Taishoken Honten Higashi-Ikebukuro

Observant ramen fiends will have heard the name Taishoken – the group even sells instant noodles in convenience stores. This, however, is the original, formerly run by Taishoken founder Kazuo Yamagishi (who passed away in April 2015 at the age 80) and located right by Higashi-Ikebukuro metro station. The signature dish of Yamagishi, known as the inventor of tsukemen as well as 'godfather of the Tokyo ramen scene', is the Morisoba (¥700). Lauded by its fans, this one skirts recent trends like thick, fatty-tasting soup, expressing a smooth taste popular with slurpers of all ages. The chewy noodles are served with a mixture drawn from seafood, pork and chicken broth, and the regular-sized portion is hearty enough to satisfy most eaters. The regular ramen ('Chuka Soba', ¥700) is popular as well.