Tonkotsu Ramen Kaio

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.