《Japan Ramen Guide/日本拉面指南》

《日本語》《ENGLISH》《中文》

Menkui Wanderer（麺喰ワンダラー）

Memorable Ramen Shops in September 2025 [10 out of 35]

Here are 10 memorable ramen shops out of the 35 I ate at in September. (In no particular order)

01 RAMEN MATSUI (Shinjuku Gyoenmae)

Opened in May 2023.
Listed in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025 as a Bib Gourmand.
Reservations are required. Reservations are accepted three days in advance.
The special salt is topped with one slice of pork chashu, two slices of scallop confit, a seasoned egg, two wontons, bamboo shoots, komatsuna (Japanese mustard greens), shredded scallions, lime, and perilla leaves. The soup’s color makes you wonder, “Is this soy sauce?” Evidence that the dashi stock is strong. Yet, what’s interesting is that it still has a mild flavor. A sign in front of the shop reads, “We’re a small ramen shop run by a married couple. We offer delicious ramen made with seasonal ingredients from all over Japan, year-round.” This is truly a ramen made with care and attention to detail. It’s so delicious you won’t tire out, so you can finish it all.
The noodles are from Menya Teigaku in Kyoto. They pair perfectly with the soup.

RAMEN MATSUI
RDB: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/149361.html
Official Information: https://x.com/RAMEN_MATSUI
Reservations: https://www.tablecheck.com/shops/ramen-matsui/reserve
4-25-10 Yotsuya, Shinjuku ward, Tokyo 160-0004, Dia Palace Gyoenmae B-2

02 BONITO NOODLE RAIK (Komazawa University)

Relocated and reopened on August 18, 2025, from Eifukucho. The shop name changed from “Bonito Soup Noodle RAIK” to “Bonito Noodle RAIK.”
The restaurant is located a 12-minute walk from the west exit of Komazawa University Station, in front of Shoin Shrine.
First, I ordered the special salt ramen. The special salt ramen comes with all four types of chashu, and someone in a review said, “The seasoned egg from this group is also delicious!” So, naturally, I decided to go with the special salt ramen. I was torn between the soy sauce and salt ramen, but the salt ramen looked more beautiful, so I went with the special salt ramen. As expected, the presentation was beautiful. The pork slices are Iwachu pork belly, shoulder, and thigh, all grilled and served with low-temperature cooked chicken breast. Everything is delicious. I want more. The seasoned egg is top-quality, too. The thinly sliced ​​bamboo shoots are excellent. The noodles are thin, high-hydration noodles from Mikawaya Seimen. They’re probably intentionally boiled a little soft, which pairs well with the soup. Some people might ask for their noodles firmer, but with this soup and noodles, I recommend letting the shop cook them the way they want. The soup is clear and salty. As the name suggests, it’s a multi-ingredient soup made with plenty of Kagoshima-grown bonito flakes. It looks light, but the soup itself is rich, thanks to a complex broth made with pork, chicken, and bonito, as well as red sea bream, shellfish, and dried fish. I was a bit skeptical when I saw the price on the ticket machine, but when I tried it, it had a luxurious and elegant feel, and left me with no problems after eating. I ate and drank it all without hesitation.
The second cup was bonito soy sauce. Two large slices of pork, green onions, and thin bamboo shoots. This is a well-presented dish. The soy sauce is also delicious. The noodles are the same. I finished the second bowl without hesitation. Both were delicious. Personally, I prefer the salt version, just a hair behind.

BONITO NOODLE RAIK
RDB: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/167070.html
Official Information: https://x.com/BSN_raik
102, 2-41-2 Komazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-0012

03 Sora no Iro Nishikasai Branch (そらのいろ 西葛西店/Nishikasai)

Opening September 6, 2025.
The new Sora no Iro branch (Nishikasai Branch) offers the same basic “tonkotsu ramen” as the Kojimachi branch, but with some slight variations. The price, reflecting the location, is 850 yen, 50 yen cheaper than the Kojimachi branch. A Nishikasai-limited menu item is the special stamina ramen. It’s not “special” in the sense of being overflowing with toppings, but rather “specially made.” giblets, beef tendon, and other ingredients are stir-fried with vegetables, and freshly grated garlic is added for a “stamina” finish. You can also vary the flavor by adding spicy miso to the edge of the bowl, gradually dissolving it. It’s also great that you can adjust the spiciness yourself. The ramen noodles are the same thin noodles as the Kojimachi branch, but the stamina version is medium-thick, flat noodles. Both are made by Sugano Seimensho, which I’ve been using a lot lately.
The vegetables and giblets are stir-fried with garlic, making it just as delicious as you’d expect. The spicy miso is surprisingly spicy if you lick it straight up, so I recommend dissolving it little by little. The soup gets a punch from the stir-fried vegetables and garlic, so flat noodles are the perfect choice. And they’re truly punchy and delicious.

Sora No Iro Nishikasai Branch
RDB: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/167342.html
Official Information: https://soranoiro-vege.com/
134-0088 Villa Lupinus, 3-22-22 Nishikasai, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo

04 Rock’n Three (ロックンスリー/Shin-Yokohama)

For details, see [Menkui Wanderer]: https://ramen-japan.jp/en/column/2025-9-25-que200-rocknthree01/

Rock’n Three
RDB: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/166715.html
Official Information: https://www.instagram.com/rocknthree/
Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, 2-14-21 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, 222-0033

05 Ippudo Founder Narumi Kawahara’s Challenge (一風堂創業者 河原成美の挑戦/Shin-Yokohama)

Ippudo founder Mr. Kawahara (73 in December) is participating in the “Ramen Expo Limited ~Challenge and Bonds~” project, offering this ramen for a limited time of three days from September 19th to September 21st, 2025. During this event, Mr. Kawahara himself will be in the kitchen, serving ramen to customers. When I arrived around noon, he was at the front of the line, personally preparing the noodles. He’s surrounded by highly skilled staff, so the ramen is served quickly.
High-Concentration Tonkotsu Ramen made with only water and pork bones. While eating, various ramen shops came to mind, but this one’s richness is unlike any of them, so I’m going to seal it away in my mind. Then Mr. Kawahara said, “How’s that? Doesn’t it resemble Kairyu(魁龍) before he left Ramen Expo?” (Hakata dialect) (laughs). That shop had also come to mind, but this one was different in a good way. It was so delicious that I ate and drank it all. The soft cartilage topping was also incredibly tasty, and I hope they serve it at one of Ippudo’s Tokyo locations. It was an amazing event!

Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
Official Information: https://www.raumen.co.jp/
2-14-21 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 222-0033

06 Ippudo Hamamatsucho Stand (一風堂浜松町スタンド/Hamamatsucho)

Occasionally, they hold collaboration events here. They offer a variety of innovative collaborations, great deals, and delicious collaborations. This one was quite good.
Takabaneya(鷹羽屋), a local company in Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Ippudo(一風堂) jointly developed a course menu of “Salt Ramen Using Amanatsu Oranges, a Munakata Oshima Specialty,” offering it for 5,000 yen (tax included). It was a bargain, considering it consisted of 10 dishes.
First, upon taking a seat, you can choose between “MONOGATARI (Story) Junmai Ginjo” sake from Izu Honten Brewery in Munakata, Fukuoka, or “GLOW EP5” shochu from Kagoshima Wakashio Brewery (mixed with soda). I chose the shochu, which was delicious on its own, and with the all-you-can-drink option, the price was quite generous. The ramen and other dishes were also quite good. The ramen was a standard portion, and rice was included, making it the following course menu. By the time I got home, I was more than full. It was a very satisfying lunch.
The salt ramen, “Ippudo,” which uses “pork bone broth, low-hydration thin noodles,” offers an interesting combination of “light salt ramen” and “thick, chewy, curly noodles in a high-hydration water.” What’s more, as I love citrus fruits, this was a flavor I absolutely loved, and I ate and drank it all. The sweet oranges are used throughout in just the right amount, without feeling overdone, and the flavor is excellent. The dried sweet oranges are used as a topping, giving the soup a slightly sour and bitter taste, creating an interesting finish. The wontons and meatballs also have sweet orange peels hidden in them, and I ate them without realizing it, so I was like, “Wow!” It’s also great that they’re used as a subtle flavoring. The Munakata chicken char siu topping is also soft and delicious, and although I highly recommend it, it’s a shame that it’s only available for a limited time and can no longer be enjoyed.
Menu for this event
[Includes all-you-can-drink alcohol and soft drinks]
・Appetizer Platter
Grilled Conger Eel in Kyoto Style / Dried Conger Eel and Cucumber in Vinegar / Stir-fried Char Siu with Carrots / Stir-fried Genkai Offal
・Sweet and Spicy Chilled Munakata Chicken Wings
・Colorful Vegetable Jelly
・Deep-fried Munakata Chicken with Moromi Sauce
・Salt Ramen with Fragrant Sweet Oranges (Full Portion)
・Munakata Chicken Rice
・Smooth KIKKA Pudding with Sweet Orange Sauce

Ippudo Hamamatsucho Stand
RDB https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/93429.html
Official Information https://www.ippudo.com/
1-27-6 Hamamatsucho, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0013, Must Life Daimon Hamamatsucho 1F

07 Ginza Haruchan Ramen (銀座はるちゃんラーメン/Higashi Ginza)

Opened in July 2024. This is the second restaurant in the “Chan Noren(shop curtain) Association” (Tokyo Ramen Festa 2025 participating restaurant) to join the association, following “Shinbashi Haruchan Ramen(新橋 はるちゃんラーメン)” (opened in August 2021). The association’s total is 28 restaurants. Listed in the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026.” “Shinbashi Haruchan Ramen,” which had been listed for three consecutive years until last year, has been removed from the list, and “Ginza Haruchan Ramen(銀座はるちゃんラーメン)” has been newly listed.
I bought the chuka soba (1,200 yen). It arrived in about six minutes. What’s amazing (and interesting) about this restaurant is that there are two counters with six seats, each with a female chef in charge of cooking. It’s like two six-seater ramen restaurants coexisting side by side. The flavor is the same, but the soup is prepared in different pots and by different chefs, so you might be able to tell the difference if you eat both at the same time. (lol)
Chie-chan Ramen (チエちゃんラーメン/Kanda), the first “chan-style(ちゃん系)” ramen shop, was quite salty, which actually made it addictive, but this one is mild. In fact, the feminine gentleness is even reflected in the soup. The appearance is clear and salty. The noodles are flat noodles from Daruma Seimen. The freshly cut pork belly and pork shoulder are tender. While many other “chan-style” ramen shops tend to be salty, this one is just right and has a rich, savory flavor. The hanafu (flower gluten) is another unique touch, unique to a female owner. While many Michelin-starred restaurants are modern, this one is a rare example of a neo-nos style ramen. It’s been listed for four consecutive years, starting with the Shimbashi branch. How far can it go?!

Ginza Haruchan Ramen
RDB https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/159465.html
Official Information: https://x.com/haruchan_ginza
3-11-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

08 Oshima (大島 The main shop is in Funabori, but this time it’s Shin-Yokohama)

“Ramen Expo Limited ~Challenge and Bonds~” Part 5: The “Sumire All-Stars” are back! This time, it’s a “bond relay” featuring the flavors of each restaurant, from Monday, September 29th to Sunday, October 26th, 2025. Eleven apprentices recognized by the renowned restaurant “Sumire” (Sapporo) will gather together to offer their respective restaurant’s flavors in a relay format for a limited time of 2-3 days each. The first in the series is “Oshima,” the renowned restaurant that opened the earliest in the Tokyo metropolitan area. I thought the flavors would be different because of the different environment and bowls, but I was surprised that it was just as delicious as the main shop! I like “Sumire,” but “Oshima” is no slouch either. “Sumire” has evolved, and “Oshima” has also changed from “Sumire.” Both are delicious. This is a great idea.

RDB https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/66983.html
Official information https://x.com/funabori_oshima
6-7-13 Funabori, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 134-0091

09 Menya Shono (麺や庄の/Ichigaya)

Opened on September 15, 2005, it celebrated its 20th anniversary yesterday. It’s truly amazing! Owner Shono-san(庄野) is still young (45 years old), so it seems possible to celebrate 40 years in one generation. The flavor hasn’t changed much since the restaurant first opened, and it’s surprisingly still delicious today. It must have evolved little by little.
Now in its 20th year, the group operates six domestic and 18 international locations (24 locations in total). They’re also planning to open locations in Hawaii and Dubai, which are their focus markets, so I’m excited to see what they’ll do in the future.
I first tried the basic menu shortly after the restaurant opened, then again about 10 years later, and then again for the third time. The food comes out incredibly quickly. Many new restaurants take a long time to prepare, so I hope they learn from this example.
The ramen is a rich pork bone and seafood broth, simmered for two days. The noodles are pounded until the bones are crushed into powder, then carefully strained repeatedly, resulting in a rich yet easy-to-eat noodle soup. The seafood broth, made with a generous amount of dried sardines, high-quality bonito flakes, several types of kelp, and dried shiitake mushrooms, is a bonus, but it’s hard to resist.
The noodles are freshly made in-house. The temperature, humidity, flour temperature, and aging time are strictly controlled, resulting in fresh, delicious noodles. Of course, the ingredients are also impeccable. It’s amazing that they’ve been able to continue in business for 20 years with such high standards. I hope they continue for 30 or 40 years.

Menya Shono
RDB https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/4391.html
Official Information https://www.menya-shono.com/
1F Crescent Building, 1-3 Ichigayatamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0846

10 Menya Ao (麺屋 青/Kamagaya, Chiba Prefecture)

Opening October 20, 2024. The owner, originally from the famous dried sardine restaurant “Mensho Haru(麺処 晴)” (Iriya), opened this ramen shop after nearly seven years of training. The restaurant’s name, “Ao(青),” is derived from the right half of the restaurant where he trained, “Haru(晴).”

The first thing I did upon entering the shop was purchase a ticket from the ticket machine. I was curious about the ¥100 difference between the ramen and the shio ramen, so I decided to go for the shio ramen. Since I came from “Hare,” I assumed they’d serve dried sardine ramen (I hadn’t done enough research), but instead, I saw other ramen with a familiar feel. “Benten” or “Minohi”? I was surprised by how rich the shio ramen was. The soup, indeed, was rich and flavorful, thanks to the rich animal and seafood flavor. First, I tried the soup. Wow, pork bone and seafood flavor with my favorite type of dried fish. Wow, it’s really delicious. Newer restaurants are increasingly offering clear soup, but I still crave this kind of ramen every once in a while, and it’s delicious. It doesn’t feel old or nostalgic. It’s still delicious even now. The toppings are large pieces of pork, bamboo shoots, finely chopped green onions, and nori seaweed. The noodles are straight and medium-thick. They pair well with the soup, which is a nice touch. I loved it so much that I’d try all the varieties if it were closer.

Menya Ao
RDB https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/160646.html
Official Information https://x.com/menya_ao_
1-1-18 Michinobehonmachi, Kamagaya City, Chiba Prefecture 273-0137

Autor of this article