irohaya

A short walk north from Asagaya Station, along Waseda-dori, irohaya is a quiet, compact ramen shop with just a few counter seats. Order from the ticket machine and take a seat; before long, a bowl of ramen arrives, its clear, soy-coloured broth topped with chashu pork, bamboo shoots, seaweed and spring onion. It has the classic look of Tokyo-style soy ramen.

The broth is not especially oily, bringing together gentle savoury notes from the animal-based stock and dashi with a faint sweetness from the soy seasoning. The house-made, medium-thin straight noodles are supple to slurp yet satisfyingly firm to bite, and hold their own against the light broth. Each topping complements the bowl without overpowering it: thick slices of chashu with a good balance of lean meat and fat, slender bamboo shoots with a crisp bite, and a seasoned egg with a soft, runny centre.

Alongside hot ramen, the menu includes tsukemen, or dipping noodles. The chashu tsukemen comes with plenty of diced meat, while the noodles' flavour and the dipping broth's clean, sharp finish come through clearly. It is a hearty option for warmer weather or when you want a more substantial meal.

The shop accepts cash only and has limited seating, making it well suited to a quiet solo meal focused on the bowl in front of you. There is no flashy presentation, just an unpretentious, deeply flavoured ramen that may leave you wanting to drink every last drop—and give you a reason to make the trip to Asagaya-kita.