Ramen — noodles made of wheat flour, eggs, and kansui (alkaline mineral water) in a soup broth with various toppings — was brought to Japan from China around 1910. Soon afterwards, the first Japanese ramen flavored with shoyu (soy sauce) was introduced in the Asakusa area of Tokyo. Ramen in Japan has since evolved in a variety of ways at different times and in different places, to become one of Japan's most well-loved comfort foods.

Today, Tokyo is home to every conceivable type of ramen. They include noodles served in the standard regional broth flavors of shoyu, miso (soybean paste), and tonkotsu (pork bone), as well as variations such as cold noodles served with dipping sauce (called tsukemen) and mazesoba, literally “mixed noodles.”

“The fact that ramen in Tokyo has become so diversified can be largely attributed to the widespread use of the Internet,” comments critic Osaki Hiroshi of Ramen Databank, a company that plans promotional events of the delicacy. Customers will often sift through the massive amount of information available online to find a new restaurant to try, and this makes for fierce competition between ramen shops, which must come up with unique dishes in order to survive. Of the 5,000–6,000 ramen shops in Tokyo today, only 10% have actually been in business for ten years.

Restaurants Igniting a Ramen RenaissanceWith the noodles and the soup served in separate bowls, requiring each mouthful of noodles to be dipped in broth, tsukemen is the most extreme example of ramen's development. Taishoken, a restaurant in Higashi-Ikebukuro, set off the popularity of tsukemen in Tokyo. Originally a meal served for shop workers when the restaurant first opened in the early 1960s, tsukemen soon became a popular menu item and then spread throughout the country. Thanks to Taishoken, tsukemen is now served in a variety of flavors in Tokyo.

Located along the Tokyo Ramen Street at Tokyo Station, home to the most talked-about restaurants, the unique Shichisai is also renowned for originality. The restaurant is exacting when it comes to ingredients. Hand-picked from production sites, they include from the wheat for its homemade noodles, the chicken used in its broth (which is monosodium glutamate-free), and the shoyu and miso used to flavor its dishes.

The mazesoba at Junk Garage, also located on Tokyo Ramen Street, is not served in broth at all. Diners choose such toppings as thick dipping sauce, garlic chips, mayonnaise, raw eggs, or cheese to be mixed with their noodles. With hard rock music playing in the background, the ramen served here is made to the tastes of the shop's young customers with their large appetites. Chabuya, a chain with several shops in the Tokyo area, has redesigned its interiors in the style of French restaurants to break from common conceptions of the “greasy spoon” ramen shop, making it extremely popular with female diners. Served with seasonal ingredients in small portions, the refined flavors of their ramen have the elegance of a main dish in a four-course meal.

Made with only the very best ingredients, the miso ramen at Tokyo Edoama is served only for dinner. By day, the restaurant goes by the name Shichisai and serves shoyu ramen. Enlarge photo

No soup, but also a full-fledged ramen. The specialty mazesoba is served with a variety of toppings and is the most popular item on the menu at Junk Garage. Enlarge photo

The more delicate flavor and smaller portions at Chabuya are particularly popular with female customers. Enlarge photo

The Everlasting Tradition: Shoyu RamenIn modern Tokyo where every style of ramen can be found, the classic taste of traditional ramen continues to hold its own. First appearing more than 100 years ago, the vanguard of all Japanese ramen is Tokyo ramen, known for its clear shoyu broth. “Shoyu ramen is the comfort food that most Japanese people eventually return to,” Osaki declares. “This type of ramen will never go out of style.” Established in 1949, Harukiya has not changed the basics of its shoyu ramen recipe over the years, though it continually seeks to improve its taste through the choice of ingredients and cooking techniques. This commitment to tradition makes Harukiya one of Tokyo most-loved ramen shops to this day.

Ramen is no longer merely fast food for a quick hunger fix: It has evolved into a bit of a treat that one never grows tired of. Tokyo ramen will surely continue to offer new tastes and surprises for diners for years to come. (July 2011)