Taishoken. Before Tsukemen, there was Mori Soba

Char Shu Mori Soba. 1100 Yen

Summers in Japan can reach dangerous levels (up to 38 degrees Celsius), but that doesn't stop its people from finding ways to enjoy their food. A steaming bowl of ramen with piping hot soup is not the best way to enjoy a bowl of noodles in the sweltering heat, hence the need for Tsukemen arises.

Back in 1955, Kazuo Yamigishi, owner of the legendary Taishoken, would eat noodles with leftover broth and soy sauce for staff meals in his days as a kitchen apprentice. It sparked the inspiration and birth of the Tsukemen as we know it today. Yamigishi christened his new creation "Mori Soba" and it became an instant success. Passing away on 1st April 2015, the pioneer of Tsukemen left behind a legacy spanning over 100 restaurants all over Japan and a dish which still continues to evolve to this day.

The heart of a bowl of Ramen lies in its soup. But for Tsukemen it is an entirely different ball game altogether. Consisting of 2 separate components, both the broth and noodles must be able to stand on its own and at the same time not disrupt their symbiotic relationship in order to create a flavourful yet balanced dish.

For starters, noodles are usually served cold and are thicker than your average ramen. The texture of noodles hold high importance as it must be nicely chewy and be able to hold the broth as it is dipped. The taste of the noodle without the broth is also what separates a normal Tsukemen from an exceptional one.

The broth is served hot and is a heavily reduced version of the normal soup base and may consist of additional ingredients such as bonito powder, shrimp oil and scallions. Ingredients used for the soup stock can vary from beef bones, pork, leek and many others which the chef deem fit.

Mori Soba. 800 yen

The process to eat this is simple. Take some noodles with your chopsticks, mix it well inside the bowl of broth and slurp it (ala soba). The shape of Taishoken's noodles are made specifically for the broth to cling onto them. The contrast in temperature is a pleasant sensation, and each chew releases intense flavours of the broth which has been on a rolling boil for hours.
The well-marbled char siew is grilled on a pan before being topped onto a noodles which lends a rich, smoky fragrance to the Tsukemen also.

Tsukemen is perfect for any occasion, but enjoyed especially in summer. Bringing chewy, faintly sweet noodles together with a well-seasoned intense broth you can't get enough of, it's one of those fine food pairings in life.

Taishoken (Narita Branch)
88 Wing Tsuchiya, Narita, Chiba Prefecture
+81 476-29-4868

Nearest Station: JR Narita.

Operating Hours:
Open Daily
Lunch: 1100 to 1500 (L.O 1430)
Dinner: 1800 to 0200

Link to their website.

Rokurinsha: Slurp it up to the last drop

Tsukemen: Thick, al dente noodles that are cool to the touch, dipped in a highly concentrated broth that has been reduced under the watchful eyes of a master and finally slurped up quickly in one breath, bringing a savoury and chewy sensation to the diner.

The origins of  Tsukemen can be traced back to a certain Kazuo Yamagishi, founder and chef of the timeless Taishoken ramen stall at Higashi Ikebukuro. It's said that Yamagishi discovered this dish while he ate noodles with some left over broth and soy sauce, and hence the concept was born.

In recent years however, the title of "Most Popular Tsukemen" would probably go to Rokurinsha. Ever since their first original branch in Osaki, they have expanded aggressively to 5 outlets. The branch at the Tokyo Skytree (Solamachi) commands queues of up to 2 to 3 hours during lunch/dinner time.

Noodles made in house (Normal Portion)

The advantage of Tsukemen is that diners get to fully appreciate the texture of the noodles in its entirety without worry of carry-over cooking due to the hot soup in normal ramen. Rokurinsha's noodles are about 1.5 times thicker than the average ramen noodle which makes it easier to pick up the broth when dipping. The portions for noodles are generous so order the large portion only if you are absolutely dying of starvation. You have been warned.

Dipping Broth

Rokurinsha's broth is one to behold. Carrying the consistency of a gravy, the broth is made from pork bones, bonito, sardines, vegetables and other undisclosed ingredients then carefully boiled and reduced until it achieves the desired thickness and viscosity. Taking one spoonful by itself, it was akin to drinking liquid umami as all the goodness of the ingredients have been fully extracted and concentrated into a small bowl.


It is practically impossible to take just one mouthful as I found myself slurping continuously, stopping only to catch my breath. The chewy, cool and clean tasting noodles complements the warm and rich broth and the flavours dance and mingle nicely."Shiok" would be the word to accurately describe this.

Rokurinsha
Tokyo Solamachi 6F
Tokyo Skytree
1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo

Operating Hours
1100-2300 Daily unless otherwise specified.
Last Order at 2200

Nearest Station: Oshiage