Kichijoji is a beautiful neighborhood in West Tokyo, only a 15-minute train ride away from the busy, bustling Shinjuku and famous for the scenic Inokashira Park. With department stores and restaurants crowding the area, Kichijoji is a popular spot for people of any gender and age, but younger folk especially enjoy the neighborhood during both day and at night. Incidentally, everyone’s favorite noodle soup dish can be enjoyed both night and day as well – ramen! Let’s take a look at the three best ramen shops that Kichijoji has to offer, those that are particularly friendly towards visitors and tourists from all around the world!

Musashiya is a ramen restaurant with an incredible reputation, which is precisely why you’ll never find the shop to be empty. Among the guests enjoying the ramen delicacies are many people from outside of Japan, making it a very welcoming place even for international folks who choose to dine alone!

Our warmest recommendations are the pork bone soy sauce ramen for 650 yen (tax included), as well as the shop’s signature dish, ago shio (flying fish and salt) ramen for 650 yen as well. During lunch, a set is available that lets you order rice, a seasoned egg, and a cabbage and barbecued pork salad alongside your ramen delicacy, for only 150 yen extra. Beer is also on the menu, making Musashiya an excellent place for refreshing and relaxing after a long day of exploring Kichijoji!

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. (Monday - Saturday), 11:00 a.m. – 0:30 a.m. (Sundays; if Monday is a national holiday, the restaurant is open until 1:30 a.m.)
Closed: always open

The next recommendation on our list stands out for how lively it is, evident in both how the ramen is sold and how they taste: Budoka. You’ll be hard-pressed to find friendlier, more vibrant staff in the entire neighborhood of Kichijoji!

Must-tries at this place include the nori half-boiled egg ramen for 850 yen (tax included), as well as the signature Budoka ramen for 1,000 yen (tax included). Topped with nori, spinach, a half-boiled egg, barbecued pork and more, this savory noodle delicacy also features Kujo scallion, directly delivered from Kyoto’s farms! Multi-language menus are also available at Budoka, making ordering both easy and fun. We urge you to try eating the thick, flavorful soup with rice served alongside the bowl of ramen – we promise you’ll fall in love with Kichijoji’s Budoka!

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Closed: always open

Enji is a ramen restaurant that pretty much every ramen fan is familiar with. Featured in numerous magazines,

this hip restaurant accommodates to international visitors with its multi-language menu, offering abundant choices of seafood, pork, and vegetable broth ramen along the healthy tsukemen, noodles served separately of the soup to be dipped into the delicious bowl. We strongly recommend trying the vegetable tsukemen for 800 yen (tax included), which has been one of the shop’ greatest successes. By the way - the staff is used to and very accommodating towards international guests, so don’t hesitate to pay this famous ramen restaurant a visit!

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Mondays to Fridays)
11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Saturdays and national holidays)
The shop will close when running out of soup.
Closed: holidays during New Year’s

NGUYEN THU UYEN / Vietnam
木下　秀平 / Japan
林　友里奈 / Japan
叶西　卓瑪 / China
劉　斐嘉 / China