Kizunaya

A 1-minute walk from Ikebukuro West Exit, this is an Iekei ramen shop in the Ōdōke lineage. Iekei ramen is a style characterized by a rich pork and soy sauce broth, thick noodles, and specific toppings. The dish features a rich, dark tonkotsu shoyu soup (a pork bone and soy sauce broth) with a prominent flavor of chiyu (chicken oil), paired with medium-thick straight noodles. Classic toppings include hōrensō (spinach), nori (seaweed), and kunsei tsurushi-yaki chāshū (smoked hanging-roasted pork belly, a type of braised pork). Following the Iekei style, you can verbally specify your preferred noodle firmness (men no katasa), flavor intensity (aji no kosa), and oil quantity (abura no ryō) when ordering. If you're unsure, just say "Futsu de" (normal) for everything. The tabletop is equipped with various condiments such as mayonnaise, mugen ninniku (infinite garlic, a free garlic topping), kizami shōga (chopped ginger), and tōbanjan (chili bean paste), allowing for versatile flavor customization (ajiben). Regulars enjoy adding rice tabehōdai (all-you-can-eat rice, available for an additional charge) and creating their own personalized rice bowl with garlic and mayonnaise. Late-night hours are available, with operations extending until 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

The ordering process at Koutsunaya is as follows: 1. **Before Entering (If there's a queue)** If there is a line outside the restaurant, please join the end of the queue. 2. **Purchase Meal Ticket / Order** Before taking a seat, please purchase a meal ticket for your desired ramen from the ticket machine. Please observe other customers to determine if you should purchase the ticket before or after entering the shop. 3. **Seating & Receiving Your Order** Once a seat is available, please sit down and hand your meal ticket to a staff member. Your ramen will be served when it's ready.

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