Tabelog ratingKITCHEN TAKANO is the second branch of Chuka Soba Takano, one of Kanagawa's most celebrated ramen shops. It was selected for the Tabelog Ramen Kanagawa "Tabelog 100" in 2024 and 2025. The signature is salt tsukemen. Firm, ice-chilled thin noodles from Mikawaya Seimen arrive resting in seasoned, slightly viscous kombu water that the shop calls "TAKANO WATER". You eat a few strands plain, then dip them into a golden chicken-and-scallop salt broth. A rotating list of limited bowls adds dishes such as a cold tomato-basil "Roman Holiday" noodle and a chilled mala aesoba.
Reviewers keep coming back to the kombu water, and many say the noodles are good enough to eat on their own. They also praise the deep chicken flavour of the dip. The chashu is a highlight too: smoky charcoal-grilled chicken thigh, moist chicken breast and hanging-roasted pork. The chuka soba, a clear chicken ramen in salt or soy, is well liked. Regulars value the shorter queue than at the main shop, the evening service and the clean, café-like room.
The complaints centre on price. The special tsukemen has gone up by roughly ¥600 over time. Several reviewers describe a curt male cook who scolds staff in front of guests, though recent reviews report friendlier service. Other recurring points are a dipping broth that cools quickly, noodles that occasionally clump, small portions and no large size.
Reviewers in 2025–2026 paid around ¥1,600 for salt tsukemen (¥1,500 in 2025) and ¥2,000 for the special version. Chuka soba cost about ¥1,250, or ¥1,650 for the special. Extras included aedama (an extra serving of dressed noodles) at ¥400, tori okowa (chicken sticky rice) at ¥350 and a hanging-roast pork rice bowl at ¥600. Limited bowls ran ¥1,600–1,800. Lunch and dinner typically cost ¥1,000–2,000 per person, and more with a special bowl and a side.
By ramen standards it is expensive, and some long-time fans now call it overpriced. Most still feel the tsukemen justify at least one visit.
- Getting there: 3 minutes' walk (about 250 m) from JR Oguchi Station.
- Payment: cashless only, with no cash and no credit cards. The ticket machine takes transport IC cards (Suica etc.), Rakuten Edy, nanaco, WAON and iD, plus QR payments (PayPay, d Barai, Rakuten Pay, au PAY, Alipay). Bring a topped-up Suica or similar.
- Booking: no reservations, so walk in and queue. Waits range from none to about 30 minutes and are longest at weekend lunch.
- Ordering: buy a ticket at the machine while queuing. Staff will ask whether you want salt or soy.
- Seats: 10 counter seats. No private rooms or private hire.
- Children: welcome, including babies. Strollers allowed.
- Hours: these change often, so check the shop's X (Twitter) account before going.
- Smoking: non-smoking. Parking: none.
- Take-out and delivery available.
