Where to Eat the Best Ramen in Tokyo

If I could only eat one Japanese dish for the rest of my life, it would, without a doubt, be ramen. Specifically, tonkotsu ramen. In this series, I’m sharing my favorite ramen spots in each Japanese city. Today: Tokyo, where I eat my favorite tonkotsu ramen at Hakata Furyu.

At Hakata Furyu, I love ordering the tonkotsu ramen with black garlic oil (called mayu in Japanese) and extra chashu. The tonkotsu broth has a rich, deep flavor, but it’s not too heavy. What makes this ramen a winner for me is the black garlic oil—it adds a smoky, umami-packed punch that pairs perfectly with the creamy tonkotsu base. Add in silky chashu and a perfectly cooked egg, and you’ve got the ideal meal after a long day of sightseeing.

Finished your noodles but still have broth left? You can get one free refill of noodles: just ask for kaedama. You can also tell them how firm you’d like your noodles.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to say that in Japanese, they provide little cards with the words written out. For my partner, ordering extra noodles in Japanese is actually a highlight of visiting Hakata Furyu.

We visited both Akihabara locations, but Hakata Furyu also has branches in Ueno, Shinjuku, and more. All of them are located along the Yamanote Line, so they’re easy to reach. I liked that we saw many Japanese businessmen eating there, it wasn’t just packed with tourists.

Want to try it yourself? Visit Hakata Furyu’s website to see the full list of restaurant locations: https://fu-ryu.net/en

Good to Know Before You Go

• You order your food at a vending machine, which I always find fun! The machine gives you a separate ticket for each item you order. You then hand these to the chef or server.

• Conveniently, the vending machine menu is available in English.

• When ordering, you can also indicate how firm you want your noodles. Just let the staff know when you hand them your ticket. These are the terms:

  • Barikata – Extra firm

  • Katame – Firm

  • Futsuu – Regular

  • Yawame – Soft

• Hakata Furyu also serves other dishes, though I haven’t tried them myself. If you like spicy food, they offer a spicy tonkotsu ramen as well.

• Don’t be surprised if your chashu (pork slices) are served cold. Just let them warm up in your soup!

• And a quick note: tonkotsu ramen is made with pork bones, and chashu is also pork.