Gomadokoro Gongen Chaya — Restaurant in Tokyo

This was one fantastic bowl of ramen that I absolutely recommend if you are looking for something to eat while hiking Mt. Takao.

What surprised me the most was the amount of flavor in each sip of the broth, in each slurp of the noodles and in each bite of the vegetables. I did not expect a broth made of soy milk and goma(sesame) to go toe to toe with broths like tonkotsu and miso in the flavor department. It was definitely one of the better broths that I've had the pleasure of tasting. All that flavor was made all the more special by the lightness of the broth. It was neither heavy nor oily. Just perfect. A broth as good as that one is enough to warrant 5 stars, but the magic did not end there. The vegetables used elevated the ramen experience to a whole different level. Each vegetables made every bite feel like an entirely new dish without destroying the cohesiveness of the ramen. The addition of the maitake (hen-of-the-wood), shiso (perilla leave) and pickled plum was simply brilliant. Even the tengu part of the ramen, made of sweet potato, had these wonderful hints of ginger that worked almost as a palate cleanser.

Not only do you get to try a masterfully put together ramen, but the restaurant also offers a wonderful view. Truly the best of both worlds. This place is...

Feeling a bit tired while walking on Mount Takao and saw several enticing dango stalls along the road, my friend decided to buy some dangos to try. . She got Gold Sesame Soy Sauce Dango and Black Sesame Soy Sauce Dango. Grilled over charcoal on the spot, the dangos were hotly-served. They had a delightful soft and chewy texture, and tasted sweet. . This shop had a relatively shorter line compared to other dango stalls, and my friend was happy that she could finally have the dango to...

This time, I took my two daughters hiking at Mount Takao. After the kids raced up the men’s slope, my younger daughter felt unwell and even vomited. Luckily, we were near this shop, and many passersby and restaurants staff were incredibly kind. They helped cool my daughter down, gave us electrolyte drinks to rehydrate, and fanned her. I’m truly touched and deeply grateful for the warmth and kindness...