ICHIRAN Asakusa Rokku — Restaurant in Tokyo

PROS ➕ Authentic Japanese ramen ➕ Separate booth for single diners ➕ No verbal communication needed

CONS ➖ Long waiting line

Date visited: 04/29/2024

The name ICHIRAN is arguably the most popular brand when it comes to authentic Japanese ramen. You can see it just about everywhere: magazines, travel guidebooks, even words from experienced travelers. That’s why I decided to visit ICHIRAN Asakusa for lunch, accompanied by a friend just in case Japanese was needed.

We arrived at the shop just after noon. It is located on the second floor, and the only entrance for guests connects with the ground floor via a staircase. I didn’t see the long line of people waiting until we reached the top of the staircase.

Fortunately, we were able to order our course thanks to the digital device just outside of the dining hall. It also helped with killing time while we were waiting in line, looking at the back of the people in front of us.

As time passed, we moved closer into the dining hall. Decorations and merchandise unique to the brand were placed along the hallway. I could vividly remember two things: cans of seasoning powder of sorts and packs of instant noodles, all borne the brand of ICHIRAN.

The dining hall consists of individual booths that accommodate single diners as well as groups. The staff will put a group of diners into adjacent seats as requested. The kitchen is in the center, separated from the booths only by thin curtains.

The total time from when we first stepped into the store to when we were seated was roughly 45 minutes. It took 10 more minutes until a hot ramen bowl was placed in front of us. I ordered an extra egg and a few slices of braised pork. The ordering forms on the side of the booth came in handy.

The pork ramen tasted just as good as I imagined it would be. The broth was rich, creamy, and not as salty as other ramen shops. The noodles absorbed the flavor well; it was addicting to chew upon. The few slices of braised pork were, well, few but flavorful. They were thin, soft, and almost melted on my tongue, especially the fat. I was so glad I ordered the egg, the soft-boiled egg, because it added a certain jelly texture that the ramen needed and extra protein. I ordered a large size, but it went down so fast I almost wanted another.

As for my friend, he didn’t say a word while he was eating. I only heard the sound of intense slurping echoing from the next booth. Some tourists who were sitting beside me ate in quiet. My friend, you see, is a critic. So after all that nonstop eating, he still gave it a mediocre rating, claiming the ramen was not the best he had ever eaten.

I think the only downside about this shop is the long waiting time. It’s totally not worth it for a bowl of ramen that I can find just about anywhere in Tokyo. Now, what I can’t find is the solitude of dining alone with minimal communication. Overall, I am happy I have visited this shop and come back with a...

Cool ramen place on the first floor of a building in Asakusa. There's often a queue so get there early, but to be honest we went on a busy Saturday lunchtime and only waited for around 20 minutes.

The restaurant is great for single diners as you sit at high sided single booths. You order your food using a ticket vending machine (English translation was available and welcome), and give the tickets to the waiter when you sit down. Food is served through little hatches with cards available to be given to the servers if you don't want to talk.

The interesting concept is followed through with tasty Tonkotsu Ramen, rich in flavour and plentiful. We ordered a Tonkotsu special meal that came with tea, extra pork, and a jammy boiled egg. A lovely experience that set us up for the rest of...

We came here after seeing the huge queue at the other Asakusa branch! Took a risk and walked the extra 10 mins, and it paid off! NO queue here at the start of dinner time.

Ordering was a breeze through the machine, collect your tokens and head on inside to find available booths, customise your bowl of noodles by filling in the form, press the call button and a member of staff magically appears in front of you behind the bamboo partition.

Minutes later your order will be presented and you’re left to enjoy the noodles in solitary bliss! Love that there’s a water tap in the booth for you, and tissues on the wall behind you.

Order the boiled egg, you...