The best Tokyo ramen of 2026 – January to June

The latest offering from Ramen Break Beats founder DJ Takuro Yanase and his crew of groovy noodle champs, Tsukemen Back to Back opened along the cosy Ichiban-dori shopping street in Musashi-Koyama in June 2026. Each of Yanase’s shops has a distinct speciality, and here it’s tsukemen – four versions of the dipping noodle dish, in fact.

Whether you choose to go for shoyu, shio, spicy miso or basil (all from ¥1,380), you can look forward to slurp-tastic noodles made from high-end domestic wheat exclusively for B2B. They come served in a clear kelp-flavoured broth (kombusui) that gives the noodles a refined umami kick.

The rich but crisp chicken-based soup is equally artisanal, crafted from Amakusa heirloom bird from the islands of Kumamoto, and goes swimmingly with any of the four tare sauces. Topped with smoked Sangenton char siu, a gently sweet ajitama egg, Kujo negi and fried enoki mushroom, this is a bowl for the ages, and yet another testament to the Break Beats collective’s ingenuity.

The chef behind Miso800 knows to strike while the iron – or in this case, the soup pot – is hot. After making our Best of 2025 list with Hitosuji in Honancho, he branched out into miso ramen in June 2026 and already attracts devotees from across Tokyo and beyond to this new Waseda shop.

His signature offering here is san-ra (hot and sour) miso ramen (from ¥1,300), a surprisingly slurpable combo of spiciness, sour kick and rich miso. The soup sticks nicely to the straight, medium-thick noodles, which give off a pleasant wheat aroma even when submerged in the enticing soup. 

For the ultimate experience, go for the Tokujo version (¥1,800), topped with two types of char siu: tsurushi-yaki pork grilled over charcoal and seared pork belly. The pairing adds a distinctive touch of smokiness and sweetness. Big eaters should know that the san-ra soup is also a good friend of rice, which Miso800 offers both plain (¥200) and topped with meat and egg (¥550).

Aomori-born YouTuber Susuru is a respected voice in the ramen world, and perhaps even more so now that he has skin in the game. The ever-hungry influencer set up his own shop in March 2026, landing near Suidobashi Station with this no-frills joint that specialises in the style of shoyu ramen popular across northern Japan.

His standard Kitano Shoyu (¥1,100) features a brown broth, in which the savoury aroma of stir-fried veg blends with the flavours of ginger and garlic. The punchy concoction pairs well with the curly egg noodles. Standout toppings include a smoky, decadently fatty slab of char siu and a notably sweet ajitama egg.

It may not set your Instagram feed on fire, but this is an addictive bowl with serious staying power. Pair it with a bowl of rice topped with more char siu (¥450) or a raw egg (¥350) to stay satiated for the rest of the day.

Shinbashi has quietly upped its ramen cred in recent years, and Kicho is yet another strong addition to the salaryman haven’s noodle scene. Opened in March 2026, it serves tsukemen and orthodox Tokyo chuka soba in the style of Ogikubo’s much-missed Marucho, a legendary shop that closed its doors for good in 2023 after 76 years in business.

The Tsukesoba (from ¥1,000) is a close approximation of Marucho’s tsukemen, with a rich, concentrated broth and a distinct hint of black pepper. Paired with a generous portion of char siu and scallion and thick noodles from Sugano Seimen, it’s a worthy tribute to an icon of Tokyo ramen history.

The Chuka Soba (from ¥980) with medium-thick noodles is available in shoyu and shio versions, both exhibiting an impeccable balance of meaty and marine flavours. Give this spot a try next time you’re in Shinbashi.

So-called gourmet ramen – think clear soup, lightly seared char siu and photo-friendly presentation – hasn’t had a banner year so far, but Takadanobaba’s Shion bucks the trend. An ambitious undertaking from a chef who trained at a who’s who of Tokyo ramen shops, the stylish spot offers shoyu and shio ramen (both from ¥1,200) as well as kombusui tsukemen (in shio and shoyu versions, from ¥1,350) and a limited-edition tori paitan (from ¥1,250).

First-timers will want to order the shio ramen – an additive-free tour de force in which the gently savoury, chicken-based soup plays a leading role and the thin noodles and toppings – rare char siu, mitsuba parsley, dried tomato and scallion – provide competent support.

Word to the wise: if you like char siu, don’t hesitate to go for the Tokujo version. Its trifecta of smoky duck, chicken and pork meats takes this bowl up yet another notch.

Hidden away in residential Soshigaya-Okura is one of 2026’s sensations. Matsuo Seibaku is a noodle factory and ramen shop baked into one, where the noods play the protagonist.

In the Chuka Soba (from ¥950), these flat, medium-thick, curly wonders elevate the thick seafood and pork bone broth. The noodles are prepared using a ‘two-stage’ method: they’re first boiled in a pressure cooker, the sound of which echoes through the shop, then tightened in cold water before being heated again in hot water. All that work results in a texture that somehow combines melt-in-the-mouth softness with an al dente mouthfeel. Toasty, umami-rich char siu further enhances the experience.

On a hot day, you’ll want to go for the Kuroabura Soba (pictured; ¥1,100), their ‘soupless’ oil ramen version, which wows with a combination of strong shoyu tare and charcoal-scented fat.

A new undertaking from ie-kei heavyweight Kanda Ramen Waizu, Fukuro started business in February 2026 and takes the Waizu version of Yokohama’s classic ramen a step further with a rich but surprisingly crisp tonkotsu soup.

The broth for the shop’s basic shoyu ramen (from ¥950) is an aromatic combination of pork and chicken bones, kombu and vegetables, resulting in a flavour that hits considerably harder than your average ie-kei concoction.

On the char siu front, expect ample slices of tsurushi-yaki pork prepared in the shop’s custom-made oven for a lean and smoky finish. The satisfyingly thick noodles are made to order for Fukuro by Mikawaya Seimen, one of Tokyo’s premier artisanal noodle factories. If you’re craving a filling bowl in Ikebukuro, this one is sure to hit the spot.

Negiton was probably the first new ramen shop to open in Tokyo this year, having started business bright and early on New Year’s Day. Located out east in Hirai, Edogawa ward, it’s the latest brainchild of Kazunori Komiya, a Tokyo ramen scene veteran best known for founding the Tsukemen Tetsu chain.

The shop’s signature offering is the eponymous Negiton Ramen (¥790), an old-school bowl filled to the rim with shio soup and hearty helpings of char siu, chopped scallions and menma. There’s plenty of volume on offer, but as a whole this ramen is lighter than it looks, helped along by the addictive chewiness of the thick curly noodles.

If you enjoy customising your ramen, you’ve come to the right place: Negiton offers a wide range of free-to-use seasonings and toppings, from chicken oil- and garlic-scented tenkasu (bits of deep-fried batter) to an extra-spicy mixture of chopped kikurage mushrooms and nira chives.

Other menu options include shoyu and miso versions of the Negiton Ramen, as well as a soupless oil ramen variety, all at prices you wouldn’t expect to find in Tokyo these days. You can even ask for a small bowl of rice for free with any ramen order.

Opened in March 2026 by a chef with experience in both the ie-kei and gyokai-tonkotsu styles, Kaio in Hachioji is a pork spot through and through. The standard Tonkotsu Ramen (from ¥950) showcases the shop’s rich and refined soup, prepared with a method that involves adding successive new batches to a constantly boiling ‘master pot’. The noodles are described as ‘medium-thin’ – thinner than at your average ie-kei spot, but thicker than in Hakata-style tonkotsu.

Kaio’s most popular offering is the Sara Tonkotsu (pictured; ¥1,000), a distinctive take on oil ramen in which extra-thick noodles are mixed with a pungent aroma oil and a sparse serving of the umami-rich tonkotsu broth. A tsukemen version (from ¥1,100) is also available.

This one’s a bit of a trek – a good 15 minutes on foot from Minami-Sunamachi Station on the Tozai line – but well worth the adventure especially for shoyu ramen fans. Murohouse has made its name with the Tokujo Koku Shoyu ramen (¥1,600), a complex treat for the taste buds in which a light chicken and seafood broth provides the foundation for a savoury shoyu spectacle anchored by an ultra-flavourful aroma oil.

The medium-thick, hand-kneaded, curly noodles have a springy, chewy texture that makes them the perfect partner to the broth. Toppings include three types of char siu with varying levels of chewiness, some impeccably seasoned menma, a sweet ajitama egg and sprinklings of kabosu and scallions. It all adds up to a ramen that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until you’ve finished every last drop of soup.