Ramen Kokuu

“Ramen Kokuu,” established in 2012, is located on the 1st floor of Ishijima Building, 29-5 Sakuragaoka-cho, a 7-minute walk from JR Shibuya Station West Exit. The owner hails from “Shina Soba Kazuya” in Meguro. As a highly regarded restaurant following the lineage of “Tantan-tei” (たんたん亭系譜 Tantan-tei keifu: Tantan-tei lineage/style of ramen, known for its distinctive roast pork), it has long been supported in an area slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of Shibuya. The biggest feature is the perfection of its W soup (double soup), which combines animal-based broths (chicken and pork) with seafood-based broths (dried sardines - 煮干し niboshi, and bonito flakes - 節系 fushi-kei). The soy sauce tare (醤油ダレ shoyu tare: soy sauce base/seasoning) is designed to be low in saltiness and assertiveness, serving as a gentle complement to the soup, achieving a mild and harmonious balance. Signature dishes include Ramen (850 yen), Shio (Salt) Ramen, Tantanmen (坦坦麺 tantanmen: spicy sesame noodles), and various Wonton Men. Among these, the Chashu Wonton Men (1350 yen) is especially popular, encapsulating the shop's charm in a single bowl. The chashu (roast pork) is made from pork shoulder, prepared in the “Tantan-tei” style: roasted hanging after being coated with a honey-infused sauce. The meat is of high quality, carefully roasted to achieve remarkable tenderness in both fat and lean portions. The pricing also offers good value, with an additional 4 slices for approximately 300 yen. The wontons are small but generously filled with a classic, ginger-infused meat filling, with 5 pieces costing approximately 200 yen. The noodles are medium-thin, slightly wavy straight noodles from Daiei Shokuhin. Unusually for this lineage, they employ a “tebo” (テボ tebo: basket strainer) for cooking and draining the noodles. Finally, chopped onions added towards the end provide a pleasant flavor change (味変 ajiken: flavor change/enhancement) reminiscent of niboshi ramen. Despite its location just a 7-minute walk from Shibuya Station, Ramen Kokuu offers a calm and relaxed space for dining. It has long been cherished by repeat customers who seek a subtly flavored bowl of ramen in a tranquil setting.