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The 17 Best Ramen Shops in Osaka

 
The 17 Best Ramen Shops in Osaka

When one thinks of Osaka’s soul food, dishes like takoyaki, kushikatsu, and okonomiyaki often come to mind. However, it is also home to numerous delectable ramen shops offering a wide variety of styles including soy sauce, salt, miso, pork bone, chicken broth, and seafood-based ramens. Most of these establishments provide unique soups, noodles, and toppings that can’t be found anywhere else, often resulting in queues depending on the time of day.

In this article, we highlight some of the best ramen spots that are a must-try when visiting Osaka.

Contents

1.Charming Ramen of Osaka

Ramen is a very popular soul food in Japan, and Osaka is no exception with hundreds of ramen shops. From traditional flavors that evoke a sense of nostalgia to novel and unusual tastes, Osaka offers a wide array of ramen options. While many think of takoyaki and okonomiyaki as typical Osaka fare, ramen also should not be missed.

2.Top 17 Best Ramen in Osaka

Osaka’s ramen scene is crowded with many excellent choices. Here are seventeen particularly popular spots among locals that are definitely worth a visit.

2-1. Kadoya Shokudo General Headquarters

Kadoya Shokudo is a highly popular ramen spot in Osaka, known for its dedication to high-quality ingredients. For example, the establishment selects different types of noodles to match each variety of ramen. Topping the popularity charts is their dipping noodles (tsukesoba).

Their menu includes Chinese soba, salt soba, tsukesoba, and black pork miso soba.

Located near Nishinagahori Station on the Subway Sennichimae Line, this shop, although slightly removed from the bustling city center, consistently sees long queues of eager customers.

2-2.Ichiran Dotonbori Store Main Building

Ichiran is a renowned natural pork bone ramen chain representing Japan.

The Dotonbori Store Main Building in Osaka is often described as “the most visited ramen shop in the world” due to its popularity. The natural pork bone ramen soup is free from the usual gaminess, making it a favorite among international visitors.

Available toppings include soft-boiled salted eggs, extra pork slices, additional garlic, a tart specialty known as “Osukaran,” and a secret spicy sauce, with spice levels ranging from 11 to 20 times the original.

The nearest stations are Kintetsu Nipponbashi Station and Subway Midosuji Line’s Namba Station.

2-3. The World’s Most Leisurely Ramen Shop

This shop specializes in soy sauce-based ramen and mixed soba.

Their “WITCH’S RED” ramen is renowned for its deep soy sauce flavor harmoniously blended with the essence of shellfish. The mixed soba is popular for its mildly sweet and spicy sauce, as well as thin and thickly sliced pork toppings.

Located on the second floor of the Nakanoshima Daibiru, the nearest station is Watanabebashi Station on the Keihan Nakanoshima Line.

2-4. Ryuki Shin RIZE Osaka Namba Store

Ryuki Shin RIZE is renowned for its salt ramen, a staple of Osaka ramen. The main store is located in Sakai.

Its popular soup combines a concentrated broth made from mussels with natural rock salt, chicken bones, whole chicken, and seven types of vegetables.

The nearest station is Nankai Electric Railway’s Namba Station, directly accessible from the Central and South Exits. It is also about a 3-minute walk from the Namba Station on the Subway Midosuji Line.

2-5. Kappa Ramen Honpo Sennichimae Main Store

Kappa Ramen Honpo is a ramen chain with locations in Osaka, Nara, and Hyogo.

The shop is famous for its pork bone soup, which is simmered for over ten hours, and an addictive soy sauce-based soup. A popular feature is the complimentary extra serving of noodles available every day, with a large variety of flavors. This place is recommended for those who want to enjoy different tastes.

The Sennichimae Main Store is located 3 to 5 minutes on foot from various Namba stations, including the Subway Midosuji and Sennichimae Lines, and Kintetsu.

2-6. Moe Yo Mensuke

Moe Yo Mensuke is known for its broth, which is made from a mix of Kishu duck, Aomori Shamorock, Mensuke chicken, seafood, and several types of soy sauce that are blended and aged. “Kishu Duck Soba” is their signature dish, offering a unique and refined taste not typically found in other restaurants.

It is a 15-minute walk from Osaka Station and just a 1-minute walk from Fukushima Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line.

2-7. Muteppou Osaka Store

Muteppou Osaka Store is popular for its ultra-rich pork bone soup.

Although it is ultra-rich, the soup is made without fat, making it accessible even for those who usually find rich ramen overwhelming. For those who enjoy rich flavors, an additional back fat option is also available.

The location is a 2-minute walk from Imamiyaebisu Station on the Nankai Koya Line.

2-8. Jinrui Mina Menrui

Jinrui Mina Menrui is known for its soy sauce and seafood-based ramen, particularly for its thickly simmered pork belly and very thick bamboo shoots, a specialty of the house. This is an ideal spot for those seeking a traditional, authentic soy sauce taste.

It is located a 15-minute walk from Shin-Osaka Station and just a 1-minute walk from Nishinakajima-Minamigata Station on the Subway Midosuji Line.

2-9. Ramen Yashichi

Ramen Yashichi is so well-known for its chicken broth ramen in Osaka that it’s often said, “If you’re talking about chicken broth ramen, it’s got to be Ramen Yashichi.”

The shop distributes numbered tickets starting at 10 a.m. every day, and you cannot enter without one. If you’re eager to try their ramen, be sure to arrive early to secure a ticket.

The location is a 2-minute walk from Nakatsu Station on the Subway Midosuji Line.

2-10. Dotonbori Kamukura Dotonbori Store

Dotonbori Kamukura is a long-established restaurant, opened in 1986, with many fans who like it for its soup that is easy on the stomach.The soy-based soup is enhanced with the natural flavors of ingredients like Chinese cabbage.

Dotonbori Kamukura is a 4-minute walk from Osaka Namba Station on the Kintetsu Namba Line, located near Dotonbori.

Please check the official site for the latest information as it has been closed since April 24.

2-11. Ippudo Namba Store

Ippudo is a popular ramen chain not only throughout Japan but also internationally, with locations in the United States and Hong Kong, among others. This acclaimed restaurant has won numerous awards.

Since its founding, the smooth “Hakata Classic” pork bone soup and the innovative “Spicy Red Classic,” which adds soy sauce richness, sesame oil, and spicy miso to the pork bone broth, have been popular.

The Ippudo Namba Store is located a 5-10 minute walk from various Namba stations.

2-12. Hanamaruken Namba Hozenji Store

Hanamaruken is famous for its collagen-rich pork bone soy sauce soup, simmered for over 12 hours.

Their signature “Happiness Ramen” uses a rare part of the pork called “Torokotsu” as the pork belly slices, which melt in your mouth. The seaweed served with it features randomly printed words like “Good Fortune” and “Matchmaking,” adding a fun touch.

The location is a 5-minute walk from Namba Station on the Subway Midosuji Line, along the Sennichimae shopping street.

2-13. Fuku Ryu Ramen Wadachi Hommachi Main Store

Fuku Ryu Ramen Wadachi is a shop that earned a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide due to its deliciousness. The most popular menu item is the “Fuku Ryu Ramen,” featuring a yuzu-scented foam mixed with chicken broth. The “Ajitama Maze Niboshi Junkie,” which combines garlic back fat and a bold niboshi (dried sardine) taste, is also popular.

Located a 5-minute walk from Hommachi Station on the Subway Midosuji Line.

2-14. Ramen Jinsei JET Fukushima Store

Ramen Jinsei JET is celebrated for its chicken simmered soba. The soup is made from chicken bones and feet, known as “momiji,” simmered for over 10 hours to condense the umami into a rich broth.

The ultra-rich chicken tsukemen, enhanced with seafood, is also popular.

This store is a 3-minute walk from Fukushima Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line.

2-15. Reshishio Fish Oil Menko Bunko Sanku

Reshishio Fish Oil Menko Bunko Sanku is known for its rich soup heavily using seafood.

The seafood elements are expertly balanced without any bitterness, unpleasantness, or fishy smell, which makes for an addictive taste. The “Laughter Fish Oil Ramen” and “Laughter Fish Oil Tsukemen” are particularly popular.

Located a 2-minute walk from Shin-Fukushima Station on the JR Tozai Line.

2-16. Kyoto Menya Takei Hankyu Umeda Store

Kyoto Menya Takei’s characteristic is its subtly sweet pork and seafood broth, which is simmered over a long period of time to enhance its umami. Both the soup and the noodles, praised for their texture and the taste of wheat, are exquisite. Their special tsukemen is also extremely popular.

Located inside the central ticket gates on the second floor of Hankyu Umeda Station, next to the Kobe Line stairs.

2-17. Butayama Minami-Semba Store

引用：ラーメン豚山

Butayama is popular for its “Sweet Joppa Matured Soup,” made by simmering pork meat and bones to condense the flavor.

The “Melt-in-Your-Mouth Divine Pork” topping is exquisite. Many regulars often request extra vegetables with their order.

Located a 5-minute walk from Shinsaibashi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line.

Conclusion

Osaka boasts a plethora of ramen shops, each offering varying degrees of richness and umami, making it fun to explore different ramen stores. Soy sauce and pork bone-based soups are particularly popular, but chicken and seafood broths are also delicious, offering gentle yet punchy flavors that aren’t to be missed. Enjoy Japan’s ramen culture and find your favorite bowl of ramen.

Be mindful of potentially long wait times at popular ramen shops and consider checking opening hours in advance.

*This article is based on information available as of April 2024.

Food Osaka
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