Dudes like Moby and Thom Yorke would be happy to know that vegan ramen, though rare, does in fact exist at one Aurora Cafe, a bi-weekly occurence held in a decidedly bohemian coffee shop/art gallery space in Tokyo’s Nakano neighborhood. Meat-free noodling? Some broths work better than others, but it’s a solid start, and it’s about time.

Deep in the suburbs of Tokyo’s northeast sits Tanaka Shoten, considered by many to be the Japanese capital’s top Hakata-style ramen shop. Is it worth the journey, from the action and the city lights to this quiet, sleepy corner of Tokyo, halfway to Saitama, for an authentic bowl of pork bone goodness? How does a sheet of seaweed say thank you in elevent different languages?

Yamagoya was where it all began, for hungry high schoolers and one gastronomically adventurous English teacher in particular, oh so many years ago. Fast forward to this Fukuoka-based chainlet’s satellite operation on the eastside of Tokyo; with seasonal twists on mukashii tonkotsu ramen, yuzu can’t go wrong.

At TETSU in northeastern Tokyo, you can reheat your tsukemen dipping soup by dropping a scalding hot metal weight into your bowl. There’s actually a guy standing behind the counter, grilling these chunks of heavy metal on a robatayaki. It’s a fanciful concept to be sure, but it’s surprisingly effective. The noodles ain’t bad either!

Cheese in ramen may seem like a half-baked gimmick, but it’s more sensible than one would think at first. Proper noodling is all about the umami, and good cheese, like the “tomme tomme” served at Tukumo in Ebisu, Tokyo, injects a mighty amount of sensation into an ordinary bowl of miso ramen. It’s no wonder this limited quantity specialty sells out daily. Ramen chefs take note. The curd is calling.

A native New Yorker in Tokyo overcomes adversity to open a ramen shop and become the toast of the town. An unlikely success story, a potential treatment for some Hollywood-style fairytale, or the achievement of a fantastic chef with exemplary skill and class, and an all around cool guy?  All of the above and then some. Ivan is great.

Bassanova serves up a heady stew of cosmopolitan fusion goodness in a quiet corner of Setagaya, Tokyo. How do Thai green curry and ramen noodles mix? Like Brazilian polyrhythms and jazz guitar, apparently. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, let me put it in plain English for you. “Quite well, actually.” Quite well indeed.

What could prompt an hour-long lineup on a small, residential side street in eastern Tokyo nearly every single day? How about Menya Kissou, a noon-only noodler with the #1 all time rating on Japan’s foremost ramen website? 120 million people can’t be wrong… or can they?

Change is upon us, top-down, in the form of… Obama Ramen! This brand-new Tokyo noodle shop has been chosen to usher the world into a brave new future of global unwarming, diplomacy, and flying cars. Oh yea, some guy got elected president recently. This ain’t about him. I hear he’s awesome too, but whatever. I’m hungry.

Ramen worth a ransom? You bet! Ever wonder what might happen when one jealous ramen chef accuses another of stealing his precious recipe? You get a double-soup doublecross that involves kidnapping, beating, and *ahem* apparent nekkidness. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried… 

Nestled in the heart of Tokyo, Ramen Jiro honten lands the first perfect score on our rating system. It was inevitable that the day would come, and this hugely influential ramen shop lives up to all expectations and then some. Some people won’t feel the appeal, but rameniac, for one, is a full-blown convert…

A multi-meal afternoon at Yokohama’s famed Raumen Museum yields a bounty of noodle-slurping treasures, beginning with Asahikawa’s Hachiya. Sixty years strong and what do you have to show for it? Burnt oil, saltwater, and a whole lot of flavor to be sure…

Taishoken Eifukucho (大勝軒 永福町駅) is a landmark in suburban Tokyo, a classic corner shop with punch-bowl sized portions of wafu ramen goodness and… umbrellas to spare? Rameniac treks to this low-key neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. What does he find there?

Vaunted chef Yasuji Morizumi was the force behind Chabuya and Chabuton. Now he also has Kurofune - an assari-kei chain - to his name. Does the so-called “TV champion” of ramen have what it takes, or is Kurofune just another dead pixel on your widescreen?

Taishoken higashi-ikebukuro will be closing its doors for good come February 2007! Journey with rameniac as he investigates this hugely influential shop, where tsukemen dipping-style ramen was first invented. We’ll miss you, Yamagishi-san!

Find me an island of tranquility amidst a sea of Shibuya ganguro gals, and I’ll find you a full stomach at Kiraku Ramen! Parapara revolution!

Rameniac sneaks his brand-new camera into Tokyo’s depot of decadence, Kyushu Jangara Ramen. When last he tried this, he was told no pictures. Playing up the baka gaijin this time around, he finally captures the experience of dining in Akihabara’s hottest ramen shop. Point-and-shoot for all the sordid details!

Rameniac lands in Japan and immediately makes for the nearest ramen shop! Does he get lucky on his first night in town? Click here to find out!