In early 2018, the food documentary Ramen Heads (ラーメンヘッズ) was released in Japan and the US. I caught a showing at the local film festival and being the over-prepared travel planner that I am, (not unlike what I did for Samurai Gourmet Season 1) I’ve decided to map out all of the restaurants from the documentary so I could potentially hit up a couple of these locations the next time I’m jonesing for some good ramen in the Tokyo Area. Listed below are the names and addresses of the restaurants shown in the movie Ramen Heads, taken from the movie’s Japanese website. At the end of the list will be a google map that you can put on your phone so you can easily find your way to these restaurants as well.
Chuuka Soba Tomita – 中華蕎麦 とみ田
The main ramen shop in the movie, where Osamu Tomita is the proprietor.
1339 Matsudo, Matsudo, Chiba 271-0092 Japan
Ramenya Iida Shouten – らぁ麺屋 飯田商店
The ramen shop of Shota Iida in Kanagawa, one of the three people who did the “superteam” collab at the end.
2 Chome-12-14 Doi, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa 259-0303 Japan
Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta – Japanese Soba Noodles 蔦
The Michelin star garnering shop of Yuki Onishi, another one of the people who did the “superteam” collab.
1 Chome-14-1 Sugamo, Toshima, Tokyo 170-0002 Japan
Tani Ramen – 谷ラーメン
The Steadicam shot at the beginning of the Ramen Heads documentary goes into this restaurant. Due to construction, this is the shop’s new location.
3 Chome-7-11 Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-0005 Japan
Chuuka Sobe Inoue – 中華そば 井上
The stand-up ramen shop shown located in the Tsukiji Outer Market.
4 Chome-9-16, Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo 104-0045 Japan
Tai Shio Soba Touka – 鯛塩そば 灯花
The top shio ramen shop from the movie.
12-13, Funamachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0006 Japan
Ramen Ichifuku – らぁめん 一福
The miso ramen shop run by the female chef.
2 Chome-17-14 Honmachi, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0071 Japan
Chuuka Soba Hayama – 中華そば 葉山
This is the restaurant where the guy hand-made his noodles with the bamboo pole.
1 Ichigayayakuojimachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0063 Japan
Fukuju – 福寿
This is the ramen place that opens in the afternoon and prepares everything the traditional way.
3 Chome-19-1 Sasazuka, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0073 Japan
Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken – 東池袋 大勝軒
Not on the list, but Tomita worked under Yamagishi and they showed photos of them together at Taishoken.
2 Chome-42-8 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima Tokyo 171-0022 Japan
— Update Dec 2018: Rented the movie and added all the places he went to on his day off —
Menya Itto – 麺屋一燈
This is the #1 web-rated ramen place he went to on his day off.
1 Chome-4-17 Higashishinkoiwa, Katsushika, Tokyo 124-0023 Japan
Ramen Jiro – ラーメン二郎 松戸駅前店
The ‘unnamed’ ramen shop that he said was his favorite.
17-9 Honcho, Matsudo, Chiba 271-0091, Japan
Taishoken Rozeo – 大勝軒 ROZEO
The ramen shop Tomita went to with his family.
4 Chome-6-3 Koganekiyoshigaoka, Matsudo, Chiba 270-0013, Japan
Ramen Heads Restaurant Locations map link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UQ8uEilUumAYYvKumogZIT0cgIlhXd_G&usp=sharing
Being a minor Ramen Head myself, here’s some info you may find useful for your own ramen research. The trophies Osamu Tomita got in the movie was from Try Magazine. Also, there are two popular Japanese websites that have ramen rankings and reviews that I know of: the Ramen Database, and Tabelog’s Ramen Section.
(Updates to this post can be found in the comments below)
11 Comments
Was posting this article to the site IG and when entering in the location, I noticed Tomita had a second location at Narita Airport (Terminal 1). It probably isn’t as good as their main shop, (ex. the tsukemen from Rokurinsha in Haneda isn’t nearly as good as the one from Tokyo Station, also the Narita Tomita has lower scores on ramendb/tabelog) but if you’re on the way out and you didn’t have enough ramen already, it might be worth a shot.
Quick update, got to try Tomita’s Narita shop on the way out of Tokyo last week. I picked up the ‘Spicy Rich Tsukemen’ (辛味挽肉つけ麺) and added a ‘Hanjuku Ajitama’ (半熟味玉) on the side because that menu item didn’t come with an egg. I kept my expectations low but it turned out to be a really nice bowl. The ‘spicy’ came out as spiced ground meat on a side dish which was flavorful but not all that spicy. As you mix it in, it complemented the Tsukemen broth nicely. About halfway through my meal, they dropped off a thermos filled with dashi that’s used to add to your broth after you finish your noodles. An older gentleman wearing a Ramen Heads shirt appeared to be running the shop and was taking pictures with some of the clientele. I would definitely go back here the next time I’m headed out of Narita.
I was wondering about the second shop tomita san visited where it was said that it is his favorite. But he request the shop not be named.
Who doyou think that is? I’d love to visit That very much next year
The ‘unnamed’ restaurant was a Ramen Jiro location that is not that far from his shop’s location.
I just caught this movie on my way to Hawaii. Thanks so much for putting this together! I am planning to go-to Japan next year, so this is perfect, and something I will really look forward to.
Since you also went as far to identify the magazine the award came from, do you have an opinion as to why the Michelin star restaurant did not win? If I recall, Tomita’s restaurant has won several years?
Finally, how many have you been to thus far, and do you have a current favorite?
Thanks again, this is awesome!
I believe the Michelin star winning Tsuta came in second that year (2016?). From the list, I personally haven’t tried any, although I’ve tried Tomita’s Narita Airport shop, and it was a really nice bowl. Tsuta has always been high on my list, and I may make the trek and brave the lines the next time I hit Tokyo.
In updated news, Tomita has opened a third shop in Kitte which is right next to Tokyo Station, and looking at this year’s TRY list, the third shop (Ramen-ya Iida Shouten) in that super-team collab appears to have won the top prize this year. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqZoib0Bpkd/
Wow – that looks SOOOOOO GOOOD!
Chuka Soba Inoue – the Tsukiji market joint run by an old master – was burnt down in the Tsukiji market fire in June 2017, even before the movie came out. I have read somewhere that the fire started on his shop. It did not re-open.
thanks for the note, I’ve updated the map to say that it has been been closed. I walked through that part of Tsukiji last week and was wondering why it was no longer there..
The Narita Tomita is fabulous. Everything is prepared in the same kitchen – outside the original restaurant anyway. I’d say the differences in ratings are more to do with perception, with the thrill of the place. Moreover, ramenheads will head to Matsuda and beginners on Narita may not be prepared for a tsunami os flavours from Tomita.
Picked up the latest TRY 2019-2020 on my last trip over and it’s a pretty cool read. Ramenya Iida Shouten took 1st prize again this year, with 2nd place going to both the Mensho group (multiple restaurants) and Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu (recent 1-star Michelin upgrade). You can pick up a copy at many Japanese bookstores by heading to their ‘food’ magazine section.