When you come to Japan, one of the gourmet dishes you should try is ramen, which comes in many varieties. In addition to the classic soy sauce, miso, and tonkotsu flavors, there are many other types and flavors of ramen. Since there are various types available, ramen lovers should definitely try a variety of options. There are plenty of ramen shops in Japan, so be sure to find the best ramen!

Soy Sauce Ramen

One of the classic flavors of ramen is soy sauce ramen, which is also very popular among Japanese people. It features a delicious soup made with soy sauce-based sauce and seafood or animal broth. The noodles are often thin, making soy sauce ramen easy to eat. There are many varieties of soy sauce ramen, such as seafood soy sauce ramen and chicken soy sauce ramen. Since each shop has its own concept of soy sauce ramen, soy sauce ramen lovers should explore their favorite flavors!

Miso Ramen

Miso ramen is made with miso, a representative ingredient of Japan made from soybeans. It is richer than soy sauce ramen. Miso ramen, popular even among children, features a rich and sweet miso flavor. There are various types of miso ramen, and Sapporo miso ramen, especially, is delicious. Miso ramen with corn and butter is particularly tasty. Tokyo has many famous miso ramen shops, so be sure to find delicious ones. Hokkaido, known for its seafood, is also famous for Sapporo miso ramen, so be sure to try it when you visit Hokkaido.

Salt Ramen

Salt ramen is a simple ramen with a salty flavor, featuring a delicious soup mixed with seafood or animal broth. It is lighter and more refreshing than soy sauce and miso flavors, making it easy for ramen beginners to enjoy. While it’s not commonly seen overseas, it is very delicious. The combination of salt and green onions is delicious. “Ore-Style Salt Ramen” is a chain with many shops in Tokyo, making it easy for foreign tourists to visit.

Tonkotsu Ramen

Tonkotsu ramen is made from pork and features a very tasty pork broth. The thin noodles are combined with a delicious tonkotsu soup, making it a delicious ramen dish. The pork broth is rich and creamy, making it very popular among foreigners. Ippudo and Ichiran are popular tonkotsu ramen shops. These two shops are popular among Japanese people and have many stores in Tokyo and nationwide. After finishing the noodles, it’s common for Japanese people to order extra noodles (“kaedama”), and some people even eat 2 or 3 bowls. Also, it’s recommended to have the noodles cooked al dente. The style of cooking noodles for just a few seconds, called “barikata,” is also delicious. In addition to these two chain stores, there are many delicious tonkotsu ramen shops, so be sure to visit them. You can enjoy even more delicious tonkotsu ramen in Fukuoka.

Tsukemen

Tsukemen is a type of ramen that is not often seen overseas. It is served with hot soup and noodles separately. It’s a new style of ramen where you dip cold noodles into hot soup. The soup is richer than regular ramen. Tsukemen is so popular that there are people who love it dearly. The noodles are thicker than regular ramen, and the soup flavor varies from shop to shop, including soy sauce, salt, and miso. My recommendation is tsukemen with fish and pork bone soup.

Iekei Ramen

Originating from Yokohama, Iekei ramen is a ramen that combines soy sauce-flavored sauce with rich tonkotsu soup, creating a slightly different type of ramen from tonkotsu ramen. Iekei ramen comes with toppings such as spinach, seaweed, and chashu. It is a rule to eat it with rice when you eat this ramen. Many Iekei ramen shops offer free rice. It’s recommended to add garlic to the ramen. There are not only chain stores that are easy for anyone to enter but also local Iekei ramen shops loved by Japanese people. Although local Iekei ramen shops may seem difficult to enter, you can easily visit them with our tour!! Please consider it.

Maze Soba (Oil Noodles)

Maze soba is another type of ramen not commonly seen overseas. It’s a ramen without soup, where noodles are mixed with a small amount of rich sauce. Mixing noodles with soy sauce-based sauce creates the best flavor. The joy of maze soba is changing the flavor by adding toppings such as mayonnaise and cheese. There are many popular maze soba shops in Tokyo, so be sure to visit them.

Jiro-style Ramen

Jiro-style ramen, loved by Japanese men, is a ramen with a large amount of noodles and vegetables, topped with a dynamic amount. The soup is based on tonkotsu. It’s a rich and hearty ramen with plenty of fat and intense flavor. It’s very popular and recognizable by its yellow signboard. It’s common to wait for about an hour to eat it, as it’s so popular. There are many shops in Tokyo offering this type of ramen. However, this shop has unwritten rules that can be difficult for even Japanese people to enter. It’s difficult without speaking Japanese, especially when ordering. You can also go to Jiro-style ramen with our tour. Let’s go to the exquisite shop chosen by the guide with extensive experience in Jiro-style ramen.

How was it?

I think there were some ramen types you didn’t know about. There are many ramen shops in Tokyo, and I will introduce you to local shops, not just chain stores. There are some shops that only accept cash or speak only Japanese, making it quite difficult to visit, but with our tour, of course, you can easily visit such shops. Let’s research delicious ramen shops and visit them together. Guides who are familiar with the making of ramen will also explain, so please consider it. Feel free to message us!