Three months and 30 unique bowls of ramen later, I hit a mathematical snag: I ate at Ichiran. My dream of titling this 30 Ramens to Eat Instead of Ichiran was officially sabotaged by my own stomach’s betrayal. But hey, 29 alternatives and one “research” bowl later, I’m still calling this a win for my palate — and a service to humanity.
Look, don’t get me wrong: Ichiran isn’t bad. It’s just a deeply depressing place to eat a really mid bowl of ramen when you’ve flown across the globe for a culinary pilgrimage. It beats your average bowl back home, sure, but in Japan? It’s okay. So, here are 29 superior bowls found across Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, Kamakura, Nara, and Kobe. I’ve ranked them all out of 10; and while Ichiran limped in at a 4, rest assured every other bowl on this list sits well above it.
If you’re not much of a reading person, I’ve also made a Youtube video, which has some bonus video content (mainly of my husband slurping the noods in question). Regardless of which medium you prefer, I hope you get to enjoy some of the tasty dishes on this list one day!
Tokyo
1. Karashibi Miso Ramen – 7/10
Our first ramen ended up being the least traditional: a spicy miso broth with that numbing, chilli-forward kick that creeps up on you halfway through the bowl. It’s a bit of a fusion situation, but it works – bold, savoury, and the sort of ramen that clears your sinuses whether you asked for it or not.
2. Oreryu Shio Ramen – 8/10
Rich, creamy bone broth topped with cheese, butter, and fried chicken, which is frankly outrageous behaviour for a bowl of noodles. It’s completely over the top in the best way: salty, indulgent, and the kind of thing you eat knowing full well it’s a terrible idea. Worth it, and gutted I didn’t get time to go again.
3. Kyushu Jangara Harajuku – 6/10
A straightforward bowl with a rich, salty broth and a generous hit of garlic. Nothing wildly complex going on, but it’s comforting and satisfying in that classic ramen shop way. The sort of place you pop into when you just want really good noodles, guaranteed.
4. Ramen Inase – 7/10
So rare to find a clean, light shio broth and thick bouncy noodles. The local joints are always the best.
5. Tsujita – 9/10
These guys mainly specialise in tsukemen and also serve ramen but that doesn’t matter. It’s so good, you’ll go back for both versions of the dish (which is what we did). The broth is so savoury, creamy and well rounded, the noodles are mind blowingly delicious and their meat falls apart in the mouth. If I was going to recommend only one place in Tokyo, this would be it (so far).
6. Mita Seimen – 7/10
Incredible late night ramen and tsukemen spot with extra thick noodles. There was a cold fish broth option which was revolutionary – light and refreshing!
7. Tenkaippin – 5/10
This is a unique ramen, because the broth is so thick it’s practically like custard. Still enjoyed, but it ended up being a bit too heavy for me. Chris really loved it and gave it a 7, but this is my list, so I get to say what the score is – sorry my love.
8. Ginza Hachigou – 9/10
I’m not really a queue for food type person, but this was one of the ramen joints that people insisted was worth it… and they were right. It was. I think the picture says it all really.
9. Ramen Sugawara – 6/10
Went to a local spot, it was yum but a bit too salty. I’m confident we’re going to die of salt and mercury poisoning before we leave Japan.
10. Muginae Homemade Ramen – 9/10
From the premium wagyu topping to the clean umami broth, this ramen was an unreal experience. After eating as many ramens as we have, it’s taking a lot more to stand out, but this jumps to the top with ease. If you’re visiting the Tokyo Flea Market on your trip, book this spot for the perfect day out.
11. Shodai – 8/10
Truly unique potato foam curry ramen which was insanely addictive. Really fell in love with the cold cream cheese + cods roe udon as well… which was an unexpected plot twist?! I’d actually really recommend getting one of each as they offset each other in flavour profiles so it’s fun to eternally swap with your partner.
12. Hustle Ramen – 6/10
A solid tasty classic miso broth but equally nothing hugely special. Good to pop in if it’s around!
13. Ichiran – 4/10
This is the famous chain you’ll hear about all over Instagram. Everybody constantly raves about it like it’s the best thing you’ll eat and, honestly, it was the most mid ramen of our trip, even with all the extra toppings. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still better than a lot of ramen I’ve had in the UK, but it was genuinely quite one note. If you have one or two weeks here, skip it. I’ll put my life savings on your local ramen spot being miles better.
14. Afuri – 8/10
Now this is a chain you don’t want to miss. Silky smooth broth with yuzu undertones, it’s refreshing and satisfying in equal measure. Their chilli oil tsukemen was also gorgeous, and I’d happily eat both dishes every day for weeks without getting bored.
15. Ramen Toyoki – 10/10
I haven’t awarded any joint a 10 yet, so I hope the score says it all. This isn’t a bells and whistles type ramen, but it’s a ramen that has perfected every element it encompasses. Perfectly balanced rich soup, thick and tender noodles, tangy bamboo shoots, seriously fragrant nori and the most melt in the mouth meat you could ask for. We came here twice, and wish we had time to go a million times more.
Yokohama
16. Yoshimuraya – 9/10
It doesn’t look like much, but this ramen was out of this world. I was already so pissed off when we went in because I think it’s preposterous to queue for stuff, but when Chris and I took one sip of the soup we raised our heads, turned around and looked at each other in disbelief. I cracked a smile and said, “I want to hate this so much, but it’s hands down the best broth I’ve ever tasted.” The noodles were also stunning. Only reason I’m knocking off a point is because while every element was perfect, the meat wasn’t the most tender I’ve had but I’m just being picky at this point.
Kamakura
17. Thank Ramen – 6/10
The cold dandanmen here was delicious.. The chicken ramen was decent but their dandanmen genuinely stole the show. We always order two different ramens and swap halfway through so we can sample as many tasties as possible, and we lowkey fought over the dandanmen.
Kyoto
18. Tomomura – 6/10
A fun curry flavoured ramen and a classic tasty tonkotsu. Really great zingy gyozas too.
19. Kitada – 6/10
Really gorgeous clam broth ramen but quite fish forward so felt slightly overwhelming at times. Great to try once if you’re fancying something different to your regular shio/shoyu/tonkotsu ramen.
20. Manten Kyoudai – 9/10
The best ramen we’ve had in Kyoto so far! Such a glorious, complex broth and the most unctuous noodles ever. Funnily enough, it’s literally a random spot 5 mins from our hotel, which has taught me that you can still have an amazing experience on your travels without putting a crap ton of research into must dos and must eats.
21. Ramen Iroha – 9/10
Deep black pepper soy sauce broth, thick wavy noodles, deliciously fatty meat and some of the chunkiest bamboo shoots ever. It’s one of those beautifully unique ramens I know we’ll long for but won’t be able to get our hands on after we leave Japan.
22. Masutani – 5/10
After 21 ramens, I’ve finally found a bang average, boring bowl of ramen. It was tasty, but really one dimensional – which isn’t a bad thing if you fancy something quite plain. Also the volume of spring onions lasted on my breath the whole day, so if you love onions, this is the one for you.
23. Tougenkyou Ramen – 7/10
A classic tonkotsu with amazing garlicky notes and wonderful noodles – a perfect stop off before your Kinkakuji temple visit. The thick noodle variety is so criminally underrepresented outside of Japan… it breaks my heart.
24. Aito Ramen – 6/10
Flavoursome fatty broth with really tasty meat, but a little sparse on toppings in general. Hearty but simple, and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Nara
25. Next Ramen – 9/10
Guys, this was a big wow. Creamy chicken broth with a buttery foam, plump noodles, melt in the mouth meat and a raw white onion garnish to cut through the richness. Literally the most gorgeous mouth party, and in my top 3 ramens of the trip so far. Do it – it’s right by Kintetsu Nara station. Also, get the mini meat rice bowl… it’s weirdly the perfect accompaniment.
Osaka
26. Tenryu-ramen Hassenro – 7/10
A local favourite near our hotel and oh my did it slap. Super generous and flavourful toppings, the most delectable broth and all for the lowest price we’ve had on the entirety of our trip (850¥/£4). Osaka is way cheaper than Tokyo and Kyoto – yay!
27. Chukasoba Tsuji – 9/10
The cold tantan mazesoba with the double yolk, chilli oil and peanut miso base blew my little mind. Their spicy soy ramen was also insanely complex and addictive. Would absolutely go back to try their other super unique ramens in a heartbeat! Also, look at the colour of those yolks – these photos haven’t been edited, so hopefully it speaks a bit for the flavour.
28. Kodayo Shokudo – 9/10
Currently rated as Osaka’s best ramen, I dare say it was worth the wait. The Chinese style brothless chilled ramen and their famous tsukemen were both packed full of punchy, umami and zingy flavours. I sort of had a mouthful and couldn’t actually stop myself until the bowl was gone. A must try (if you can handle the wait – would recommend an audiobook for good use of time).
29. Naniwa Shinpu Nippombashi – 8/10
Both of these ramens had a creamy and rich broth with gorgeous, fresh toppings and was an absolute bargain at £4 bowl with a free side – either gyoza or karaage. I really enjoyed the whole experience, and the warm “mom & pop” service really topped it off for me.
Kobe
30. Jinrui-Minamenrui Ijinkan – 8/10
This bowl is the epitome of toppings done right. Thick, fatty and tender meat, chunky and chewy noodles, massive bamboo shoots and the jammiest soy egg ever. The only thing holding it back from a perfect score is the broth, which was tasty but slightly one note and simple in flavour. Still so worth though, and I’d yam it again in a heartbeat.
So, what’s the best ramen?
My biggest lesson learned during this weird series that nobody asked for is that there is no single perfect bowl of ramen. The bar is ridiculously high across the country and there are legitimately so many scrumptious styles that it feels unfair to compare them to one another.
All I know for sure is that Ichiran (the most hyped chain on social media) was by far the most dull bowl, and no matter what you’re into, there’s something out there for everybody (though I now know that I’m partial to a rich broth and thick noodles – lekei, tsukemen etc – and feel like these styles are criminally underrepresented in the UK).
If you’re going for a week, do yourself a favour and skip it – after all, there’s only so many meals you can fit in, and I feel like you’d want to make the most of every meal. I miss you Japan – can’t wait to come back soon.
And to Ichiran: I’m sorry I made an article slating you, no hard feelings. Also, there’s no such thing as bad publicity (so they say).
The Post-Noodle Pint: Leveling Up Your Nightlife
Found your new favourite bowl? Brilliant. Now, once the food coma subsides and you’re ready for a lemon sour (or seven), it’s time to move past the Level 1 tutorial of Japanese nightlife. If you’re still sticking to Torikizoku just because it’s “safe,” you’re missing half the fun. Have a look at my shortlist of Japan’s best izakaya chains for better vibes, better food, and significantly more personality than the usual suspects.
A Final Note
Who, What, & Why
If you’ve made it this far in the blog post, I might as well introduce myself! After almost a decade in corporate tech, I quit the “grind” to redesign my life around the things that actually matter to me: creative pursuits, intentional slow travel, and being generally useful.
These days, I split my time pretty evenly: half the year in London, the other half as a digital nomad, hopping between apartments from Tokyo to Bangkok. When I’m not hanging out with my husband, gaming, or catching up on my fave shows, my days are fuelled by a genuine love of creating and a slight obsession with documenting life – so you’ll usually find me writing, taking photos, or making videos.
Whether I’m systematically ranking thirty different ramen shops or testing if a laser treatment really delivers ‘glass skin,’ my goal is the same: to channel that passion into sharing my experiences so you can better plan yours.
The Essentials
I use the tools below to stay functional while on the move. If you use them via these links, I get a small affiliate commission that keeps this blog running (and my caffeine levels stable).
- Connectivity: I use Nomad eSIM for seamless, high-speed data. It’s easy, reliable, and significantly less stressful than hunting for local SIM cards in a language I don’t speak.
- Privacy: I never touch public Wi-Fi without NordVPN. It keeps my business data secure and ensures my Netflix region stays exactly where I want it.
Explore the Archives
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog post, there’s plenty more where that came from! Have a wander through the sections below:
- Food: I’m a firm believer that you get the best feel for a city through its food and drinks. Check out my archives for deep dives on food all over the world and, if you’re going to Japan, start with my pride and joy: 29 Ramens Better Than Ichiran.
- Travel & Nomadic Life: Whether you’re planning a one-week holiday or a total life pivot into digital nomadism, I’ve likely written a guide for it. Dive into the archives for my unfiltered take on what to see, eat, drink, and — perhaps most importantly — skip. You can start with the Seoul edit if you like!
- Health & Beauty: Beyond trying to be a functioning human, I do deep dives on health (PCOS, Visual Snow) and the reality of beauty (make-up, skincare & treatments). You’ll find my honest results on everything from non-invasive laser treatments to long-term wellness.
If you end up trying any of my recommendations, let me know in the comments section or reach out – I’d love to hear what you thought.
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