When will I be able to face this shop and its innocence? I think it may be impossible as long as I am alive. Despite being called sentimental and clingy, I keep going back. To the place where that shop used to be. Around the new high-rise condominium with its planted greenery and the approach leading to the entrance... Standing there, I sometimes catch a glimpse of it. The shop from those days... It might feel like visiting a grave. That's why I offer a prayer. Now, at the main branch of "Higashi Ikebukuro Taishoken" in Minami Ikebukuro. It's probably been about two and a half years since my last review. "Chuka Soba" (950 yen) + "Negi" (150 yen) - As shown in the photo. It's almost double the price from when we first met. I think ramen with extra negi was around 600 yen. This time, the head chef Mr. I was not there. The taste served felt like the seafood flavor was quite subdued. But there was no overpowering animal flavor either. The soy sauce in the soup base was strong. The appearance also seemed quite clear. Char siu, menma, egg, naruto, and nori are all standard. The negi was also good. The noodles were undeniably the typical ones from Higashi Ikebukuro Taishoken. And that's what makes it unique. That's all there is to it. Thank you for the meal. (By Kyonatsu Shukuu, 6/27/2023) (1,023 reviews/3.51)

While singing the praises of noodles, I visited the original Daikokuya main store, which I had never eaten at before, for an early lunch. My target was the original tsukemen special morisoba! It's nice that they make recommendations clear even if it's not in the top left of the ticket machine. I also decided to try adding wonton and, a bit pricey, shumai. First of all, the regular size at 320g is amazing. In a time when there are increasing numbers of tsukemen dishes over 1,000 yen, it's wonderful that the original is priced at 950 yen. There are also garlic and doubanjiang as table seasonings for flavor variations. Now, let's taste it! The noodles are medium-thin with a mild taste. I tried slurping them 2 or 3 times as they have a good wheat flavor. The soup is not too strong, with a light soy sauce base. There must be a lot of preparation put into it. The half egg and thin menma are plentiful, and the large, thick slices of char siu are also appealing. The char siu has a good chew rather than being too soft. How about the added wonton? The flavor is well infused into the skin, making it more impactful than the char siu. The shumai, priced at 800 yen for 4 pieces, has a solid size and filling, making the price reasonable. I also tried adding vinegar to the noodles for a flavor change halfway through, and it was a perfect match. Thank you so much to the predecessors who created the tsukemen, and to those who continue the tradition today. I will definitely visit again. Next time, I want to try the ramen!

◆Atsumori (small) for 900 yen Despite some negative reviews, I found the dish to be quite delicious. It makes me wonder if those complaining are like the people who played Dragon Quest IX and said, "This isn't like Dragon Quest!" In this industry, there are those who praise shops run by disciples of renowned traditional establishments as being "better than the original," but even if a new shop surpasses the original, it doesn't mean the original has become bad. It's like they're applying some strange correction. I find it hard to trust the taste buds of those who think in relative terms. After all, the original Osho is not bad. It's delicious. While I've criticized it a lot, I will now share my honest thoughts on the tsukemen I ate. The dipping sauce allows you to taste four flavors at once: sweetness 2, saltiness 2, acidity 3, spiciness 1. The acidity stands out the most in the dipping sauce, and to be precise, the spiciness comes subtly at the end, not all four flavors are felt simultaneously, but it's a unique sensation. The noodles maintain their firmness even when hot, which is fantastic. Even with the "small" portion, there was a decent amount of noodles. I finished by drinking the remaining dipping sauce. Thank you for the meal.

I visited the main branch of "Higashi Ikebukuro Daikoku-ken" near Higashi Ikebukuro Station. It was a weekend afternoon and there was quite a line (about 10 people). I purchased a meal ticket at the ticket machine inside the restaurant and then waited in line. The turnover was good, so I was able to be seated in about 15 minutes. The restaurant has table seating and a counter, with enough space for about 20 people to sit (there are also a few seats on the terrace, but it can be tough on hot days). I ordered the ramen (950 yen). The noodles were thick and had a satisfying chewiness. The toppings included chashu, menma, green onions, seaweed, boiled egg, and naruto. The soup was surprisingly light and refreshing. I also tried the special morisoba (950 yen). The default serving size of noodles was quite generous. The soup had a distinct sweetness to it, which was quite addictive. The slight spiciness added a nice kick, and the noodles disappeared quickly into my stomach. I finished with a soup refill and left feeling very satisfied. On my blog, I introduce renowned ramen shops from around the country. Please take a look if you're interested. http://posoposo.jugem.jp/

I have visited this store a long time ago, but I only remember the taste of Daikokuken. As I have been exploring various Daikokuken locations, I was curious about the original taste. To mark a milestone, I decided to visit the main store to confirm the original taste. It is about a 10-minute walk straight from the east exit of Ikebukuro Station. There stands the majestic Daikokuken Higashi-Ikebukuro main store. I entered and purchased a ticket for the special Mori Soba (950 yen). I confirmed that the owner, Mr. Iino, was in the kitchen. There should be no change in taste. I was guided to a counter seat at the back where the kitchen is not visible. There are four staff members, including the owner. I felt a tense atmosphere. Soon, the dish arrived. The dipping sauce is Shaba-style, with a distinct sweetness, spiciness, and sourness. It is not just light soy sauce, but also has a salty taste. The noodles are soft but have a chewy texture and a good throat feel. I thought that this softness is the original taste of Daikokuken. The toppings include the usual menma, half-cooked egg, naruto, seaweed, and green onions. And a thick slice of chashu with a powerful presence. I thought that the price of 950 yen is justified by the impact of this dish. The Mori Soba enjoyed at the main store was exceptional, and I even felt its greatness. I want to remember this taste firmly. After saying "Thank you for the meal," as I headed towards the exit, Mr. Iino ran over from the back of the kitchen and greeted me, looking me in the eyes, saying, "Thank you very much." Due to the recent split controversy, I hadn't had a very positive image before, so I was a little moved by this gesture.

I used to go to Yamagishi-san's shop, but the shop in Higashi-Ikebukuro was my first time. It's a famous shop, so I was a bit worried about drinking alcohol and staying for a long time... But I drank without any unpleasant looks and had a relaxing and enjoyable time. The bottled beer glasses were ice-cold, and I had fun drinking oolong highballs and lemon sours. The chashu for snacks was delicious, but the gyoza was the best! I ordered too much and couldn't finish the noodles in the end, so I regret it. I will definitely go back! By the way, Ikebukuro Station is right in front of the shop, so you can get there for only 100 yen! (LOL)

Today, at work, "shingles" was a hot topic! Knowing that my colleagues and customers had contracted it, I started leaning towards getting vaccinated (maybe influenced by the commercials on TV...). So, I went to Toshima Ward Office to receive the subsidy. Toshima, where the ward office is located, is also home to the main store of Daikokuya! So, I visited. It was still lunchtime at 1:00 PM, so it was almost full. I saw a couple of foreign tourist families, maybe they are featured in guidebooks? The menu on the ticket machine includes: - Special Mori Soba 950 yen - Chuka Soba 950 yen - Wantanmen 1,150 yen - Mori Vegetables 1,250 yen - Vegetable Ramen 1,250 yen - Mori Menma 1,300 yen, etc. Daikokuya is famous for its "Mori Soba," but I remembered that I wasn't too impressed when I had it before, so this time I chose Chuka Soba (I often eat at Daikokuya in Iriya). The Chuka Soba I was served was surprisingly light in broth! I immediately added pepper and garlic from the table (bitter smile). The medium-thick noodles were a bit soft. There was a lot of noodles. The chashu had a decent thickness, finally something I could appreciate (laughs). Once again, Daikokuya fell short for me (bitter smile). Thank you for the meal~

Original Tsukemen, Tokyo Toshima-ku "Higashi Ikebukuro Daikoku-ken Main Store" visited for the first time in 8 years - 2023 Ramen 160th meal "Special Mori Soba" 950 yen~ --------------------------------------------------------------- Instagram Twitter ▶︎ torimen365 ◀︎ TikTok Youtube --------------------------------------------------------------- As part of my annual tradition, I will be going on a Kanto trip to support the Buffaloes, and this year I will be based in Ikebukuro. The first stop was at this place, where I remembered the taste from a visit to Ando Daikoku-ken in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, 8 years ago. The main noodle menu includes: - Special Mori Soba 950 yen - Chuka Soba 950 yen Upon entering, I purchased a ticket for the "Special Mori Soba" from the ticket machine on the left and waited at the counter. The special tsukemen arrived with a slightly sour dipping sauce rich in the umami of pork bones, chicken, and vegetables. The noodles, with a smooth and slightly chewy texture, were generously served with 300g of them. The recommended way to eat at Daikoku-ken is to dunk all the noodles at once into the sauce for a delightful flavor. The chashu, which consists of two slices of lean pork, sinks into the dipping sauce, so I enjoyed each slice separately. A half boiled egg is included by default, and I finished the meal by requesting a soup refill. It was a satisfying meal! It was a full house during my visit at 2 pm on a weekday. Σ(OωO ) --------------------------------------------------- I am exploring ramen restaurants mainly in Kobe and throughout Hyogo Prefecture. Visit my ramen blog "Torimen365" for more details: https://torimen.com/ ----------------------------------------------------

Today at 1:30 PM, I visited this place for the first time. There were about 6 people in line at this time, but I was seated promptly. I ordered the special Mori Soba from the vending machine and watched the kitchen for a while. When the Mori Soba arrived, I dipped the noodles in the soup and savored it. It reminded me of the taste of old-style tsukemen. I finished the meal thinking about how delicious it was.

A ramen shop that took over the store operated by the former Yamagishi family. I tried the mori soba, and enjoyed the nostalgic sweet and sour dipping sauce. There are many shops with the Daishoken sign, but I think there are only a few that come close to the taste of the past. This is one of them. I will visit again.

On the last day of the summer break, Tuesday at 2:45 pm. I didn't do anything yesterday, just slept all day, so I'm going to the pool for some training! Can't go back to work tomorrow without doing anything for two days straight! On the way to the sports center in Ikebukuro, it's time for lunch first. Oh, it's empty at this time, perfect. Alright, it's been a while, let's have some tsukemen. I ordered the original tsukemen with extra toppings (950 yen) and a boiled egg (50 yen), handed over a 1,000 yen meal ticket, and in about 5 minutes, it arrived! As always, the noodles look clean and smooth, and they look delicious! This is one of the characteristics of this restaurant. I immediately dipped the noodles in the dipping sauce and started eating. Slurp, smooth, mmm, delicious. The taste is as good as ever. The dipping sauce is also delicious, with a perfect balance of a little acidity and sweetness that increases your appetite. The taste remains unchanged. It's been a while since I had it, but the taste is still great. I eat it with gusto. The char siu is also delicious. It's exactly to my liking. It's tender but has a satisfying texture. The amount of fat is just right. Eating the noodles with the char siu is a great combination. Honestly, the naruto, bamboo shoots, seaweed, and green onions are nothing special, but they are satisfying in this tsukemen. And the slightly larger portion of noodles is also good, and the fact that the price varies depending on the amount of noodles is great! The fact that the amount of noodles is different but the price remains the same is a good thing, as it makes you feel like you're getting a deal. So, even though I'm full, I force myself to eat the larger portion, which makes me gain weight. In the first place, offering a larger portion as a "service" is not really a service because the price is set to make a profit even if you eat that amount of noodles. In my opinion, it's much more of a service when the price varies depending on the amount of noodles. It's clearly a loss for those who don't need a large portion. I used to eat it frequently, but recently the opportunities have decreased, perhaps due to the fact that some of the shops have closed down. In the past, there were also shops in Kanda, Ogawamachi, and Jinbocho, and there was even one in the Jizo-dori shopping street in Edogawabashi where I live. There were shops here and there, some of which were former disciples, but maybe the disappearance of the above-mentioned shops was due to cannibalization. Cannibalization, a marketing term that everyone learned from "Ikinari Steak," right? Maybe that was it? Well, each shop probably had its own circumstances, and maybe some shops didn't properly inherit the taste. Personally, all the shops were pretty delicious to me. Yeah, I ate at Daishoken after a long time. Some people might say that it's different from the famous former owner, Mr. Yamagishi's taste! But for me, it's totally okay. I hope they continue to inherit the taste. Thank you for the meal!

Located along a major street near Higashi-Ikebukuro Station in the Ikebukuro area, this highly renowned tsukemen (dipping noodles) shop was visited after a long time, as the last record on Tabelog was in 2010. The interior of the shop has an L-shaped counter and table seating, with additional outdoor seating available, possibly due to the summer season. Upon arrival during lunchtime, there was no line outside, so I quickly purchased my meal ticket from the machine and was promptly seated. Craving tsukemen, I ordered the "Special Mori Soba (950 yen)." The dish arrived in about 10 minutes, with a generous portion of noodles as shown in the photo. The dipping sauce was relatively light in flavor, with a noticeable sweetness and slight acidity. As someone in their middle age, I tend to get tired of the current trend of rich tsukemen, but I found this mori soba to be enjoyable throughout, despite feeling a bit too sweet. While the long queues of the past seem to have disappeared, observing the regular customers around me made me feel that this shop is truly beloved. While tastes may vary, I would recommend this place to those who want to try the roots of tsukemen.

The Mori soba was 950 yen with an extra 150 yen for a larger portion. I was surprised by the amount of noodles, which left me feeling quite full. It had been over ten years since I last ate here in high school, and the experience was quite different from what I remembered. The noodles weren't drained well, as there was a lot of water left in the bowl after finishing them, almost like it was soup. The noodles were quite moist, so towards the end, the dipping sauce became diluted, making it a bit tough to finish. I noticed a customer nearby ordered hot noodles but received cold ones, and they had to complain to the staff. The staff just brought out another cold serving without doing anything in the kitchen, which I could see from where I was sitting. What was that all about?

Daishoken Tour Part 3: There is a delicious restaurant in the neighborhood run by a former Daishoken staff. Even if it's a bit far, there is a tasty Daishoken to be found. Daishoken can be hit or miss. For these reasons, I had been avoiding Daishoken, but now I'm thinking of trying it out again. My rule is to order Mori soba, and I judge if a place with a Daishoken sign is really good. This particular restaurant was the trigger for me to give it another chance. I happened to be nearby, so I nervously decided to give it a try. Honestly, the taste was disappointing, and I couldn't help but think, "Yamagishi-san must be crying..." This is my second visit, so I hope the first time was just a fluke. Thank goodness... it was still Daishoken... However, it felt like, "Is this really the taste of later Daishoken?" The soup was lukewarm and not very drinkable even when diluted. The taste was questionable, and to make matters worse, there were foreign staff chatting loudly in the kitchen while making wontons. The owner should not allow that when they are in the kitchen!

It's always crowded. I think there are more female staff members than before. The amount of noodles is plentiful. The couple at the next table, the woman said "half the amount of noodles," and the man said "quite a small amount of noodles." I ended up ordering the normal amount. It was a lot, but I ate it all. The taste seemed to have a slightly stronger sweetness than before. There were still chairs outside the entrance. I used to sit here.

Daishoken is a popular ramen chain, but surprisingly, this was my first visit to the main store in Higashi-Ikebukuro. Although I generally prefer ramen, I decided to try their tsukemen since I was at the main store. The broth was sweeter than I expected, and the noodles were medium thickness straight noodles. The texture was good, but they were softer than I had imagined, and I regretted ordering them hot. Despite struggling with the generous 480g portion, I managed to finish it. In conclusion, I still prefer ramen over tsukemen.

LaLaLa Ramen✨Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Minami-Ikebukuro, Higashi-Ikebukuro Daikatsuya Honten "Special Mori Soba (Small)✨"《Pilgrimage》A bowl created by Kazuo Yamagishi, which has become the origin of the current "tsukemen", with chewy noodles and a wonderful balance of sweet, spicy, and sour dipping sauce✨ Finally, this long-awaited bowl deeply touched my heart. Thank you for the feast #Ramen #Menstagram #TokyoRamen #ToshimaRamen #Daikatsuya #HigashiIkebukuroDaikatsuya #HigashiIkebukuroDaikatsuyaHonten #MoriSoba #KazuoYamagishi #ThankYouVeryMuch

I came to Ikebukuro. I visited Daishoken after a long time. I ordered the Char siu ramen. Everyone else ordered the Morisoba. I asked for the flavor to be on the stronger side. If I order it normal, it feels too light. I got my seat right under the air conditioning, which is a relief. The soup tastes just right. It's an animal-based soup. I slurp the noodles. I always go for the softer noodles. They have a good firmness. The Char siu is thick and satisfying to eat. It doesn't have a special feeling, but the taste is consistent. I finished it all! Thank you for the meal!

The late Mr. Kazuo Yamagishi, who is said to have created the now familiar "tsukemen", visited the tsukemen restaurant founded by Mr. Yamagishi himself. The East Ikebukuro Taishoken, founded in 1961 (temporarily closed in 2007 and relocated to a nearby location the following year). The Mori Soba has always been known for its large portions, partly as a gesture of gratitude to Mr. Yamagishi's customers. I ordered the large portion for the first time at Taishoken. The Mori Chashu arrived in 13 minutes after ordering. The bowl, which was almost the size of two palms, was filled with plenty of noodles. The dipping sauce also seemed to be slightly more than usual to match the portion. In addition to additional toppings such as chashu, boiled egg, and wonton, there are also green onions, menma, and seaweed. The dipping sauce is quite firm, made from pork bones, pig's feet, chicken, and minced meat. Furthermore, it includes a double soup base of dried bonito, mackerel flakes, and fish powder. It has a sweet and sour taste like cold Chinese noodles, and a spicy kick of red pepper comes afterwards. The noodles are medium-thick to medium-thin, with a round and straight cross-section. The aroma of wheat is slight. The noodle mountain is about 10cm high. It seems to be filled all the way to the bottom of the bowl with toppings. For more details about the restaurant, please visit here: https://webdesign-gourmet.com/tokyo-04

When I visit, I usually order the "vegetable tsukemen," which is a popular dish at Daishoken known for its sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. It really stimulates the appetite. This is definitely my go-to choice for Saturday lunch. As I get older, I try to eat less, so I ask for a smaller portion of noodles. Even so, when I add soup to the leftover broth, I feel completely satisfied and full!

It was a delicious traditional vegetable soba noodles (medium size). I'm stuffed. There were some elderly people in the restaurant, giving it a nostalgic feel. It seems like a place that has been loved for a long time. With garlic and doubanjiang (spicy bean paste) available, I enjoyed changing up the flavors and finished every last bite.