Ramen is one of the most popular and beloved dishes in Japan. This noodle soup dish is a staple in Japanese cuisine and has countless regional varieties. From thick, rich tonkotsu ramen to light and delicate shoyu ramen, the versatility of ramen is one of its best qualities. With so many types of delicious ramen across Japan, it can be hard to choose the absolute best one. In this article, we will explore some of the top contenders for the most delicious ramen in Japan.
What makes ramen so delicious?
There are a few key elements that come together to create a truly delicious bowl of ramen:
The broth
The broth is the soul of ramen. It provides the main flavor profile and is the result of hours of boiling bones, meat, and vegetables to extract as much umami flavor as possible. Popular broth types include tonkotsu (pork bone), shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt), and miso. A creamy, rich, and complex broth is essential.
The noodles
Ramen noodles need to have the perfect texture. The best noodles are bouncy and chewy with a nice “al dente” bite. They should also hold up well when soaked in piping hot broth. Ramen noodles are typically made from wheat flour, water, kansui (alkaline mineral water), and sometimes eggs or other ingredients. High quality noodles make all the difference.
The toppings
From sliced pork belly to marinated bamboo shoots, the toppings provide delicious accents and textures to the ramen. Some popular toppings include egg, nori seaweed sheets, corn, butter, bean sprouts, ground meat, and black garlic oil. The crowning toppings customize each bowl.
When these key elements come together in perfect harmony, the result is a mouthwatering bowl of ramen that keeps customers coming back for more. Now let’s look at some of the top contenders for best ramen in Japan.
Ichiran Ramen
One of the most well-known ramen chains in Japan and internationally is Ichiran. With locations across Japan and several overseas outposts, Ichiran has made a name for itself by specializing in tonkotsu ramen and offering a unique solo dining experience. Customers sit in partitioned seats and fill out a form to customize their ramen order. Slurping noodles in privacy makes the experience feel intimate yet communal.
Ichiran’s signature tonkotsu broth simmers for over 60 hours to achieve maximum pork flavor and creamy texture. Their noodles are made fresh daily and are pleasantly firm and chewy. You can top your ramen with extras like spicy sauce, garlic, green onion, roasted pork, and black fungus mushroom. Customizing your bowl makes the experience even more personal. Thanks to its rich and comforting tonkotsu broth, al dente noodles, and fun solo dining style, Ichiran Ramen is certainly a strong contender for best ramen in Japan.
Ramen Jiro
For ramen traditionalists, Ramen Jiro offers an authentic, back-to-basics bowl made with acute attention to detail. Ramen Jiro sticks to the classic shoyu ramen style. Their broth contains only pork, chicken, dried fish, konbu (kelp), and dried shiitake mushrooms that are boiled for 10 hours or more. Customers can choose between thick, straight noodles or thin, wavy noodles – both with the perfect chew.
Toppings are simple but high-quality, like thin-sliced chashu pork, menma bamboo shoots, green onion, nori, and an marinated soft-boiled egg with luscious golden yolk. Everything comes together in a simple but flawless way. Ramen Jiro also uses the traditional serving style with noodles and hot broth served separately so customers can adjust texture and temperature to their liking. The shop has extremely limited capacity and customers often wait in long lines for a coveted seat at the counter. For ramen purists, the pilgrimage to Ramen Jiro may well be worth it for a chance to taste one of the best classic shoyu ramen bowls.
Rokurinsha Ramen
Located in the busy train stations of Tokyo, Rokurinsha is best known for its rich and colorful tsukemen-style ramen. Tsukemen means “dipping noodles” and involves serving noodles and broth separately for dipping. Rokurinsha’s intensely flavored broth is made by cooking pork, chicken, fish, and vegetables for over 20 hours. The thick, sticky dipping broth coats each noodle strand evenly. Rokurinsha offers several tsukemen styles, but the most popular is the tokusen tsukemen which features Rokurinsha’s specialtythick, wavy noodles.
Customers can enhance their dipping experience with toasted nori, sliced pork belly, boiled egg, and garlic chips. The separated noodles and broth allow customers to enjoy the noodles at their optimal texture while keeping the broth hot throughout the meal. Rokurinsha’s inventive tsukemen twist on ramen and extremely complex and flavorful broth rocketed it to fame. The combination of innovation and tradition makes Rokurinsha a strong favorite for best ramen in Japan.
Konjiki Hototogisu
In Tokyo’s trendy Shinjuku district sits Konjiki Hototogisu, a Michelin-starred ramen shop with an avid following. The shop is named after the Japanese golden cuckoo bird. Konjiki Hototogisu specializes in shoyu ramen but distinguishes itself by using over 90 percent dried fish products in its broth and only 10 percent pork. This unique seafood-based broth delivers incredible depth of flavor while maintaining a clear, pale broth appearance.
Their wavy, skinny noodles pair perfectly with the light but complex shoyu broth. Toppings include chashu pork, cloud-like tamago egg, woodear mushrooms, bean sprouts, and green onion. Customers also rave about their potato salad side dish. Between the delicate but ocean-like broth and slick noodles, Konjiki Hototogisu serves up a bowl of ramen that is both traditional yet distinctly original. For Tokyo ramen-lovers, Konjiki Hototogisu often takes the crown for best in the city.
Other Notable Contenders
In addition to the shops above, several others have made a name for themselves as serving some of the best ramen in Japan:
Tsuta
The first ramen shop in the world to receive a Michelin star, Tsuta in Tokyo is famous for serving gourmet soy sauce ramen made with the finest ingredients like spring water, fish from Japan’s northern seas, and premium Japanese black wagyu beef.
Karako Ramen
This pork-bone ramen shop in Tokyo uses a cloud-like “nimono” style broth made by simmering pork bones for 5 days until milky white. Their wavy, wide noodles soak up the rich broth beautifully.
Menya Itto
With several branches across Tokyo, Menya Itto is a rising star known for its strong and murky shoyu tonkotsu broth made from pork and chicken bones and a special house blend soy sauce. Their thin, straight noodles are perfectly al dente.
Hide-Chan Ramen
This small shop in downtown Tokyo earned a cult following for its unique take on soy sauce ramen featuring a broth blended with creamy chicken bone base and special aged soy sauce.
Shinasoba-no-Oyaji
Located in Sapporo, Hokkaido, this popular shop serves Sapporo-style miso ramen with hearty miso flavor, curly noodles, and lots of garlic – a regional specialty.
What makes the “best” ramen?
With so many shops serving up top-notch ramen, what criteria determine the “best”? Some factors that contribute to the best ramen include:
- A complex, rich, and delicious broth (the heart and soul of the bowl)
- High quality, perfectly textured noodles
- Carefully chosen toppings that enhance the overall flavor
- Use of fresh, local ingredients and precise cooking methods
- Uniqueness – often a regional spin or special recipe
- Attention to detail in every aspect from broth to noodles to toppings
- Ability to perfectly balance tradition and innovation
- Cult following and popularity among both locals and visitors
- Long lines or wait times
- Special accolades like Michelin stars
Of course, taste is also highly personal. The “best” ramen often comes down to an individual’s specific preferences. The shops highlighted in this article all excel in different areas whether it be broth depth, noodle perfection, topping quality, or regional style.
Conclusion
Ramen-lovers are sure to find their match in one of the outstanding ramen shops scattered throughout Japan. Tonkotsu broth lovers may find heaven at Ichiran while fans of lighter, traditional shoyu ramen will skew towards Ramen Jiro. For those seeking innovation, Rokurinsha’s dipping noodles take the experience to another level. And Michelin-starred shops like Konjiki Hototogisu combine mastery of technique with regional influences for a one-of-a-kind bowl. The “best” ramen is ultimately subjective, but Japan offers endless options for incredible ramen experiences across styles, regions, and budgets. There is a perfect bowl waiting for every ramen fan.