Kaneda

Kaneda is a specialty restaurant for niboshi chuka soba (sardine-based ramen) and extra-thick flat tsukemen (dipping noodles), located in "Ramen Battleground Tokyo Marunouchi" on B1F of JP Tower (KITTE Marunouchi), very close to Tokyo Station. As a sister restaurant to the popular ramen shop "Damena Rinzin" in Ningyocho, Kaneda focuses on a delicate balance of niboshi (dried sardines) and soy sauce. It has gained outstanding popularity in the competitive Yaechika/KITTE area, earning a high rating of 3.68 on Tabelog, ranking in the TOP 5000. On weekend afternoons, lines of about 30 people form, and it's common to see a continuous stream of waiting customers even 30 minutes after opening. The signature menu features two main dishes. One is the "Niboshi Chuka Soba," a delicate bowl with a deep amber soup where the broth, made from five types of niboshi, delivers a direct aroma, and layers of umami unfold on the tongue. Toppings include thinly sliced, pink, low-temperature cooked chashu, hoshimenma (bamboo shoots), shredded white leek, and yuzu peel, creating a composition where the "yang" of citrus cuts through the "yin" of niboshi. The noodles are supple, thin, and straight, with a pleasant wheat aroma spreading in the mouth with each bite. The other signature dish is "Hirauchi Zarusoba" (tsukemen), featuring impressive extra-thick flat noodles reminiscent of himokawa udon. Served piled high in a wooden bowl, these noodles boast a unique wheat texture that combines both chewiness and firmness. The dipping broth is soy-sauce based with rich chicken and dried bonito flavors, and as you eat it with the noodles, a subtle yuzu aroma follows. The side dish, "Kuroge Wagyu Gohan" (A5 rank, using wagyu from Hiyama, a long-established sukiyaki kappo in Ningyocho), is a luxurious item with rare-cooked beef mixed with Nagoya Cochin egg yolk, making for a highly satisfying set when combined with ramen. A unique service at this restaurant is the unlimited use of nori (seaweed), raw egg, nira kosho (garlic chive pepper paste), and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) on the table. You can freely add toppings both when served and while eating. Nira kosho, in particular, is an impactful flavor-changing item that delivers a strong garlic punch in one bite.