Tabelog ratingKōsuke Sugimoto trained as the last apprentice of Minoru Sano, the late 'ramen demon'. His shop serves tanrei shoyu ramen, a light, clean style with a layered broth. The broth combines whole chicken, pork, niboshi (dried sardines), bonito and vegetables. The tare blends five soy sauces. Fine noodles are made in a glass-fronted noodle room on site and cooked very soft, close to somen. The shop has been selected for the Tabelog Ramen 100 every year from 2021 to 2025.
Reviewers mostly praise the broth. They describe it as deep yet gentle, and many finish every drop. The two chashu cuts also draw near-constant praise: braised shoulder, plus roast loin or thigh. The wontons are packed with meat. Bowls are big, with about 175g of noodles. Two side dishes have their own following: the Nagoya Cochin TKG (raw-egg rice) and the chashu gohan (rice with diced pork). A limited tantanmen served in autumn 2026 was widely raved about.
The main complaint is the noodles. Some find them limp, like noodles left too long in hot broth, and you cannot ask for them firmer. Some find the broth too light, and a few regulars feel it has declined. The tsukemen (dipping noodles) is less well received. There were isolated reports of mixed-up orders and inattentive seating.
In 2025–2026, reviewers paid around ¥1,350 for shoyu ramen (the shop lists shio at the same price). They paid ¥1,850 for the fully loaded tokusei, which was ¥1,800 in early 2025. Other prices paid by reviewers:
- tsukemen: ¥1,400
- ladies' small bowl: ¥1,050
- TKG or chashu gohan: ¥400
- wonton topping: ¥150
- menma topping: ¥100
Expect to spend ¥1,000–2,000 at lunch or dinner. The value is fair rather than cheap. Some think ¥1,850 is steep for ramen, but most accept it for the portion size and ingredients.
- Getting there: 12-minute walk from Aobadai Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line. Or take the Tokyu Bus from Aobadai Station to Sakuradai Bus Stop, then walk 1 minute. There is a branch in Marunouchi, Tokyo, if this is too far.
- Booking: no reservations, walk-in only. Lunch queues run from about 5 to over 20 people. Arrive 15–30 minutes before 11:30, or come on a weekday evening.
- Ordering: buy a ticket at the machine when staff call you.
- Payment: no credit cards. Transit IC cards (Suica etc.), iD and QUICPay are accepted. QR payments are also accepted: PayPay, d Barai, Rakuten Pay, au PAY, Alipay and WeChat Pay. Some earlier reports said cash only, so cash is a sensible backup.
- Seats: 16 in total, with 6 at the counter and three tables. No private rooms or private hire.
- Families: children welcome (the listing specifies school-age children), and strollers welcome.
- Smoking: non-smoking.
- Parking: none.
- Portions: bowls are large, so order the small bowl if you want a side dish.
