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)
