5 AM Ramen

Momonoki Shinjuku is a tsukemen shop near Shinjuku Gyoen serving a refreshing back fat and ginger dipping ramen, with flat noodles and a salad on top.

A review of Mensouan Sunada in Sugamo — clean Shirakawa-style shoyu ramen, a massive dumpling bowl, and an all-counter-seat setup worth knowing about.

Inside Niboshimania in Kamata, where niboshi ramen styles rotate daily — from a clean, bright bowl to a smoky, sweet-finishing heavier one.

A tiny ie-kei ramen shop in Nakano with a creamier, Musashiya-style broth — great ramen, brisk service, and a spot worth knowing about.

Tokyo Ramen Styles Ramen's roots are Chinese, but Tokyo is where it became what most people now picture when they hear the word "ramen".

Clam ramen is rare even in Tokyo.

A visit to Nishi-Eifuku Niboshi Box, the TRY Award–winning niboshi ramen shop from the team behind Bonito Soup Noodle RAIK, known for its rich, dried-sardine broth.

A Rokurinsha offshoot buried in Saitama, Jinenjo's tsukemen is worth the drive for noodles thicker than anything you've seen — read why.

Hachimitsu in Gotanda is one of those ramen shops that snuck up on the neighborhood.

Mugito Mensuke in Osaka draws long lines for its rare guinea fowl ramen broth.

Tsuchinotomi Ramen Yokohama Tucked a few minutes from Sakuragicho Station, in the middle of Noge's tangle of izakayas, sits a ramen shop with one of the more unusual names in Japan: 己巳, or Tsuchinotomi.

A firsthand review of Bone Daddies in London — the Yuzu Tonkotsu and Kani Tonkotsu bowls, and why this chain stands out in London's tonkotsu-heavy ramen scene.

A review of Duramentei in Kameido, Tokyo — the Yakumo-trained ramen shop carrying on its mentor's white and black shoyu ramen and signature wontons.

Grew up eating ramen in Tokyo — it took years to actually learn how to taste it.

Matsuo Seibaku boils its noodles in a pressure cooker — twice.

Mensho has finally made it to Hawaii.

Gion Duck Noodles has landed in Asakusa.

A review of Menya Sugo Tori no Toriko in Shimbashi — the tsukemen group’s new chicken paitan ramen shop, its fiery aka bowl, and its standout ginger foam.

Grew up in Tokyo eating ramen before it was cool.

A firsthand review of Dashito Komugino Kanousei in Osaka's Namba area — a modern ramen shop that surprised me.

Tokyo Ramen Kaika in Nakano carries the soul of the late Motsuke — fish-forward chuukasoba and a tantanmen with real heat.

Tsukemen Back to Back is Ramen Break Beats’ new dipping ramen shop in Musashikoyama, Tokyo.

Mendokoro Shirokuro serves some of Tokyo's finest shellfish ramen: clam and mussel shio ramen.

Ramen Kuon in Osaka's Semba district serves an exceptional shio soba built on a triple broth of black chicken, clams, and sardines.