東京

Tokyo

25 Feb 2024

Written by Pitari Japan Team

Top 10 Best Unique Ramen in Tokyo

Chicken-based ramen, oyster-based ramen, clam-based ramen, duck-based ramen, and more!

Ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen) is sometimes called the "soul food" of Japan, and there are just so many different kinds, with different broths or even dry ones. Outside of Japan, most ramen shops are relegated to the basic standard flavours of tonkotsu ramen (豚骨ラーメン, Tonkotsu Rāmen), shoyu ramen (醤油ラーメン, Shōyu Rāmen, Soy Sauce Ramen), and miso ramen (味噌ラーメン, Miso Rāmen), and yet there's still so much more to the world of ramen that will broaden your horizons in Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō). Chicken-based ramen, oyster-based ramen, clam-based ramen, duck-based ramen, grilled flying-fish ramen, extra spicy ramen, or an extra clear shio ramen (塩ラーメン, Shio Rāmen, Salt Ramen) with a grilled fish on top. These are all sorts of innovative ramen that are perfecting their skills, and pushing the boundaries of what ramen can be.

If you're in Tokyo, don't just restrict yourself to the touristy likes of Ichiran and Ippudo, and instead venture out into the wondrous world of ramen in Tokyo with our list of Top 10 Best Unique Ramen in Tokyo.

Clam-broth Ramen at Kuramu in Futako-Tamagawa, Tokyo

1. Ginza Kagari (Tori Paitan Broth)

銀座篝本店

Ginza Kagari Honten

Michelin-awarded Tori Paitan Ramen

When it comes to Tori Paitan Ramen (鶏白湯ラーメン), the name Ginza Kagari is the shop that most often comes to mind. Despite being located in a back-alley, this unassuming shop is a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, and for good reason. Each sip of the soup is rich and creamy, from the long hours that the chicken has been gently boiled down in it, which is gently accented by the fragrance of truffle added atop it. Without a doubt, the refined, deep, and rich tastes of the soup is what won this humble stall a Michelin Bib Gourmand award, and now has multiple branches across Japan.

銀座篝本店

Ginza Kagari Honten

銀座篝本店

Ginza Kagari Honten

2. Kamo to Negi (Duck Broth)

鴨と葱

Ramen Kamo to Negi

Tokyo's Best Duck Ramen w/ Clear Broth

Kamo to Negi (lit. Duck and Spring Onion) is a duck broth ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen) specialty shop whose tagline is that their dashi (出汁) is "just duck, negi (葱, Spring Onion), and water only". In Japanese cuisine, duck is a rather unusual ingredient, and not often used. However the fusion of the rich and deep taste of duck, together with the acidity of the negi (葱, Spring Onion) makes more a surprisingly light, yet deep broth at the same time. The negi isn't just a secondary element, but also a main hero of the dish, and you get to choose two of three monthly selections of negi to put atop your dish. From the first bite, you'll definitely be hooked on this unusual ramen, and its no wonder that the shop commands long queues even late into the night.

鴨と葱

Ramen Kamo to Negi

鴨と葱

Ramen Kamo to Negi

3. Kuramu (Clam Broth)

貝出汁中華そばくらむ

Kuramu

Tokyo's Best Clam Broth Ramen & a Hidden Ramen Gem

Kuramu is one of Tokyo's best hidden finds, specializing in an out-of-this-world clam broth ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen). Located in Futako-Tamagawa (二子玉川, Futako Tamagawa), a short ride from Shibuya (渋谷), this hole-in-the-wall shop always commands a queue of locals during lunch and dinner. The soup broth is jam-packed with the umami from the kai (貝, Shellfish) and hotate (ホタテ, Scallop) that have been boiled down to produce this lovely concentrated, and yet light and addictive broth. There's nothing quite like it, and that's why it's such a favourite amongst ramen enthusiasts.

貝出汁中華そばくらむ

Kuramu

貝出汁中華そばくらむ

Kuramu

4. Ramen Takahashi (Yaki Ago Broth)

ラーメン高橋

Ramen Takahashi

Shinjuku's Popular Flying Fish Ramen

Ramen Takahashi is a yaki (焼き) ago (顎, Flying Fish) (or grilled flying-fish) ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen) specialty shop, whose signature shio ramen (塩ラーメン, Shio Rāmen, Salt Ramen) has a unique smokey aftertaste that perfectly complements the rich and umami (旨味, Savoriness)-filled broth. The shop's tagline is "a ramen that is born out of using real grilled flying-fish to produce a rich broth with a luxurious aftertaste" (本物の焼きあごが生み出す、芳醇な味わいと贅沢な余韻, honmono no yaki-ago ga umidasu, hōjyun na ajiwai to zeitaku na yoin). It's one of those ramens that will really hit you with a "wow factor" on your first sip, because of how unique and different the broth tastes. Ramen Takahashi offers three main items on the menu: Yaki-ago Shio Ramen, Se-abura (背脂, Back Fat) Niboshi (煮干し, Dried Sardines) Shoyu Ramen (醤油ラーメン, Shōyu Rāmen, Soy Sauce Ramen), and Yaki-ago Tsukemen (つけ麺, Dipping noodles).

ラーメン高橋

Ramen Takahashi

ラーメン高橋

Ramen Takahashi

5. Tadaima Henshinchu (French-Fusion Oyster Broth Ramen)

ただいま変身中

Tadaima Henshinchu (Transforming Now)

Unique French Ramen

Tadaima Henshinchu is arguably one of Tokyo's, or even Japan's, most unique ramen shops, offering a fusion Japanese French style of ramen, or Ramen a la Francoise (フレンチ気分でラーメンを, Furenchi kibun de Rāmen wo) as they call it. The idea is really to take French culinary techniques and apply it to ramen with Japanese ingredients. The choice of focusing on kaki (牡蠣, Oyster) as the main ingredient of the ramen is also reflective of that, along with the use of soy milk in the ramen. The name Tadaima Henshinchu means "Evolving at the Moment", and is also reflective of how the shop is evolving the cuisine of ramen with its innovative methods.

ただいま変身中

Tadaima Henshinchu (Transforming Now)

ただいま変身中

Tadaima Henshinchu (Transforming Now)

6. Ayu Ramen Plus (Flying-Fish Shio Broth)

鮎ラーメン＋

Ayu Ramen+

Clear Shio Broth Ramen w/ Grilled Fish

Ayu Ramen Plus is a branch of the popular Ayu Ramen (鮎ラーメン, Ayu Rāmen) in Futako Tamagawa (二子玉川, Futako Tamagawa), and unlike the main shop, serves their signature ayu (鮎, Sweetfish) ramen throughout the day.

Ayu Ramen specializes in well, its namesake, Ayu (鮎, Sweetfish) Ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen), which is an extremely light and clear shio ramen (塩ラーメン, Shio Rāmen, Salt Ramen) served with an entire grilled fresh ayu sitting on top. The dish is so minimalistic, it's almost a work of art. The soup is bright and clear, with their own in-house thin noodles, topped with some sliced negi (葱, Spring Onion), a slice of nori (のり, Seaweed), a bit of herbs, and that beautiful ayu that has been gutted and deboned. The shop itself is also a very much, hole-in-the-wall shop, just with a long queue outside. Consisting of a single set of 8 counter seats by the roadside, this is very much a no-frills, yet homely ramen. The soup is extremely light, yet also deep and delicious at the same time. Before you know it, you'll have downed an entire bowl, and are contemplating if you should get a second round of noodles! That's just how good Ayu Ramen is, and it's why it's built a strong following in ramen guidebooks, and the area!

鮎ラーメン＋

Ayu Ramen+

鮎ラーメン＋

Ayu Ramen+

7. Ramen Maji (Tai Shio Broth)

ラーメン真風

Ramen Maji

Popular Tai Shio Ramen Restaurant in Kichijoji

Ramen Maji is one of the most popular ramen shops around the Kichijoji area, specializing in a unique Tai (鯛, Sea Bream) Shio Ramen (塩ラーメン, Shio Rāmen, Salt Ramen), so much so that on weekends it is a reservations-only system for lunch. You'll always find a snaking queue of locals outside the shop by day and night, and the shop doesn't even have a proper closing time as they typically close for the day when they sell out.

Opened since 2006, Ramen Maji offers 5 different types of ramen: the signature Tai Shio Ramen, Kuro (黒, lit. black, a tonkotsu shoyu ramen (豚骨醤油ラーメン, Tonkotsu Shōyu Rāmen, Pork Bone Soy Sauce Ramen)), Shiro (白, lit. white, a tonkotsu ramen (豚骨ラーメン, Tonkotsu Rāmen)), Miso (味噌ラーメン, Miso Rāmen), and tsukemen (つけ麺, Dipping noodles). Whichever you pick, you can't really go wrong as you can taste the umami (旨味, Savoriness) and richness of the soup from the first sip.

Tonkotsu Ramen from Ramen Makaze in Kichijoji, Tokyo

ラーメン真風

Ramen Maji

ラーメン真風

Ramen Maji

8. Kikanbo (Spicy Miso Broth)

鬼金棒神田本店

Kikanbo Kanda Honten

Tokyo's Best Spicy Miso Ramen

If you ask any Tokyo local what the spiciest ramen shop is in Tokyo, you are likely to hear Kikanbo as your answer. Ramen might not be what you typically associate as being a spicy dish, but Kikanbo's spicy ramen specialties has Japanese lining up throughout the day. Since their signature dish is a Karashibi Miso Ramen (味噌ラーメン, Miso Rāmen), you can choose how spicy and how much shibikara (シビから, Numbing Spiciness) you want the dish to be. As a tip, you can tune both of these down to Level 0, and the base miso ramen without any spiciness still tastes sublime. Kikanbo is a must-visit if you want to challenge your spicy tolerance levels, or to just get a good bowl of miso ramen in Tokyo.

鬼金棒神田本店

Kikanbo Kanda Honten

鬼金棒神田本店

Kikanbo Kanda Honten

9. Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho Shinjuku (Prawn Broth)

つけ麺五ノ神製作所

Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho Shinjuku

Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho is a popular ebi (海老, Prawn)-broth tsukemen (つけ麺, Dipping noodles) shop in Shinjuku (東京, Tōkyō) that really embodies the full-bodied taste of the ebi. The shop's motto is "do you want to try drinking prawn?" (海老を飲んでみませんか？, ebi wo nondemimasen ka?). The tsukemen's dipping sauce is very highly concentrated with the taste of the prawn, and so prawn lovers will absolutely love this bowl of noodles.

Tsukemen at Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho

つけ麺五ノ神製作所

Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho Shinjuku

つけ麺五ノ神製作所

Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho Shinjuku

10. Afuri (Yuzu Shoyu Broth)

AFURI 原宿

Afuri Harajuku

Tokyo's Popular Yuzu Ramen & Tsukemen

Afuri is a popular Tokyo-based ramen chain that specializes in its yuzu (柚子) ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen), an extremely unusual choice to use citrus in a traditionally savoury type of soup broth. It is this unique combination of its savouriness together with the zesty sourness from the yuzu that makes Afuri's noodles such an irresistible combination. The sourness helps to lighten the taste of the noodles, making it extremely easy to eat, even if you're extremely full, because the sourness helps to cut through the richness, like squeezing lemon onto fried foods.

AFURI 原宿

Afuri Harajuku

AFURI 原宿

Afuri Harajuku

Top 10 Ramen Shops in Tokyo with a Unique and Amazing Broth

Some of the shops on this list are quite touristy, and some of them are also very far off the beaten path. What all of them have in common, is the extremely unique nature of the broth that you are unlikely to find outside of Japan. We highly recommend checking some of these out, over the more touristy tonkotsu ramen (豚骨ラーメン, Tonkotsu Rāmen) chains that tourists tend to frequent.

Due to changing circumstances, readers are advised to do their own additional research. All information on this site is purely for reference only.

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