15 Ultimate Ramen Spots in Japan Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jun 04 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Ramen

Ramen is a dish that evolved to match Japan’s unique culture, and currently, there are many varieties of ramen available. In fact, each region of Japan has its ramen battleground, and the number of ramen restaurants is countless. Here is a thorough roundup of the top 15 ramen spots in the whole country.

See full listings of Ramen restaurants.

1. Aged Tonkotsu Ramen Specialty Store Dai Nagoya Ichibanken (Nagoya)

While remaining true to the flavors of the birthplace of tonkotsu (pork bone stock) ramen, Nagahama in Kyushu, this restaurant managed to create a Nagoya version. Their signature dish is the creamy [White Tonkotsu Ramen] (from 680 JPY). To boost its flavor, add a little bit of Kurokara Miso, which is a blend of miso that uses Nagoya’s specialty Haccho miso as a base. A popular side dish is the [Genkotsu Karaage] (from 290 JPY) (deep-fried pork thigh bones), which is large and satisfying. Their Nagoya-style sweet-and-spicy sauce goes so well with sake (a type of Japanese alcohol) that you'll definitely get addicted!

Aged Tonkotsu Ramen Specialty Store Dai Nagoya Ichibanken

Open: 11：00-23：00（L.O.22：55）
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY / [Lunch] 900 JPY
Access: 1- 5 minutes walk from Nagoya Station on any line
Address: B1, 3-28-12 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (Map)
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2. NEW OLD STYLE Meat Soba Keisuke (Nagoya)

This restaurant has been popular ever since it opened. Their deep and delicate soup makes use of a special, naturally fermented soy sauce-based sauce. The signature [Niku Soba Soy Sauce] (from 780 JPY) comes topped with so much char siu (roasted pork) that you can't even see the noodles underneath! Its popularity is due to the fact that the ginger it's dressed with makes it so light that you'll be able to eat it all up. The extensive menu has something for everyone: if you like rich flavors, try the [Back Fat Niku Soba] (from 830 JPY) or the [Rich Seafood Tsukemen] (from 800 JPY). Otherwise, you can opt for something more light like the [Niku Soba Shio] (from 780 JPY).

NEW OLD STYLE Meat Soba Keisuke

Open: 11:00 - 23:00 (last order 22:30)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY
Access: 1- 5 minutes walk from Nagoya Station on any line
Address: B1, 3-28-12 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi (Map)
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3. Kyoto Senmaru Shakariki murasaki (Kyoto)

This ramen and tsukemen spot boasts a high reputation in Kyoto. For their soup, they use a local dried fish caught in Wakasa Bay, Kyoto, known as "sagoshi", which creates the typical sophisticated flavor and unique color of Kyoto-style soups. The other soup ingredients are all carefully selected domestic products, while their noodles are sourced from a manufacturing company and took 2 years to develop. Such attentiveness to both ingredients and preparation is what makes them pioneers, having introduced the first Kyoto-style tsukemen to the Kyoto metropolitan area with their original [Tsukesoba] (900 JPY). If you want a taste, head straight to them!

Kyoto Senmaru Shakariki murasaki

Open: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Closed: None
Average price: -
Access: 2 minutes walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station, in Kyoto Tower
Address: 721-1, Higashishio-Koji Cho, Karasuma Dori Shichijo Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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4. Ramen Sapporo Ichiryuuan (Sapporo)

This restaurant only uses ingredients from Hokkaido, so even the wheat used for its homemade 100% wheat noodles is from Hokkaido. The most recommended menu item is the [Genki-no-deru Miso Ramen [DX]] (1,200 JPY), an original recipe containing Alpine leek, a type of onion that doesn't stink. The base of the soup is flavorful rice miso that has been naturally fermented for several years in a Japanese cedar barrel. It is best to order their thick noodles with it, but if you want regular or medium-thick noodles, choose their [Genki-no-deru Miso Ramen] (850 JPY) instead. Toppings like Alpine leek, pork mince, and stir-fried eggs really boost the flavor of the miso ramen!

Ramen Sapporo Ichiryuuan

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm / Closed every Sunday
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY
Access: 2 minute walk from the south exit of Sapporo station. It is directly above the Sapporo Municipal Subway Sapporo Station (Touhou line). It is contiguous to exit 23.
Address: BF1 Hokuren Building, 1-1 Kitashijonishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

5. Hakata Ikkosha Hakata Deitos (Hakata)

Tonkotsu ramen is usually considered a heavy dish, but this restaurant serves an innovative version that, while maintaining the flavor of tonkotsu, doesn't feel greasy at all. The soup is made with 3 types of local soy sauce, over 20 condiments, an unusual sauce that blends together 5 different fish, and thoroughly prepared pork bones, resulting in incredibly deep umami (Japanese savory taste). If you’re not sure what to get, order the [Seasoned Egg and Char Siu Ramen] (1,050 JPY) to see the bowl literally overflow with pork shoulder char siu. The balance between the chewy and smooth homemade noodles, the soup, and the char siu is just amazing! It's also delicious after a night out drinking.

Hakata Ikkosha Hakata Deitos

Open: 11am - 11pm (last order 10:30pm)
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 900 JPY / [Lunch] 900 JPY
Access: In the Mengaido (noodle street) on the 2nd floor of Hakata Station
Address: 1-1 Hakata Eki Chuo-gai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka

6. Hakata Ramen Kazu (Akasaka)

If you want to eat Hakata ramen but you're stuck in Tokyo, head here. It uses a 100% pork bone-based soup, straight and thin noodles stocked from Fukuoka, and homemade char siu stewed in Nibishi soy sauce from Fukuoka, creating a full-bodied yet lightly flavored dish. Make sure you use the free toppings placed on your table, like their homemade rayu (Chinese red chili oil) and leaf mustard from Fukuoka. They're both essential final touches for a true Hakata-style ramen! As a side dish, don't miss the [Hakata Bite-sized Gyoza] (280 JPY for 6 pieces), also delivered from Fukuoka.

Hakata Ramen Kazu

Open: [Monday - Friday] 11:00-16:00 and 18:00-2600 (2:00 the next day)
*We have a break from 16:00-18:00
[Saturday] 11:00-22:30, without breaks in operation
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 900 JPY / [Lunch] 900 JPY
Access: A two minute walk from the Number 1 Exit of Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station. Head north, and turn right at the intersection with the SP Akasaka Building. It is on the right.
Address: Suzufuri Bldg. 1F, 5-1-36 Akasaka , Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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7. Ramen Hachi (Shinano-Kokubunji)

This place is frequented not only by Nagano locals but also by aficionados who come all the way from Tokyo to eat there! Their signature dish, the [Tonkotsu Soy Sauce Ramen] (from 700 JPY), is so delicious that you’ll eat up every last bit! It consists of thick homemade noodles soaked in a special soup that combines pork bones with sweet soy sauce from Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture. Alternatively, try the [Miso Ramen] (from 750 JPY), whose soup contains white rice miso from Nagano, or the [Tsukemen] (from 850 JPY) that goes down as smoothly as udon (thick noodles). You're going to love their raised tatami seating and homely atmosphere!

Ramen Hachi

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, national holidays] Lunch 11:30 - 15:30 / Dinner 17:00 - 22:00
Closed: Tuesdays
Average price: [Dinner] 999 JPY / [Lunch] 999 JPY
Access: Roughly nine minutes by car from Shinano-Kokubunji Station. From the station, continue along the #18 national highway Ueda Bypass, and turn right at Sumiyoshi-Higashi intersection.
Address: 1922-13 Kozato, Ueda-shi, Nagano (Map)
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8. Sobabar Ciliegio (Chuo Hirosaki)

Try the creative ramen creations of this restaurant in Aomori. The [Fried Vegetables and Lemon-scented Soy Sauce Soba] (820 JPY), one of their top menu items, is a bowl containing sauce made of salt, wine, and soy sauce from Aomori, shamrock (game fowl native to Aomori), Aomori pork, and a herb-scented soup. The noodles are made with stone-milled wholewheat flour and have a unique texture. There’s also the revolutionary [Sesame and Tsugaru Miso Soba] (870 JPY) that wisely combines sesame paste with pork ragù. Definitely worth trying!

Sobabar Ciliegio

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: 10-minute walk towards Hirosaki Park from [Chuo Hirosaki Station] on the Konan Tetsudo Owani Line
Address: 1F, 11-3-1, Motonaga-machi, Hirosaki-shi, Aomori (Map)
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9. Kappa Ramen Honpo Izumisano Branch (Izumisano)

Although this belongs to a ramen chain developed mainly in Osaka and Nara, the tastes and dishes slightly vary from restaurant to restaurant. They only offer ramen with a fatty soup made with pork bones that have been simmered for 8 hours. At this branch, you must try the [Red Kappa Ramen] (750 JPY), hot and spicy ramen made with Korean chili peppers and several spices. If you're willing to take your bowl to the next spiciness level, then add a bit of their original kimchi available for free on your table! The standard fatty [Kappa Ramen] (750 JPY) is an all-time favorite as well.

Kappa Ramen Honpo Izumisano Branch

Open: 11:00 - 04:00 (last order 03:45).
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from Izumisano Station on Nankai Main Line
Address: 3-1-7 Ichibanishi, Izumisano , Osaka (Map)
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10. Kappa Ramen Honpo America Mura Branch (Shinsaibashi)

Open until 4 am in the middle of Shinsaibashi, one of Osaka's leading shopping areas, this is the perfect place to go for a bowl of ramen after a night out drinking. Their fantastic homemade straight noodles are available in 7 different levels of firmness. Frequently ordered menu items are the [Black Kappa Ramen] (750 JPY), where Kappa Ramen Honpo's classic fatty tonkotsu soup is enriched by garlic oil, and the [Gyoza] (300 JPY for 1 serving) that you eat with a bit of salt. If you're particularly hungry, go ahead and order one of their voluminous sets that includes [Yakimeshi] (fried rice), [Tenmusu] (tempura onigiri), and [Karaage](deep fried chicken)!

Kappa Ramen Honpo America Mura Branch

Open: 11: 00 - 04:00　
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from Shinsaibashi Station on Midosuji Line
Address: 1F, Haitsu Shinsaibashi , 1-15-9, Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka , Osaka (Map)
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11. Ramen Iccho (Nishi-Maizuru)

Here, you can taste Kyoto-style tonkotsu ramen made with ingredients like char siu of Bihada pork from Kyoto and Kujo scallions. In particular, the [Spicy Scallion Ramen] (980 JPY), topped with plenty of Kujo scallions, can become addicting for the soy sauce flavor of its chicken bone soup and hotness of the spices. Alternatively, the [Classic Tonkotsu Ramen] (700 JPY) satisfies everyone with its pork-flavored cloudy soup and medium-fine noodles. If you're into something more refreshing, go for the [Iccho-style Chinese Soba] (800 JPY), soaked in a Japanese-style broth with a delicious soy sauce taste.

Ramen Iccho

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday] Opening hours 11:00 - 01:00
[Sunday, Holidays] Opening hours 11:00 - 00:00
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 980 JPY / [Lunch] 980 JPY
Access: From the Maizuru exit of the Maizuru-Wakasa expressway take Route 27 north. At the "Ote" intersection take the turn for Miyazu and it is on your right.
Address: 82 Hiranoya , Maizuru, Kyoto (Map)
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12. Shodai (Minami-otaru)

This restaurant's specialty is a thick soup made with plenty of vegetables. Their flagship ramen is the [Soy Sauce] (756 JPY), whose superb soup is cooked for half a day, left to sit overnight, and enriched with dried sardines and konbu (seaweed) before being served. The thick noodles and melty char siu that accompany it enhance the delicate soy sauce flavor even more. Another must-eat is the [White Tamari Soy Sauce] (897 JPY), of which only 30 servings are available per day. Its secret ingredient is a delicious fish sauce made from salmon. First come, first served!

Shodai

Open: Normal hours 11:00 - 19:00
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 800 JPY
Access: A 5 minute walk from JR Minami Otaru Station.
Address: 14-8 Sumiyoshi-cho, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido (Map)
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13. Hanaten Sakaihigashi Branch (Asakayama)

With a wide assortment of ramen types and side dishes, this restaurant is perfect even for large groups of people. The [Sesame Miso Ramen] (from 700 JPY), one of their classics whose cloudy soup has Koitten - a miso produced in Hokkaido exclusively for ramen - mixed into it, will whet your appetite with its inebriating sesame aroma. Other standard menu items are the [Shio Ramen] (700 JPY) and the [Naturally Fermented Soy Sauce Ramen] (700 JPY). There are also 2 types of tonkotsu ramen available: the [Light Tonkotsu Ramen] (700 JPY) and the [Rich Tonkotsu Ramen] (760 JPY). Taste all the different flavors they have to offer!

Hanaten Sakaihigashi Branch

Open: 10:00 am - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 950 JPY / [Lunch] 850 JPY
Access: 3-minute walk from [Asakayama Station]. Head west on Prefectural Road 30 and you'll find it right before the Sunamichi traffic light.
Address: 2-1-10, Sunamichi-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka

14. Ganso Sapporo-ya Aoyama Branch (Gaiemmae)

Try the delicious noodles served at this restaurant, which is directly managed by a noodle manufacturing company created to match perfectly with all kinds of soups, their chewy and full-bodied noodles have an upper-class flavor that makes them stand out from other restaurants. Their signature dish called [Rich White Miso Ramen] (780 JPY) combines their special white miso with homemade meat miso, resulting in a particularly rich flavor. Aside from that, they serve a [Vegetable Ramen] (760 JPY) that is full of veggies and a delicious [Seafood Tsukemen] (800 JPY), which has premium thick noodles.

Ganso Sapporo-ya Aoyama branch

Open: [Weekdays] 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
[Satuday, Sunday] 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY / [Lunch] 600 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from the exit 3 of Gaienmae Station on Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
Address: 2-7-27, Kita Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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15. Ramen Kobo Alma Soup (Yamagata)

Even the simple soy sauce ramen at this restaurant is unique! Their noodles are made from 100% domestic wheat, and their priority is to bring out the authentic flavor of every ingredient fully. As for the soup, it's obtained from a broth carefully made without any food colorants or preservatives, so the flavor turns out exceptionally delicate. In their stunning [Yamagata Alma Black] (700 JPY), the flavor of the soy sauce-based soup is enriched by slow-cooking it for a long time. The result is a refreshing, addictive flavor that will make you want to ask for a refill. Pair it with one of the restaurant's most popular menu items, the giant [Magnum Gyoza]!

Ramen Kobo Alma Soup

Open: [Tuesday - Sunday, national holidays, days before national holidays] Lunch 11:30 - 14:30 Dinner 18:00 - 00:00 (last order 23:30) *Soup also available while stocks last.
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 823 JPY / [Lunch] 823 JPY
Access: Take the Yamako Bus from Yamagata Station. Located a three minute walk from Yugakkanmae bus stop, across from Yamagata Midoricho #1 Post Office.
Address: 4-16-14 Nanuka-machi, Yamagata, Yamagata (Map)
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Every restaurant in Japan uses different ingredients, soups, noodles, and toppings for their ramen, so you’ll be able to taste something different in every spot. Compare them all and select your personal favorite!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.