Ramen Guide

New to ramen? Start with what goes into a bowl, get to know a few styles, and find something you would like to try.

What is ramen?

Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish with wheat noodles, seasoned broth, and toppings. A bowl brings together a few different parts:

Broth: The soup base, often made from pork, chicken, seafood, or a blend. It can be clear and delicate or cloudy and rich.
Tare & aroma oil: Tare is the concentrated seasoning that gives the broth its flavor and saltiness. An aromatic oil or fat often adds another layer of flavor.
Noodles: Thin or thick, straight or wavy, firm or soft. The texture matters just as much as the soup.
Toppings: Chashu, eggs, bamboo shoots, and green onions are familiar examples. Each adds its own flavor and texture.

A brief history

Ramen has roots in Chinese noodle dishes and developed its own identity in Japan. Rairaiken, which opened in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood in 1910, was an important early ramen restaurant. After World War II, ramen shops spread across Japan, and regional styles grew around local tastes and ingredients. That variety is part of what makes exploring ramen so interesting today.

Further reading: Japan National Tourism Organization’s ramen guide.

Find your ramen style

Menu names can describe different parts of the same bowl. Shoyu, shio, and miso describe the seasoning; tonkotsu and chicken describe the broth base. A bowl can be both shoyu and tonkotsu.

Start with the seasoning

Shoyu (醤油): Soy sauce seasoning with a savory, aromatic character. Try it if you enjoy soy sauce; the broth underneath can be light or rich.
Shio (塩): Salt-based seasoning that lets the broth’s flavors come through. Often delicate, but shio does not always mean a light soup.
Miso (味噌): Fermented soybean paste brings an earthy, savory flavor. A good starting point if you like hearty soups. Miso itself does not mean spicy.

Then look at the broth

Tonkotsu (豚骨): Pork-bone broth, usually cloudy and creamy. Try it if you enjoy a rich, savory soup, though some versions are lighter than others.
Tonkotsu (豚骨) ≠ Tonkatsu (豚カツ). Tonkotsu means pork bones; tonkatsu is a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. Similar names, different foods.
Chicken: Chicken broth can be clear and gentle or cloudy and creamy. The creamy version is often called tori paitan, so chicken does not always mean light, either.

These are starting points, not strict boxes. You will also find seafood, beef, and less traditional flavors in the full ramen type guide.

What is tsukemen?

Tsukemen (つけ麺) is dipping ramen: the noodles and soup arrive separately. Pick up a few noodles, dip them into the soup, and enjoy. The dipping soup is usually more concentrated than a regular ramen broth, and the noodles are often thick and served cool.

For an example, read about the Original Tsukemen at Menya Rui.

Chashu (チャーシュー): Slices of cooked meat, commonly braised pork. Some shops use chicken or other meats and different cooking methods.
Ajitama (味玉): A seasoned egg, often with a soft or jammy yolk. Short for ajitsuke tamago; tamago simply means egg.
Menma (メンマ): Seasoned bamboo shoots with a pleasant bite.
Nori (海苔): Dried seaweed, usually served in sheets.
Kaedama (替え玉): An extra serving of noodles for the broth you have left. Available at some shops, especially those serving Hakata-style tonkotsu.

Have a style in mind? Browse the reviews to find a bowl you would like to try.