Misomendokoro Hanamichian

Founded in August 2008, this shop, located past the shopping street from Seibu Shinjuku Line Nogata Station, is a seminal presence in Tokyo's rich miso ramen scene. Many popular ramen shop owners, including Misokko Fuku in Ogikubo, have trained here, making its lineage indispensable when discussing Tokyo's miso ramen landscape. The soup is based on a richly simmered foundation of pork bones, chicken bones, and vegetables, then lard, garlic, and white miso are stir-fried together in a wok, which is their signature method. This bowl, balancing a thick, rich impact with a pleasant aftertaste, may surprise with its richness at first bite but possesses an addictive quality that makes it impossible to stop slurping. The noodles are thick, chewy yellow noodles from Mikawaya Seimen, offering a satisfying bite that stands up to the piping hot soup. It also features succulent, melt-in-your-mouth chashu (roasted pork) and extra thick gokubuto-menma (fermented bamboo shoots). The kizami-ninniku (chopped garlic) on the table is free for unlimited refills, and adding a spoonful is a famous way to transform the flavor. In addition to the classic Miso and Karamiso (spicy miso), the menu is wide-ranging, including the spicy Bancho Ramen (Boss Ramen), Kuromiso (black miso), Morimori Yasai Ramen (piled-high vegetable ramen) with plenty of stir-fried vegetables, Miso Tsukemen (miso dipping noodles), Mazesoba (soupless mixed noodles), and even a notably salty Batch Koku Shoyu (rich soy sauce). On Tuesdays, weekly limited-edition noodles are also available. Many regulars pair their ramen with rice dishes like Chahan (fried rice) or Mini Butadon (mini pork rice bowl).