Kizunaya
皇綱家
Overview
Located just a 1-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station West Exit, Kozunaya is an Iekei (家系, "house-style" Yokohama pork-soy sauce) ramen shop directly affiliated with the Oudo-keilineage (直系, chokkei). Their signature is a rich pork bone soy sauce soup accentuated by fragrant chicken oil (鶏油, chiyu), characterized by a balance of sharpness (キレ, kire) and depth (コク, koku) typical of the Oudo-keilineage within Iekei. The soup is a rich blend of pork bones layered with chicken oil, where the sharpness and profoundness of the soy sauce base (醤油ダレ, shoyu-dare) surge in layers. Despite its richness, it's not cloying, allowing you to fully enjoy the authentic Iekei style of eating rice as a side dish with your noodles. The noodles are Oudo-keispecial medium-thick straight noodles, which entwine perfectly with the rich soup. Portion sizes are adjustable: regular is 180g, and a large portion is 255g for an additional 200 yen. The chashu (braised pork) is a smoked, low-temperature cooked hanging roasted pork, offering a harmonious blend of fragrant crispness, smoky aroma, and meaty umami. Standard toppings include spinach, three sheets of nori (seaweed), Kujo negi (Kyoto green onions), and ajitama (seasoned egg), creating a visually complete Iekei presentation. The biggest draw is the all-you-can-eat rice (250 yen), with a popular "Mugen Ninniku Don" (無限ニンニク丼, infinite garlic rice bowl) style of enjoyment. This involves topping hot rice generously with "Mugen Ninniku" (無限ニンニク, infinite garlic – soy-marinated garlic) from the table, drizzling it with mayonnaise, and wrapping it in nori. The table is equipped with a wide array of condiments: mayonnaise, chopped ginger, Mugen Ninniku, chopped garlic, tobanjan (chili bean paste), vinegar, and pepper, offering extensive freedom for flavor customization, even among Iekei shops. On Fridays, Saturdays, and days before national holidays, they are open until 1:45 AM, catering to Ikebukuro's demand for "shime ramen" (〆ラーメン, late-night ramen as a finishing meal). The Ladies' Set (1150 yen, includes half-portion noodles, soft-boiled egg, and black oolong tea) is popular among female customers, contributing to an inviting atmosphere for families and first-time visitors alike.
How to Order
1Before entering
A direct descendant of Oudouya, this Iekei ramen shop is located on the 1st floor of Goko Building, a 1-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station West Exit. Open Monday-Sunday 11:00-15:45 / 17:30-23:45, extending until 1:45 AM on Fridays, Saturdays, and the day before a public holiday. Since it operates until late at night, it can also be used as a late-night ramen spot in the Ikebukuro area. There have been instances of a 5-person wait around 10 PM on a Saturday, with entry in 5 minutes; on weekdays around 9 PM, entry is often without a wait.
2Purchase meal tickets and order
There is a ticket vending machine at the shop entrance. When it's not crowded, buy a ticket and proceed directly to a seat; if there's a line, observe the situation to decide whether to join the end of the line or buy your ticket first. Signature items include Kouzuna Special Ramen for 1350 yen, Ramen for 1000 yen, Soft-boiled Egg for 200 yen, All-you-can-eat Rice for 250 yen, and Ladies' Set for 1150 yen (half noodles, soft-boiled egg, and black oolong tea included). When handing your meal ticket to the staff after being seated, verbally communicate your 3-level customization, standard for Iekei: noodle firmness (kata: firm / futsu: regular / yawa: soft), flavor richness (koime: rich / futsu: regular / usume: light), and amount of oil (ome: more oil / futsu: regular / sukuname: less oil). For your first visit, it's safe to choose "futsu" (regular) for all options; if you are concerned about saltiness, "usume" (light) is recommended. Payment is cash only; cards, e-money, and QR payments are not accepted.
3Seating and receiving your order
There are only 12 counter seats, and staff will guide you to a seat. Service generally takes about 5-10 minutes. The recommended way to eat is to first take a sip of the soup immediately after it's served, confirming the umami of the chicken oil and the richness of the tonkotsu shoyu, then slurp the noodles.
4Other
Table condiments include mayonnaise, chopped ginger, Mugen Ninniku (garlic pickled in soy sauce), chopped garlic, tobanjan (chili bean paste), vinegar, and pepper. A signature way to enjoy the meal is with "All-you-can-eat Rice (250 yen)": heap plenty of soy-pickled Mugen Ninniku onto hot rice, drizzle with mayonnaise, and wrap it with nori seaweed for the "Mugen Ninniku Don" style. It's highly addictive and refills are free, offering excellent value. Adding tobanjan or chopped ginger midway through to change the flavor is also a classic style.
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Seating
Voices
皇綱家 ＠池袋
— SHIBA-METAL (@SHIBAMETAL01) March 23, 2026
ラーメン TPほうれん草デス😋
うましっ✨あっさりで飲み易く余裕でゴクゴク完飲行きそうですが踏ん張って更に🍚もおかわり我慢デス😣 pic.twitter.com/ho3H0oa0DB
輝道家直系 皇綱家@池袋
— ccc1323 (@triple_crown23) March 4, 2026
ラーメン並(¥1000・FKO)
夜営業の時間帯で並び無し。
普通濃いめ多めでオーダー。
塩っぱめな豚骨醤油スープに確りとした食感の王道家製中太麺。
刻み生姜とお酢でさっぱりと味変して完食。
毎年夏季はエアコンが機能せず客、スタッフ共に汗だくでかなり不衛生。#家系ラーメン pic.twitter.com/q066XgOonp
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Business Hours
Crowd Calendar
| Lunch | Afternoon | Dinner | Late night | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Up to 15 minRef. | - | No waitRef. | - |
| Weekend | - | - | - | Up to 15 minRef. |
* Dashed cells = reference data from past visit examples (replaced once enough reviews arrive)
Dietary Notes
No dietary data yet
This information is based on user reports and is not official information from the shop. Cross-contamination in the cooking environment cannot be guaranteed. If you have severe allergies, please confirm directly with the shop.
Animal-free menu available
Reports received (1)
No MSG
Reports received (1)
Gluten-free menu available
Reports received (1)
Halal options available
Reports received (1)
Dietary information is verified through blind consensus. Reports become public when 3 or more independent users agree.
Ingredients & Allergens
Allergen info coming soon
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