Nara Seimen

Tucked away in the Yoyogi neighborhood of Tokyo, Nara Seimen offers one of the city’s finest examples of tori paitan—Japan’s answer to chicken noodle soup. This intimate eight-seat ramen shop puts you shoulder to shoulder with fellow diners at a U-shaped counter, creating an unexpectedly communal dining experience.

The star here is undoubtedly the tori paitan ramen. The broth achieves its signature cloudy, opaque appearance through patient simmering of chicken bones, resulting in a deeply savory, creamy base that coats your palate with pure poultry richness. Thin noodles swim alongside tender pieces of chicken, but what truly sets this bowl apart is the whole young bamboo shoot resting in the center—its delicate sweetness and soft texture providing a wonderful counterpoint to the hearty broth.

This is the kind of no-frills spot where the focus is entirely on the food. The compact setting means you’ll likely be facing strangers across the counter, but there’s something charming about sharing the experience of slurping noodles and crunching through bamboo together. It’s casual, quick, and exactly what a great ramen shop should be.

For an affordable, soul-warming lunch or a laid-back dinner, Nara Seimen delivers an authentic taste of Tokyo’s ramen culture. Come hungry, grab a seat at the counter, and let the comforting bowl of tori paitan work its magic.