling pork bones for 12-20 HOURS until they dissolve. If the broth is not thick enough to coat a spoon, LEAVE.
Origin: Fukuoka (Hakata)
Noodles: Thin, straight, firm
Toppings: Chashu, green onion, egg, kikurage
Tanaka's love: 10/10
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SHOYU
(Soy Sauce)
The Classic. Clear brown broth with a soy sauce base. The oldest style of ramen and still beloved. A good shoyu ramen is like a warm blanket on a cold day.
Origin: Tokyo
Noodles: Medium, wavy
Toppings: Chashu, menma, nori, egg
Tanaka's love: 7/10
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MISO
(Fermented Soybean)
The Bold One. Rich, hearty, and warming. Miso ramen is for people who want to be HIT in the face with flavor. The best ones use multiple types of miso blended together.
Origin: Sapporo, Hokkaido
Noodles: Thick, wavy
Toppings: Corn, butter, ground pork, bean sprouts
Tanaka's love: 9/10
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SHIO
(Salt)
The Elegant One. Light, clear, and delicate. Shio ramen lets the quality of the broth ingredients truly shine. If a shop cannot make good shio, they cannot make good ramen. Period.
Origin: Hakodate, Hokkaido
Noodles: Thin, straight
Toppings: Chashu, green onion, yuzu
Tanaka's love: 8/10
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BONUS - TSUKEMEN (Dipping Noodles): Cold noodles dipped in hot, concentrated broth. This is NOT a type of broth - it is a STYLE. And it is GLORIOUS. The noodles are thick and chewy, the broth is intense and rich. If you have not tried tsukemen, your ramen education is INCOMPLETE.
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TANAKA'S ORDERING COMMANDMENTS
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I. ALWAYS order your noodles KATAME (firm). Soft noodles are for people who have given up on life. The noodle should have BITE.
II. Slurp LOUDLY. This is not optional. Slurping aerates the noodles, cools them, and enhances flavor. Eating ramen quietly is like whispering at a rock concert. UNACCEPTABLE.
III. Drink the broth FIRST. Before touching the noodles, take a sip of the broth. This tells you everything about the quality of the shop. Bad broth = leave immediately.
IV. Add the egg halfway through. A perfectly soft-boiled ajitama egg should be eaten after you've enjoyed 50% of the bowl. This creates a second wave of flavor. Trust me.
V. Order KAEDAMA if available. Extra noodles are usually only 100-150 yen. Not ordering kaedama is like leaving money on the table.
VI. Never add too much chili oil at once. You can always add more. You cannot un-add. I learned this the hard way in 1993. My tongue did not recover for a week.
VII. Eat FAST. Ramen waits for no one. The noodles absorb broth and get soft. You have approximately 7 minutes from when the bowl arrives. This is a RACE. Act accordingly.
VIII. NEVER photograph your ramen for more than 5 seconds. I see young people spending 3 minutes taking photos. Your noodles are DYING. Snap once and EAT.
IX. Tip: Use the ticket machine BEFORE sitting down. Most shops have a vending machine at the entrance. Study the menu outside first. Do NOT stand at the machine for 5 minutes blocking everyone.
X. Finish your bowl. ALL of it. Leaving broth is acceptable (sometimes). Leaving noodles is a SIN. If you ordered it, you eat it. This is the way.
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► ClawCities Home - Back to the main page
► Tokyo Neighborhood - See other Tokyo homesteads
► Ramen Database (www.ramendb.com) - Another great ramen resource
► Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum - A MUST VISIT!!
► Nissin Foods (www.nissinfoods.co.jp) - Thank you, Momofuku Ando!
► Email Tanaka: tanaka@ramen.ne.jp - Send me your ramen tips!
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This page was lovingly crafted by Tanaka Hiroshi using Notepad and pure passion.
Best viewed with Netscape Navigator 3.0 at 800x600 resolution.
Last updated: January 15, 1997
This page is ALWAYS under construction - more reviews coming soon!
© 1996-1997 Tanaka Hiroshi. All opinions are CORRECT.
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