The latest trends? The best shops in the spotlight now? Masataka Sasaki, a Ramen Editor who has published many famous books has shared his top 5 ramen shops with us.

−−Why did you start following Ramen?

I liked ramen when I lived in Akita, where I lived until I finished high school, but not so much that I went around searching for new places to eat.

I then moved to Tokyo for university. After I first experienced authentic ramen at a specialty shop in Tokyo, I moved to Ogikubo which is an area with many famous ramen shops, and I started my days immersed in ramen.

Around the mid-1990s, it was the golden age of ramen when there was a “new vintage every year” with many legendary shops as “Aoba”, “Musashi”, “Kujiraken” (all of which opened up in 1996, as part of the legendary 1996 group of ramen shops) opening up and creating new trends.

Witnessing the process of modern ramen being born during this golden age was the starting point for me.

−−Every year was a vintage year! Sasaki-san, for someone who has experienced such excellent times in the past, what’s the attraction for “ramen” now?

Even for the major types of ramen broth, there are soy sauce-based, salt-based, miso, tonkotsu, chicken-bone broth (paitan), dried-sardine based, pork-bone (tonkotsu) seafood broths, and if you factor in the types of noodles, toppings as well, the variations are unlimited.

The more you walk around, you are sure to encounter a new bowl in this unlimited amusement park of ramen.

New shops open one after another and well-known shops continue to improve their flavor, and regional powerhouse shops continue to sharpen their blades. Despite your best efforts to go around to all of the ramen shops you want to visit around Japan and across the world, you probably won’t be able to finish trying them all during your own lifetime.

You may have heard of soup-less ramen (mazesoba) or noodles with buckwheat flour, but even noodle-less ramen is a type of ramen where “no rules is the rule”. If I ever find myself muttering “this isn’t ramen…”, I think it will be my last day as a ramen editor.

−−With a love for ramen as deep as the sea, it is unlikely that Sasaki-san will ever have to retire as a ramen editor. Please take a look at the latest ramen trends!

There are 5 major trends explained in detail.

●Japanese herbs

There are many ramen shops that have started to use Japanese herbs such as ginger and Japanese pepper. Recently, ramen featuring spices as the star ingredient have become popular and while we see many shops serving soup-less tantanmen that uses red chili pepper and Japanese pepper to add spiciness and a sense of numbing, creating bowls of ramen that feature a subtle, yet deep flavor of ginger as well as the refreshing flavor of Japanese pepper are particularly popular with woman.

●Western-style Broth

Recently, there have been many new types of broths appearing such as those made with prosciutto, animal-based ones made using pork or chicken bone and even broths made only with vegetables without using even seafood products such as dried fish or bonito flakes.

You will be surprised by the different impression you will get from each of these pork bone and seafood-based ramen soups in terms of taste and aroma compared to what you’ve tried so far.

●Pure hand-made noodles

There have been thick noodles in the past, but you might be fooled into thinking that your bowl is full of udon noodles, at some of the popular ramen restaurants that are serving very thick, hand-made noodles that have a delicious chew!

●Mini Rice Bowl

Rough and tumble side dishes such as having curry or rice with your ramen are a thing of the past. There are now many shops that serve cute looking mini rice bowls featuring toppings such as lamb confit, pecorino, mouth-watering chicken and clams.

●Hanging Skewer-Roasted Chashu Roast Pork

Chashu roast pork for ramen is typically fatty and voluminous, but around last year, the “hanging skewer-roasted” method appeared. This type of chashu roast pork is full of savory flavor and the slightly smokey taste is addictive.

5 of the Best Ramen Today, selected by Masataka Sasaki

1. King Seimen (Ouji,Tokyo) / キング製麺

The main specialty of the shop is a sophisticated white-dashi (white stock) broth, but the “Sansho (Japanese Pepper) Ramen” is recommended. As you slurp the curly noodles, you will feel the elegant fragrance of Japanese pepper through your nose with a fresh aftertaste. This dish is creating a lot of buzz in the world of Japanese herb-style ramen.

2. SAMAR（Ebisu, Tokyo）/SAMAR（サマル）

his is a variety of ramen served only at lunchtime by the popular shop “Sakana Bal”. The salt-flavored broth is made based on prosciutto enhanced with porcini mushrooms, fragrant vegetables and herbs has an exquisite taste! Enjoy adjusting the flavor to your liking with the tapenade (savory olive paste).

3. Dame na Rinjin(Ningyocho, Tokyo) / 駄目な隣人

This ramen shop features an adventurous broth made with bouillon de legume (vegetable stock) with a high quality soy sauce based seasoning (tare). The oil made with ginger confit creates a taste that will bring a smile to your face.

４．MEN CRY（Hamamatsucho, Tokyo）/MENクライ

You will be surprised when you see the hand-made noodles made with 100% Japanese flour! These unique, chewy noodles are as thick as Hoto noodles in Yamanashi prefecture. They complement the dashi flavored broth very well.  Also recommended are mini rice bowls such as the daily special, rice with raw egg and the marinated egg-yolk rice bowl.

５．Marue Chuukasoba (Sugamo, Tokyo) / 惠中華そば（まるえ中華そば）

Curly noodles swim in a highly-transparent, clear soup. You can enjoy this salt flavored ramen broth which has a distinct brininess. You will also be very satisfied with the hanging skewer-roasted pork, which is full of flavor, fragrant and smokey.

Text&Photographs by Masataka Sasaki   

Ramen editor.

A producer of a wide variety of content regarding ramen and food.  He has edited many books on the topic of ramen and writes a regular column for SanekiBiz.

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He was a master of the craft who ruled over the architectural world of the Showa Era, and was referred to as “The Kenzo Tange of the East, and Togo Murano of the West”.

The Nissay Theatre in Hibiya Tokyo, often mentioned as one of Murano’s masterpieces, occasionally holds free architectural tours, so I decided to drop by.

A guide kindly explained a great deal about Murano’s nearly paranoid-level commitment to his style, so I’ll be introducing this unique architectural space while adding what I learned.

First, the entrance.

It’s rumored that some of the mountains in Spain disappeared because of the sheer amount of beautiful, white marble used. Murano was very particular about eliminating the border between the floor and the reception counter in the photo, and so it looks almost as if it has grown up from the floor.

From trash bins and stands to ash trays, nearly everything located within the theatre was originally designed by Murano.

And the red carpet of the stairs leading to the theatre floor is not actually placed on the floor, but the marble has been hollowed out and the carpet embedded. (!)

The handrail with its elegant, delicate curves, was created with the image of “a gentleman reaching out to a lady.”

One of Murano’s famed architectural pieces, the elegant spiral staircase.

Apparently, Murano was very particular about the back of this spiral staircase being perfectly smooth, and didn’t overlook even the smallest of irregularities.

If you touch it, it really is incredibly smooth, and you can almost hear the groans of the tired workers from the time it was made.

The ceiling inside the theatre is akoya pearl oyster, and the walls are glass mosaic tiles. Together they create a wide-open, dreamy space that almost makes you dizzy.

It is said that no matter how hard the skilled craftsmen worked, the task of sticking the tiny pieces of baked glass onto the wall only progressed about 10cm(3.9in) per day.

And apparently, during the final check, Murano was displeased with this corner of the theatre door marked in the photo and personally added a small accent. From the eyes of an amateur, the need for the accent is a complete mystery…

When looking at the way the chairs are aligned, perhaps a number of people feel it’s a little “insane” or “like a nightmare.”

Murano was famous as an extreme perfectionist. When taking a tour of another of his works, the Meguro Ward General Government Building, a guide said that Murano looked up at the ceiling 7 floors above himself and said “I need to move that 10cm to the right…” or something along those lines. (That eyesight is nothing to laugh at, either…!)

I asked the guide, “Weren’t there any craftsmen at the time devastated after hearing that?” to which he replied, “Well, he was a god, so…” It seems everyone at the time followed Murano unwaveringly.

The pure passion and desire to create something truly good along with an extraordinary level of perseverance created a piece of architecture which is still cherished today.

That being said, the ‘perfect’ structure originally envisioned by the master Murano has been partially altered due to unavoidable circumstances such as creating a barrier-free space, the addition of LED lighting, etc.

Although I’m not personally connected to the architecture, even I thought “Murano must be rolling over in his grave over these changes…” and felt a bit worried. If you stop by sometime, I recommend you stop and take the time to take in all the details of the building. I think it deserves to be a world heritage site.

The number of buildings left by Togo Murano is decreasing, but some remain, so if you ever travel around Japan you should definitely add them to your list of sights to see.

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5 of the cutest representations of Tenjin in Tokyo

It’s been 7 years since I started visiting shrines during the “Goshuin boom” (when tourists flocked to shrines and temples to collect each institution’s unique commemorative stamp).
From Inari shrines to Hachiman shrines, Yasaka shrines and Hikawa shrines, there are many shrines with the same name throughout the country, but I believe the easiest to understand and wander are the Tenjin shrines.

Shrines with names like Tenjin, Tenmangu, and Kitano are all within the same category of “Tenjin shrines.” Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto and Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Fukuoka are especially famous.

These shrines are dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, whose symbols include plum trees, bronze statues called “rubbing cows” that visitors rub for health and good luck, and sweets sold in front of the shrine gate.

In older areas of town where Tenjin shrines are located, there are often shops selling famous sweets like umegae mochi (a sweet grilled dumpling filled with red bean paste) and tenjin kashi (sweets made of sugar and molded into auspicious shapes, such as plum blossoms or Sugawara no Michizane himself), so memories of visits to a Tenjin shrine are often paired with those of sweet treats.

In addition, those who are familiar with Tenjin know of the shrines’ “hidden mascot.”
On January 25^th every year, a day known as “the first Tenjin day of the year,” a ritual called “Usokae*” is held at Tenjin shrines nationwide. During this ritual, the shrines sell wooden carvings of bullfinches. Some shrines sell out of these carvings in the blink of an eye, so I feel lucky whenever I encounter these bullfinches.

* A Shinto ritual that ousts bad luck and invites good luck through the exchange of wooden bullfinch figurines. The Japanese word for “bullfinch” is uso, which is also the word for “lie.” The word tori means both “bird” and “take.” Therefore, by exchanging bullfinches, one transforms the misfortunes of the previous year into “lies” and “takes” good fortune in exchange.

Without further ado, I’ll introduce my five recommended Tenjin shrines in Tokyo. Since I just introduced the notion of the first Tenjin day of the year, I’ll talk about some shrines that are very popular during this time and what their bullfinch figurines are like.

Kitano is to Kyoto as Kameido is to Tokyo!
Kameido Tenjin Shrine

When discussing Tenjin shrines in Tokyo, one cannot leave out this shrine.
The moment you pass through the large torii gate and climb the moon bridge, you will see the wisteria trellis and majestic shrine before you, and the Tokyo Sky Tree on your left. Right away you will see views that will make you glad that you came.
The shrine grounds are spacious, and it’s fun to visit not only the Tenjin shrine, but also the Benzaiten, Utaki, and Hanazono shrines that are also on the premises.

By the way, at Kameido Tenjin, the names of the plum tree varieties are hung on each trunk. There are numerous varieties of plum tree, and they are like an idol group; when the trees start to bloom, it’s fun to look for the variety that you like best.

On your way home, be sure to stop by the historic confectionary Funabashiya and try the famous kuzumochi.

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Kameido Tenjin’s bullfinches are small and cute little figurines. There are seven different sizes, and you can get a small one for 600 yen. They’re the kind of charms that you’ll find yourself buying a lot of as souvenirs for your loved ones.

If a 3D miniature were made, it would definitely be popular!
Gojoten Shrine

This is a shrine nestled on the banks of Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. It was founded 1,900 years ago.

The legendary prince Yamato Takeru no Mikoto is said to have been the first to worship here when he passed through Ueno on his way to subdue rebels living in Japan’s eastern provinces. Yamato Takeru offered gratitude for a blessing from the god of medicine, and therefore the shrine is said to have the power to heal illness.

The highlight of the shrine are its grounds, which would be interesting as a 3D-printed miniature. The spacious and bright Gojoten Shrine and the small and mysterious Hanazono Inari Shrine are almost stacked on top of one another like bunk beds.

Gojoten and Hanazono Inari are connected by stairs, and part of the shrine’s appeal is the ability to climb up and down and cross back and forth between the two spaces, which have a totally different feel from one another.

The bullfinch carvings sold at Gojoten Shrine are concealed inside envelopes, so you just have to go for it and pick one. Most of them have silver paper decorating their heads, but a few of them have gold paper decorations.

I like this playfulness from a shrine that otherwise seems very serious.

Get lost in photogenic Edo
Yujima Tenjin Shrine

This is a shrine that makes you wonder whether time and space have twisted back on themselves. Although unmistakably located in the current Reiwa Era, this is a mysterious place where you can catch glimpses of the dashing men and women of the Edo Period among the scenery, as through thin curtains of time have overlapped.

On sunny days, the road approaching the shrine is lined with shops, so I bought some sweet fried buns for 150 yen each (it’s impossible to eat just one) and ate them on the temple grounds.

I gave my greetings to the spirit of Michizane and rubbed the metal “rubbing cow” statue.

It’s also possible to worship at the Sasatsuka Inari Shrine on the same grounds, and at Togakushi Shrine, where the god of sports, Ame no Tajikarao, is enshrined. On your way home, you can purchase daifuku as a souvenir at the nearby confectionary Tsuruse.

Yushima Tenjin’s bullfinch charm is a little unusual; it’s shaped like a stick and looks as though it’s just sprouted up out of the ground. The cute red face makes it look as if the bullfinch drank some of the gods’ sacred sake.

A little-known but spectacular spot
Ushi Tenjin Kitano Shrine

This Tenjin shrine has the best view! It’s a small shrine known only to a few, about ten minutes’ walk from the LaQua hot spring spa behind Korakuen Station, but visitors can experience the extraordinary here.
The shrine’s torii gate is an entrance to another world. Climb the shadowy stairs, and the shrine grounds begin at the top. A figure of a cow that has become white and fluffy from all the fortune slips tied to it will welcome you.

Next to the torii are a pair of guardian dog statues, and inside the torii are two “rubbing cow” statues. What’s cute about the cow statues is that they have been rubbed and patted by so many visitors that their horns have been worn away.

There is a rock on the left side of the grounds, facing the shrine, where shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo sat. To think, the illustrious Yoritomo came here! In fact, Minamoto no Yoritomo built this shrine while on an expedition in eastern Japan, in gratitude for the god of learning’s blessing and divine message. Heading back from the shrine, you can see a wonderful view from the top of the stairs of the piercing blue sky and the town below.

The bullfinch from Ushi Tenjin Kitano Shrine comes in a wooden box, wrapped in soft paper. From its chubby appearance, it looks like it will bring good luck.

Where the cows and foxes all stare
Hirakawa Tenmangu

The first think I think when I visit Hirakawa Tenmangu is, “So many cows!” There are five “rubbing cow” statues. There is also an Inari shrine on the grounds, so when you pass through the torii fate you will be greeted by both cows and foxes.

It’s easy to think that a shrine in a business district won’t have any charm, but since it’s surrounded by office buildings that block the sunlight, the shrine will sometimes appear to be covered in blue shadows, or the light reflected on the windows of the buildings will shimmer. A nice aspect of shrines in business districts is that sometimes they have a variety of faces; sometimes they appear submerged in water, and other times they are radiant and sparkling. Hirakawa Tenmangu is precisely this kind of shrine.

The bullfinches at Hirakawa Tenmangu are decorated with gold paper on their heads. They have big eyes and a face that anyone would think is cute. They are packaged along with rice crackers. It’s a bullfinch that you’ll want to spend the year with, together at home.

(* Please note that at each shrine, the bullfinch charms will no longer be available once they are all sold.)

Text&Photographs by  Ayaha Yaguchi

Writer / editor / illustrator. Born in Osaka. Writes mainly for magazines, the web, and advertisements. Ayaha’s areas of expertise are travel, the outdoors, science, and history. She began traveling in 2013 when she became fascinated by natural spots rich in spiritual power, and in 2020 she obtained her first-class boating license. Her current dream is to visit shrines and temples on remote sea islands.

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Even if world-famous product designers such as Jasper Morrison, Konstantin Grcic, or Naoto Fukasawa designed MUJI’s products, they never divulge the name of the designer on the products, keeping the philosophy of the brand “Muji”.

He believed that beauty resides in practical handicrafts made for the common people not luxury goods.

It used to be thought that there was no beauty in the mundane things that were used every day by common people, but the movement of Yanagi and others brought the beauty of common things into the limelight. Now there are stores all over Japan that specialize in selling Mingei works and museums that exhibit only Mingei.

It is no surprise that Naoto Fukasawa, who was involved in many of MUJI’s product development projects was appointed as the director of Nihon Mingei Kan (The Japan Folk Crafts Museum) in Tokyo, the first and most respected of the many Mingei museums in Japan.

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I would answer the following.

There are about 6,800 islands that make up Japan, and about 75% of the country is covered in mountains.
Many of the few natural plains became cities. For example, Tokyo is built upon the Kanto Plain, the largest plain in Japan.
In short, Japan is a country full of big cities, oceans, and mountains.

Where do you want to go first?
If you want to experience a little bit of everything, I would recommend you Tokyo.
As you know, Tokyo is the biggest city in Japan. You can enjoy gourmet food from all over the country and the world, museums, shopping malls, and historical sites from the Edo period.

Also, even Tokyo features some mountains.

Mt.Takao, Mt. Mitake is a very famous day-trip destination.
There are also many mountains in the neighboring prefecture of Kanagawa, which is similar to Tokyo because it is in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and so it’s suitable for a day-trip.

Okutama, Tokyo

Kamakura town has a lot of small mountains perfect for a novice hiker.
Mount Oyama in Kanagawa has been regarded as a holy mountain since the middle ages. You can enjoy not only hiking but also visiting the historical shrine and getting a great view of Mt. Fuji.
Tokyo also has many beaches. The most convenient beach is man-made ODAIBA BEACH. You can get there in just 20min by train from central Tokyo.

Odaiba Beach

If you are looking for a natural beach experience, I would recommend the Izu Seven Islands. These islands are accessible by ferry from the pier in central Tokyo as well.

Do you prefer mountains? If so, I’d recommend you, Nagano prefecture.
It is referred to as the Roof of Japan, and there are hundreds of mountain trails scattered throughout the countryside. We call these mountains the Japanese Alps.

Nagano prefecture is not so far from Tokyo. You can get there in just 2-3 hours by train from Tokyo. There are also many charter buses that run between Nagano and Tokyo.
In winter, people enjoy skiing and relaxing in hot springs while surrounded by snow.
In Nagano, wild monkeys also enjoy bathing in the hot springs!

Do you like the beach? If so, Okinawa is the best place for you.
It is the southernmost prefecture in Japan. It is a completely tropical island, with an average daytime temperature of 21 degrees Celsius even in December.
It features breath-takingly stunning islands and beaches. You can enjoy exploring beautiful coral reefs and seeing tropical fish up close and personal by snorkeling or scuba diving.

Zamami Island, Okinawa

Are you interested in culture and history, not topography?
If so, have no fear!

As a result of the division of cultural spheres caused by natural borders such as mountains and the sea, Japan has a surprisingly wide variety of dialects, cultures, and local food.
Until the Edo period (1603-1868), Japan was a collection of as many as 300 “clans”, each of them being similar to small, independent countries.

Sakata, Yamagata

After the Meiji Restoration, Japan was officially unified as a single country, but that was a mere 150 years ago.
Therefore, if you travel around Japan, you’ll be surprised to discover the culture and remnants of the “clan” era still exist and are present in daily life.
Each and every area in Japan has a long history and features its own unique culture.

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A lot of guidebooks recommend visitors to go to “Asakusa”. The main attraction in Asakusa is Sensoji which is a very popular Buddhist temple. It’s always crowded with many tourists who want to experience the atmosphere of “Edo”.

But today, I want to introduce another location.
It’s one of the hidden gems of Tokyo.

It’s actually in Shibuya!

Most people think that Shibuya is a popular shopping and entertainment district where young people gather.
While that’s true, Shibuya features fascinating historical locations as well!

For example, Konnoh Hachimangu Shrine, only a 10min walk from Shibuya Station, has a long history.
It was constructed in the Gongen-Zukuri style, which is the same architectural style seen at the temple of Nikko Tosho-gu.

It is also known as the shrine for Sangaku.

Sangaku were wooden votive tablets given as a sign of devotion to a shrine. They featured math problems and puzzles and sought to entertain guests and other passers-by. Some also included the methods behind solving certain problems. They were most commonly gifted by mathematicians/math enthusiasts during the Edo period.

Math problem is illustrated.

Mathematicians would often gather to attempt to solve particularly difficult problems.
This custom of dedicating math problems/puzzles to a religious site is said to be a culture unique to Japan, with no parallel in the world.

By the way, there’s a movie called “The Samurai Astronomer” about these mathematical geniuses of the Edo period. If you’re interested, I recommend you check it out and learn more!

Just another 10-minute walk away from this shrine, you can find the oldest shrine in the Shibuya Ward, Shibuya Hikawa Shrine.

Within the temple grounds, there are the remains of the sumo arena of the Kinno Sumo, one of the three major sumo tournaments which took place in the suburbs of Edo. Sumo is not only a Japanese style of wrestling but also a Shinto ritual.
This is why some Japanese shrines feature a sumo ring, and the traditions have long been intertwined.

Kokugakuin University Museum is located next to the Shibuya Hikawa Shrine. This museum is free to enter.

If you visit this museum you can get a pretty good overview of Japanese history, ranging all the way from the first settlers called the Jōmon, right up to the modern era.

After enjoying the museum, you can even head on over to Ebisu station if you’re interested. Because the museum is right in the middle of Ebisu and Shibuya, it’s conveniently located.

Shibuya is generally considered an exciting city for younger people in their twenties, but adults in their thirties and older prefer Ebisu because it has a classy and sophisticated image.
There are an abundance of nice restaurants or izakaya(a kind of Japanese pub) for foodies looking for a bite to eat.
If you feel Shibuya is a bit too noisy and crowded, I recommend that you visit Ebisu.

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