Ueno is a historic district in Tokyo, Japan, where culture, history, nature, and art coexist. It’s home to scattered art museums, and Ameya-Yokocho offers a variety of food stalls, restaurants, and souvenir shops, making it a great place for shopping. Ueno Zoo, one of Japan’s oldest zoos, is famous for its Giant Pandas.
In this article, we’ll introduce the top 10 recommended ramen restaurants in the Ueno area.
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10.Sanji さんじ
In 2012, a former sumo wrestler opened a famous restaurant in Higashi Ueno. This place is well-known among sumo fans. The owner proudly claims, “We’re not a ramen shop; we’re a soup shop.” Their transparent broth is a point of pride, meticulously crafted from dried fish without any fishy odors, making it so delicious that you’ll want to savor every last drop.
Menu items based on this remarkable broth include “Rich Dried Fish Ramen” and “Scallop Dried Fish Ramen.” Since they close when the soup runs out, it’s recommended to arrive early to ensure you get a taste.
Sanji Details
9.Hanada Ueno 麺処 花田 上野店
This is a renowned restaurant with its main branch in Ikebukuro, known for its high-quality, authentic miso ramen that’s worth waiting in line for.
They prepare the miso ramen by stir-frying vegetables in a wok, dissolving miso in the soup, and pouring the finished broth into a bowl filled with noodles, reminiscent of Sapporo ramen in some ways.
The menu offers a rich yet pleasantly mild flavor that brings out the true essence of miso, both in the classic miso and spicy miso variations, ensuring satisfaction without disappointment.
Hanada Ueno Details
8.Kiwamiya 俺の創作らぁめん 極や
The recommended menu item is the “Ebi Pota Ramen.” The aroma of the soup is fantastic, but the moment you taste it, the explosion of shrimp flavor may exceed your expectations!
The intensely flavorful and rich shrimp soup not only boasts a delightful aroma but also allows you to savor the natural sweetness of shrimp, creating a truly luxurious experience. While there are seafood-based ramen options, finding one with such an intense and distinctive shrimp taste is quite rare!
For those of all ages, the “Aburi Cha-shu Ramen” is a popular choice. At “Kiwamiya” they use medium-thick curly noodles that pair excellently with the rich soup, ensuring a satisfying ramen experience. The menu offers a variety of ramen options, including the seafood and pork bone-based “tsukemen” and the addictive “Szechuan Tantanmen” with its unforgettable spice profile.
Kiwamiya Details
7.Kakashi 麺 案山子
Their specialty lies in two types of meticulously crafted broths. The first is the collagen-rich and popular “Paitan Soup” (salt-based), favored by women, while the other is the “Chintan Soup” (soy-based), known for its clear and refreshing taste.
Both broths offer the delightful flavor of chicken meat.
For toppings, they use both chicken and pork. The chicken meat comes from lean “sasami” cuts, which have lower calories compared to other parts.
As for noodles, they use the original noodles from the long-established “Asakusa Kaika-ro.” These whole wheat thin noodles provide outstanding texture and mouthfeel, making them a perfect match for both ramen and tsukemen. For ramen, you can choose between two types: the “Hira-uchi Chijire-men” with 100% wheat, offering a chewy texture, and the “Hoso men(Thin Noodles).”
Kakashi Details
6.Ramen Inariya らーめん稲荷屋
This iconic ramen shop is located very close to Inaricho Station and is within walking distance from Ueno Station. The owner chose the name “Inariya” to make it memorable for customers. The shop stands out with its nostalgic, eye-catching yellow sign, and it’s known for its innovative menu created by a French-trained owner.
The ramen, self-taught and meticulously researched, features a remarkable broth made from simmering water and chicken, with the scent of the soy sauce-based seasoning making it truly exceptional. They have daily limited-time menu items, making it a frequent destination for those who check Twitter before visiting.
Inariya offers a range of unique dishes that are hard to find elsewhere. They have both counter and table seating, accommodating solo diners, families, and various other dining scenarios.
Their signature dish, Wontanmen, features generously sized wontons with ample filling. The springy texture of the wontons becomes addictive, and the straight thin noodles and the remarkably large chashu provide a satisfying eating experience.
Ramen Inariya Details
5.Ichiran Ramen 一蘭 アトレ上野山下口店
This renowned tonkotsu ramen shop was born in Hakata in 1960. Since its inception, they’ve expanded their presence, and today, they operate 80 stores in Japan and 6 directly managed stores overseas, making it an incredibly popular ramen franchise.
Located in Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture, “Ichiran no Mori” combines a factory and a store where they meticulously craft their soup and noodles, ensuring they reach customers across the country. The Atre Ueno Yamashita Entrance Store, situated within JR Ueno Station’s Atre Ueno building, is open 24 hours a day, providing great convenience even after a night out. It’s a favorite among both locals and foreign tourists, often seen with long lines.
The popular ramen features a sweet and creamy tonkotsu soup. Their straight and thin noodles have excellent chewiness and complement the soup perfectly. Ichiran’s distinctive service allows you to customize your ramen’s richness, and you can choose whether to add green onions, garlic, and chashu (roast pork). Additionally, the unique feature of enjoying your ramen in individual booths separated from neighboring diners allows you to fully focus on your meal.
Ichiran Ramen Details
4.Kitakata Shokudou 喜多方食堂 浅草本店
This Kitakata ramen shop is situated along Asakusa Street, between Ueno and Asakusa, offering an authentic taste of Kitakata ramen in Tokyo. Just like the original Kitakata, they open their doors at 7 a.m., making it a favorite spot for people to enjoy a hearty breakfast before heading to work.
One delightful aspect of their morning service is the complimentary coffee that comes with your meal. Their core menu consists of two ramen varieties: shoyu (soy sauce) ramen and miso ramen. You can choose between a “refreshing” or “rich” flavor profile, and they offer a choice of chicken oil (chiyu) or back fat for the finishing oil.
While their toppings may seem simple, featuring chashu (sliced pork), menma (fermented bamboo shoots), and negi (green onions), the thick-cut pork belly chashu provides plenty of satisfaction. It’s been simmered well, resulting in a refreshing and lean taste.
One of their recommendations is the “Kuradashi Shoyu Ramen.” This ramen boasts a mellow, light shoyu (soy sauce) broth made by combining tonkotsu (pork bone) broth with grilled flying fish dashi (broth). It offers a traditional and rustic flavor.
Their noodles are a delight, with a chewy, twisted texture that is brought in from Kitakata, adding to the authenticity of the ramen experience.
Kitakata Shokudou Details
3.Ramen Takahashi Ueno 焼きあご塩らー麺 たかはし 上野店
This is the second branch following the Shinjuku main store. Located near Okachimachi and Ueno-hirokoji stations, it’s conveniently accessible. The restaurant is so popular that it draws daily queues.
The signature dish, “Yaki Ago Shio Ramen,” is in the restaurant’s name. It’s known for its luxurious broth, made by generously using high-quality flying fish broth, simmered for an extended period. The creamy pork bone soup, slowly cooked with domestic pork knuckles, is enhanced with the flavors and aroma of the grilled flying fish, creating a unique and delightful taste.
After finishing your noodles, it’s a local tradition to turn the remaining soup into a comforting rice dish, known as “Ago Dashi Chazuke.” To ensure you savor the soup to the last drop, they provide various condiments on the table.
The cha-shu topping is exceptionally tender, practically melting in your mouth. Don’t forget to try the three varieties of cha-shu from the side menu; they are highly recommended.
Ramen Takahashi Ueno Details
2.Ramen Genzo Yushima 麺屋げんぞう 湯島店
Nestled quietly on a backstreet just off the Yushima Tenjin intersection, this hidden gem of a ramen shop has the charm of a traditional hideaway.
Their exquisite salt ramen, skillfully crafted to bring out the flavor of Rausu salt from Hokkaido, is an absolute must-try. The shop’s modest, 70-year-old establishment might not look like your typical ramen joint at first glance. With only seven counter seats, there’s often a wait to get in, but the master’s expert craftsmanship ensures that the wait is well worth it.
They use carefully selected ingredients from Hokkaido and create a seemingly simple and unassuming salt ramen that’s filled with the refined natural flavors. The light and clear broth, crafted by adding Rausu salt, kombu (kelp), and scallop dashi, is remarkably sophisticated, free of any unwanted complexities.
In addition to their salt ramen, they offer a small selection of miso ramen and tantanmen (spicy sesame-based noodles), making it a delightful place for ramen enthusiasts seeking variety.
Ramen Genzo Yushima Details
1.Ramen Kamo to Negi 鴨 to 葱
This immensely popular Ueno restaurant, as its name suggests, is dedicated to the flavors of duck and green onions. While the ingredients for the soup are simple – water, duck, and green onions – their meticulous attention to each component creates a deep and unique taste.
The flavor is often described as “uniquely delicious” and has become a topic of conversation in word-of-mouth recommendations. Despite the constant queues, the restaurant’s careful craftsmanship shines through in their noodles, broth, toppings, and beautiful presentation.
The transparent broth, made from duck, floods your palate with the rich sweetness of duck and the aroma of soy sauce with every sip. Their homemade duck confit has a tender and juicy texture. The whole wheat straight and thin noodles have great elasticity and complement the soup perfectly.
The overall balance of this dish is exceptional, making it a must-visit establishment in Ueno.
Ramen Kamo to Negi Details
