Some pungent soups have been dividing opinions among ramen lovers these days. Rich niboshi ramen, made from dried sardines, may be trendy, but it’s also very fishy — and very thick. Check out Ibuki for a great argument in favor of the style, despite their inconvenient location on Tokyo’s north side. Upwards of 14 different kinds of dried fish from around Japan are used in the preparation of the soup depending on the day, so expect a slightly different experience each time you visit.

King Seimen is part of an expanding group of popular ramen shops in Tokyo, which also includes Nishino and Purejidento. Though their other shops all deserve a place on this list, King Seimen stands out with their house-made noodles and some of the plumpest wontons in town. Get your bowl with both pork wontons and shrimp wontons (which are also excellent on their own in a bowl of wonton soup without noodles).

Kikanbo is a favorite among spice-loving diners for their signature devil ramen. To make the scorching dish, they combine miso with two secret blends of spices, both hot and numbing. Customers can choose their preferred level of each. First-timers should go regular for both (futsu futsu), but spice hunters can go as far as the devil level (oni mashi) in their pursuit of spicy satisfaction, where the restaurant deploys a house-made spice mix made with Trinidad scorpion pepper. It’s surprisingly complex, with hints of citrus, but a few bites in and you’ll be feeling the heat.

Yamaguchi was one of the first shops to really take the kodawari concept to the next level. Their ramen is all about chicken, utilizing specialty breeds from Japan, making it great for diners who don’t dig swine. The chicken-based broth is subtle and refreshing, while the sous vide chicken chashu topping is tender, flavorful, and good enough to justify ordering an extra serving.

Miso ramen is often associated with Hokkaido, but Hook makes a uniquely Tokyo version. White miso is reduced with bone broth, and served with thick noodles and moyashi bean sprouts. With something so perfectly simple, there’s no need for fussy menu extras; the ramen is just served normal or spicy, in regular or large size.

Chef Taichi Kurosu is obsessed with his job. On his days off, he often works at other, non-ramen restaurants in Tokyo just to broaden his perspective on other cuisines. That drive is reflected in his ramen; although the shio and shoyu ramen look quite simple, Kurosu uses choice ingredients like Oyama chickens from Shimane Prefecture and a blend of eight different soy sauces. Expect subtle changes in the regular menu each time you visit, plus interesting limited offerings like Hiroshima oyster ramen.

Shima was an instant hit when it opened in 2020. Customers lined up for their shoyu and shio ramen, but it was the konbusui tsukemen that put them over the top. The latest trend in tsukemen, cold noodles are served in a bowl with viscous konbusui (konbu seaweed water), along with a small bowl of strong soy-based dipping soup that fills with oceany umami as you dip your noodles. If slightly slimy tsukemen doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, go for the shoyu or shio.

Gonokami Seisakusho is mere minutes from the must-visit Shinjuku Gyoen park. After browsing the garden, line up for shrimp-infused tsukemen that is well worth the unavoidable wait. Choose from standard tsukemen, miso, or tomato-style. That last one is most popular, and comes with a tiny dollop of pesto paste; despite the Italian flair, it’s full of Japanese umami and a bit of sweetness from the shrimp.

Tsuta was the first ramen shop in Japan to earn a coveted Michelin star, and their truffle-infused ramen is worthy of the accolade. Just enough truffle flavor builds on top of stock made with three kinds of chicken bones, dried fish, and konbu from Hokkaido. Ramen master Onishi-san painstakingly sources the rest of the ingredients from around Japan: Soy sauce comes from Wakayama, Hyogo, and Nagano, while the eggs come from Aomori. In late 2019 the shop moved to a convenient location in Yoyogi Uehara, just a few stops from Shinjuku or Shibuya. With their online reservation system allowing savvy diners to skip the queue, the days of waiting in line for hours are over, though you can still just show up and try your luck.

Men Kurai veers as far away from refined shoyu ramen as possible. Their abura soba is served without the soup that distinguishes most ramen. Instead the focus is on massive, hand-cut noodles, served in a garlicky sauce and mixed with oil. For an extra 100 yen, you can add on a pile of roasted garlic bulbs, in case it wasn’t garlicky enough already.

Muginae is always hovering on lists of the best ramen in Japan, whether they’re written by global food critics or local experts. Chef Akihiro Fukaya tweaks his house-made noodles every morning based on the climate and types of flour available, and every ingredient in the shoyu ramen is meticulously sourced from across Japan. Even the donburi ramen bowls are crafted by a local artisan.

Kohaku takes littleneck clams from Lake Shinji in Shimane Prefecture and blends them with whatever other shellfish they deem worthy on that day. The result is a golden bowl of shio ramen with subtle undertones of shellfish. A sous vide slice of pork shoulder adds a stark contrast in both flavor and color.