Tabelog ratingTeuchi Chuka Soba Sakata (手打ち中華そば 酒田) recreates Ken-chan Ramen, the signature bowl of Sakata in Yamagata Prefecture. The style is rarely found in the Tokyo area. The owner is a Sakata native who taught himself the recipe. The hallmark is wide, deliberately uneven, heavily crinkled noodles rolled by hand every morning. They come in a clear niboshi (dried sardine) and soy broth. Say minjiri (身入り) when you hand over your ticket and you get a free scoop of soft pork back fat.
The noodles dominate the reviews. Diners describe them as chewy, bouncy and irregular, with a strong wheat flavour. Many say the light broth only finds its balance once the fat melts in, which adds sweetness without weight. Portions are generous and the lean shoulder chashu is cut thick. The bamboo shoots are thin, and black pepper and chilli vinegar on the counter let you adjust the bowl as you eat.
Criticism centres on service. A few reviewers found the staff curt. One describes a young employee refusing to make change and scolding customers, and another was never asked about minjiri. Some find the broth thin before the fat goes in, and a couple found the shio version too salty. Noodles occasionally arrive broken. The small room gets hot in summer, and the cluttered kitchen bothers some diners.
Expect to spend ¥1,000–2,000 at lunch or dinner. Reviewers in 2024–2026 paid the following:
- shoyu chuka soba: around ¥900 with 200g of noodles, ¥1,000 with 300g and ¥1,100 with 450g;
- chashumen: ¥1,300–1,500;
- a double portion of minjiri: ¥50;
- onion or nori: ¥100 each;
- frozen takeaway: ¥900.
Value is the recurring theme. Reviewers keep remarking that a handmade bowl this large and this good costs under ¥1,000, and only one found the top-end chashumen pricey. The shop was selected for the Tabelog Ramen Kanagawa 100 in 2024 and 2025.
- Getting there: 854 m from Odasakae Station (JR), roughly a 12–16 minute walk. Buses also run from Kawasaki Station.
- Payment: cash only. Credit cards, electronic money and QR payments are not accepted. You buy a ticket from the machine by the door. Reviewers report that it takes ¥1,000 notes only, so bring small notes.
- Booking: reservations are not taken, so just walk in and queue. Reviewers report weekend lunch queues of around 10 people. Weekday evenings are usually quiet.
- Seats: 8 seats, with five at the counter and one table for three. There are no private rooms and no private hire. The shop is often run by one person, and chashumen can sell out.
- Ordering: say minjiri with your ticket. Broth strength (koi/usu) and fat level can be adjusted. The 200g regular is already filling.
- Smoking: non-smoking.
- Parking: none. Use the nearby coin car parks.