I had ramen at the popular restaurant "Koukaibou" located at 2-13-10 Fukagawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo (800 yen). It came with green onions, bamboo shoots, char siu, and seaweed on top. The fish and pork bone broth was really good. Koukaibou opened in October 2001 and has been a popular spot for fish and pork bone ramen for over 20 years. I arrived 40 minutes before the 11 am opening and was the first in line, but closer to opening, there were over 20 people waiting. By the time I left, the line had gotten even longer. The restaurant has counter seats and tables in the back. You order at the counter. The menu includes ramen for 800 yen, char siu ramen for 1150 yen, menma ramen for 970 yen, seasoned egg ramen for 900 yen, tsukemen for 900 yen, fried dumplings for 380 yen, small rice for 100 yen, regular rice for 150 yen, char siu rice for 300 yen, char siu rice set for 1050 yen, ramen set for 900 yen, and more. There are condiments on the table, including GABAN black pepper. The focus of their ramen is that it can be enjoyed every day. The noodles are medium-thick straight noodles from Kanou Seimen. The soup is rich but not overpowering, with a delicious flavor from the seafood. A popular spot for over 20 years. I enjoyed it. Thank you for the meal.

Char siu rice set for 1050 yen, with noodle upsizing for an extra 100 yen. It's been about two weeks since my last visit... Oh, it really hit the spot! And lately, I've been adding about half a small ladle of vinegar into the soup towards the end, which enhances the seafood flavor and makes it even more enjoyable to finish every last drop.

The owner of the restaurant, who loves ramen and wants to eat it every day, has pursued and researched to find a ramen that can truly be eaten every day. The shop is run by a seemingly kind couple, and there are cute and mysterious pandas everywhere in the shop. I ordered the seasoned egg ramen for 900 yen. The soup, with a strong seafood broth, is light and not at all heavy! It's not just relying on the richness of the fat, but the richness of the broth, as they claim that it can be eaten every day. It's convincing. Delicious! The noodles are tamago noodles from Kanou Seimenjo. They are straight and smooth, with a smooth throat sensation. Personally, I prefer curly noodles, so the noodles were okay. The chashu and menma were soft and delicious. Even after finishing the meal, I wanted to drink the soup. It was truly a comforting ramen, like miso soup. *Payment is cash only.

This is a ramen shop that is one of the top 100 shops in 2022. I visited around 2 PM on a Saturday and there were about 10 groups of customers ahead of me. Even after that, there were still around 10 groups waiting in line. It seems to be crowded even outside of lunch hours. Starting from November 2023, they will also be closed on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month. The soup is made with dried fish and you can really taste the flavor of dried fish and bonito flakes. The sauce uses "Kai no Sei," a natural salt made from 100% seawater from Izu Oshima. The noodles are firm. The regular toppings include tender chashu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, and chopped green onions. The chashu is so tender that it falls apart with each bite. It was a ramen where you can enjoy the broth while eating.

I made plans with a friend to meet around 2:15 pm to avoid the crowds, but there was a sudden heavy rain around 2 pm, so I thought the place would definitely be empty. However, when we arrived at 2:30 pm, the restaurant was still packed as usual. Since I was with my friend, we decided to splurge and ordered the char siu ramen with flavored egg topping and pan-fried dumplings. The char siu, which I remembered as being delicious, was indeed tasty. The soup had a smooth and rich texture, with a nice balance of bonito, chicken, and pork flavors. The dumplings were also delicious. I left the restaurant feeling very satisfied.

I arrived right at the opening time on Friday. At 11 o'clock, there were about 10 people waiting to enter. The queue inside the store had 4 people, outside had 5 people, about 10 people in total. I was able to enter in about 20-30 minutes. I ordered the Char Siu rice set with a seasoned egg topping. Even though I am a local, I came here for the first time in over 10 years, and it was very delicious. I regret not coming here sooner. The bonito broth was gentle and I drank it all. The bamboo shoots and Char Siu were perfect. I will definitely come back.

I arrived at the restaurant before 6:00 PM! Even though it was a weekday, there were about 5 groups waiting in line! The turnover rate was fast, and I was able to be seated after waiting for about 20 minutes! The food we ordered arrived quickly after being seated. I ordered the Ajitama Ramen! It was a ramen with a strong bonito flavor. When I ordered a beer, they also brought a small dish of appetizer (diced chashu) to go with it!

It's been about 2 years since my last review. I remember it was delicious, so I decided to visit this restaurant again. It's a Monday afternoon, 2:10 pm. I'm a bit hungry. It's not quite lunchtime yet, so I should be able to go without waiting in line at this time! There are a few customers ahead of me. I sit at the empty counter seat and order the chashu rice set (1,050 yen). The service is as polite as ever. Just 5 minutes after sitting down, here it comes! It smells so good. I take a sip from the soup, and it's delicious! It's rich but not overpowering, with a gentle flavor. The noodles slurp up the seafood-based aroma. They're shiny, chewy, and smooth - delicious. The chashu is tender and goes well with the soup. Eating the chashu in the ramen first and then in the rice bowl makes the flavor stand out. The nori adds to the flavor, making the combination of ramen and rice bowl excellent. The soup goes well with both the noodles and the rice. The chashu rice set is a good choice at this restaurant. It's a good value at 1,050 yen. It's no wonder this place is popular. Thank you for the meal!

The taste of nature. The soup looked thick but was actually clear and made without any additives. Sold out of soup at 18:45, barely made it in time with 3 people waiting. Eggs were already sold out. Wanted to top with green onions but they were not available. LOL LOL

Arrived 30 minutes before opening in the evening. Noticed a long line forming as I waited. Recommend lining up early. The broth was deep and flavorful, with a strong but not overpowering taste of dried fish. The chashu was tender and incredibly delicious. The noodles had a unique texture reminiscent of whole wheat and were devoured quickly. This ramen is definitely worth the wait for its delicious flavor, especially for those who enjoy dried fish broth-based ramen!

I was on a business trip in Tokyo, and I stayed at a hotel near a ramen shop that was recommended in the Savor Japan book. I arrived 30 minutes before the shop opened and there were already about 10 people in line. Luckily, they opened early and I didn't have to wait too long. I ordered the simple Ajitama Ramen. The owner's desire to create a ramen that he could eat every day was evident in the delicious and easy-to-eat bowl of ramen. It had a perfect balance of fish, chicken, and pork flavors. I could drink the soup every day like miso soup. The chashu and menma were also of high quality. I left the shop feeling completely satisfied. I would love to try their tsukemen next time. The prices were reasonable, and the service was great. I hope this ramen shop continues to thrive for a long time.

Kokaibou opened in 2001 in Monzen-Nakacho. Located along the Kasai Bridge Street, it is a cozy spot run by the husband-and-wife team, Hiroyuki and Mina Taguchi. The shop is known for its welcoming atmosphere and delicious ramen made with a double soup base of pork and chicken bones, combined with various dried fish and seaweed. The broth is rich in flavor without being too heavy on the fat. The noodles are moist and chewy, perfectly complementing the flavorful soup. The thick, tender chashu pork and crispy seasoned bamboo shoots add to the overall enjoyment of the meal. The friendly service and local clientele create a warm and inviting dining experience. Overall, Kokaibou offers a delightful bowl of ramen that is sure to satisfy any ramen lover.

Hello, I'm a gourmet actor. Tonight, I went to Koukaibou in Monzen-Nakacho. I saw online that going after 2 pm would avoid the long line, but when I arrived at that time, there were still about 10 people waiting inside and outside! It's definitely popular! Even though they close at 3 pm for lunch, the customers kept coming until the very end. While waiting inside, I saw a sign from the chef about his dedication to ramen, which made me even more excited for what was to come! It seems like the chef and the hostess are the only ones running the place, with the chef exuding an aura of dedication to his ramen and the hostess shining in her customer service. Once seated, the ramen and rice were served right away. I chose the seasoned egg ramen and chashu rice bowl set this time! The soup was thick with dried fish flavor, and the noodles were thinner than usual. Despite the thick and hearty appearance of the soup, it was surprisingly healthy, and I was able to finish it without feeling heavy. You can see the dedication to the broth-making process in every aspect of the dish! I think only Koukaibou can achieve this healthy and addictive flavor. Even in the midst of summer fatigue, you can easily finish the meal! If you love dried fish, you'll definitely be hooked!

Flavored egg ramen for 900 yen, nori for 100 yen. Arrived on a weekday after 2 pm, lined up with 8 people. Took about 2,30 minutes to get the bowl. The soup is a mild type with a balance of animal and seafood flavors. It is not greasy and easy to drink, with a hint of bonito flavor but not as strong as Watanabe. The noodles are medium straight noodles with a texture similar to pasta. The chashu is made from shoulder loin and is moist, while the flavored egg has a strong egg taste. In comparison with other places, it ranks as Watanabe > GOTTSU > Menya Kisaragi > Koukaibou.

I took Friday afternoon off and went to practice golf with my senior colleague. On the way, we stopped at a station to have ramen at a place I hadn't visited in years. I ordered the chashu ramen. The broth had a rich bonito flavor, which was gentle and inviting, making it easy to keep eating. The noodles had a nice egg aroma and were very delicious. However, overall, it lacked a bit of punch for me personally, so I didn't find it particularly outstanding.

In front of Monzen-Nakacho, despite the approaching lunchtime downpour, I waited in line for about 30 minutes at Kokaibou. Even when the rain started, the owner's wife distributed umbrellas to each person, showing great hospitality. I ordered the same as last time, the Char Siu rice set. The double soup with pork bone and seafood has a gentle flavor that makes you want to finish every drop.

This month, I finished my morning work in Monzen-Nakacho and decided to have lunch at Koukaibou, a restaurant I had researched last month. I arrived around 11:55 AM and found 4 people inside and a line of 6 people outside. It took about 5-6 minutes to get inside, where I was able to wait comfortably in a chair. By 12:10 PM, I was seated at the counter. I ordered the most popular ramen for 800 yen, with an additional topping of seaweed for 100 yen, and some dumplings for 380 yen. The food didn't take long to arrive, and the seaweed topping was not as much as I expected, but I still enjoyed it. The soup was as expected, flavorful and with a smooth texture. It was indeed a bit on the salty side, but not overpowering. The noodles were chewy, and the pork slices were tender and well-seasoned. The dumplings were also delicious and worth the price. The female staff, who I assume was the wife of the owner, was very attentive and even interacted with a young child during their summer break. The teamwork in the kitchen was also impressive. I will definitely visit again when I'm in Monzen-Nakacho, and next time, I'll try the tsukemen!笑笑

I've been waiting for the reopening of the restaurant since the beginning of the month when I last visited, but suddenly it started raining heavily. We didn't have umbrellas, but the landlady quickly offered to lend us one. I'm really grateful for that. And we were allowed to enter the restaurant about 10 minutes before the opening time. As for the meal, I had the usual set meal of fried rice and ramen for ¥1050, with an extra serving of noodles for ¥100. It was another fantastic meal today.

After waiting outside for about 20 minutes, I was seated at this place, which is known for its gentle, additive-free taste and had a welcoming smell. The atmosphere inside was just right, and the service was polite and pleasant. I ordered the Ajitama ramen for 900 yen and the pan-fried dumplings for 380 yen. The ramen broth was delicious, starting with the gentle taste of pork bones, followed by chicken broth and vegetables, and finishing with a hint of bitterness from dried fish. The egg noodles were soft and chewy, but I personally didn't think they paired well with the soup. The half-boiled seasoned egg was also delicious. The dumplings, on the other hand, were more vegetable-based than meat-based and were just average. Overall, I felt that this ramen place stood out with its unique approach to ramen and attention to detail, which sets it apart from other places I've visited recently. It's no wonder it's popular.

This shop is like my home. The customer service is warm, and the taste and prices are friendly. I ordered ramen with extra seaweed, as usual. I wonder if it comes with 10 sheets of seaweed. The portion is big enough to share between two people. The ramen is as delicious as ever. I will definitely visit again!

Located about a 5-minute walk from Monzen-Nakacho Station, this truly warm restaurant is run by a husband and wife. The wife's attention to detail can be seen throughout the place. The husband quietly continues to make ramen... a division of labor. This time, I ordered the cha-shu ramen for ¥1,150. Although the appearance looks like a thick soup made from dried sardines, it is not as strong as it looks when you taste it, with a gentle touch. The medium-thick noodles are well coated with the sardine soup, resulting in a mild and rich flavor. The low-temperature cooked cha-shu is delicious and easy to eat. They also have tsukemen, so I will definitely try it next time. Thank you for the meal.