Usagi — Restaurant in Tokyo

Even though he's long gone, Nujabes has been there for me when nobody else has. Sometimes just putting on Luv Sic pt 3, World’s End Rhapsody, or Feather somehow would make the pain slowly trickle out of my body. It made me feel like everything would be okay. That Aruarian Dance 1 hour homework edit was a major reason why I even made it out of college with a degree.

I’m being slightly dramatic, but when I found out his brother runs a ramen shop in Tokyo, named Usagi, I knew I needed to make the pilgrimage.

I got there right when it opened and waited in a short line before getting in. The line was mixed with locals and other Nujabes fans, a few of which were discussing their favorite songs.

Upon entering, I could hear Luv Sic pt 3 faintly playing in the speakers. “It’s funny how the music puts times in perspective…” I realized it was actually the first time I’d actually heard Nujabes in the wild without me actively putting him on. Felt like a glitch in the matrix.

I ordered Usagi's signature truffle ramen at the little ramen machine, got my ticket, and sat at one of the 12 countertop seats in here. I handed the ticket to the staff and after about 7 minutes, my bowl was placed in front of me.

This ramen was sensational. It tasted like nothing I'd ever had, although it was my first time having truffle ramen. I'm obviously biased but my guy JapanEat, who is my favorite account on Tiktok, said it's legit one of his favorite bowls in Tokyo. He's legit too, producing quality food content daily.

I sat there between bites of noodles and slurps of broth, just appreciating the atmosphere. In my 20 minutes in here, they only played Nujabes, and that was quite alright with me. This was a spiritual meal. I will be back for my last meal in Japan.

We need to start putting respect on Nao's name, who is the owner/founder of Usagi. He is quietly cooking up some of the best ramen in Tokyo. What a strong bloodline.

IG @jnov_ Tiktok...

Absolutely delicious ramen with an unforgettable atmosphere, playing unreleased editions of Nujabes music. I had their signature truffle ramen, which was the best ramen I had all trip. I was initially skeptical about putting truffle in ramen, even as a truffle lover, but the flavor was undeniably present without being overpowering. I was amazed by the food and atmosphere and wished the music was playing louder.

Line up outside with your full party and cash only. Wait to be escorted to the vending machine to order— insert money into the machine (no new bills, don’t worry if you only have those because you can exchange it with the staff), press what options you want, your food/drink tickets will come out the bottom left, press the “change” button to receive change. Wait outside to be seated if necessary. There were 10 chairs total and coat hangers — very tight space. Eat in 30 minutes.

Bring extra cash (¥4000) if you want a limited edition Usagi shirt! It’s the one the staff are wearing!

Nujabes / ramen lovers CANNOT MISS THIS EXPERIENCE when...

This was the best bowl of shoyu ramen I've ever had. It was a bit of a walk from shibuya station, but very worth it. I went around 12pm and only had to wait about 5 minutes. The portion was a little small for the price, but worth it. The pork slices were perfectly cooked, seemed to have been marinated, and had a buttery aftertaste. I've had the same style of pork at other places, even ones on the michelin guide, but this was by far the tastiest. The chicken breast was also perfectly cooked, almost to a cold-cut consistency, and peppery. The noodles were thin and springy, good menma, and a medium boiled egg which didnt leak. The broth had excellent umami, and was topped with what I thought was chicken oil, as it had a slight chicken grease flavor. They perfectly melded together to make a very satisfying shoyu broth. As a big Nujabes fan, it was nice to come and visit his brother's place and listen to his music. Next time, I will try the...