Considered as a religion or as a fast food, many restaurants in Japan have dedicated themselves to Ramen.

TSUTA RAMEN, SUGAMO

Japan’s capital city, Tokyo is renowned for having the most Michelin star restaurants to dine in. Tsuta Ramen is a modest Michelin-star ramen shop with a classy ambiance with only 9 seats. The lighter shio ramen uses a clam and red-seabream-based dashi, blended into a shio soup that uses salt from Mongolia and the seas of Okinawa. Topped with fresh onions, mint, and white truffle sauce, this is the lightest and most aromatic ramen.

NAKIRYU, TOKYO

Nakiryu is another single Michelin star restaurant and is only the second restaurant being awarded. The bowl seems simple with a generous topping with three different kinds of chashu (barbecued pork), different pork parts that are all cooked differently, as well as shrimp wonton, a half-boiled egg, homemade menma (salted bamboo shoots), and green onion. It is imperative to use hanazansho (the flower of the Japanese pepper) readily available on the table to enhance the fragrance and flavour.

ICHIRAN RAMEN

This is one of the most popular ramen chains in Japan and is renowned for their tonkotsu ramen which is made using a pork broth. Another notable point about this restaurant is that there is virtually no human interaction. You chose your order via a machine which is normal for a ramen shop. Then you are handed a form where you can select your preferences such as richness of the broth and how soft you would like the noodles to be. They are very foreigner-friendly as they have English forms. Then you go to your little cubicle which partitions you from the person sitting next to you.

IPPUDO RAMEN, FUKUOKA

The key highlight of this restaurant is the use of thin, homemade noodles with a refreshing soup. Perfected over 30 years, Ippudo’s broth is is called Hakata Silk Tonkotsu. The depth of flavour and aromas add a new dimension to the dish. The pork bones are boiled for 18 hours in a huge pot and simmered throughout the day. The most popular dish is called “Akamaru Shinaji” and its wonderful flavor, embellished with homemade spice oil, spreads throughout the mouth from the first spoonful.

MENYA MUSASHI, SHINJUKU

The restaurant is a must-try in Shinjuku and ranks as one of the best ramen joints in Japan attracting long queue during peak hours. Both its signature and tsukemen dipping noodles are basic but spectacular – with chunks of melt-in-your-mouth pork, chewy noodles, and addictive broth. The use of flavourful soy sauce base made using pork and chicken bones, with a slightly seafood-y taste due to the addition of dried saury fish.

HAKATA TONKOTSU RAMEN, YAMACHAN

Since its opening in 2002, Yamachan has the same vibe that makes Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen truly enjoyable. To serve rakon Hakata Tonkotsu as accurately as possible, fresh ingredients such as noodles or green onions are delivered daily from the same vendor. To make the soup, pork bones are boiled between one and two days. While this brings out the richness of the flavors, the original broth is refreshing.