"Menjiru Shokuzen Kojitsu" is a ramen restaurant that will fill your stomach and your heart with kindness.

"Menjiru Shokuzen Kojitsu" is a ramen restaurant that will fill your stomach and your heart with kindness.

Hello. I'm Chiitan, a Nakano Tourism Reporter. I'm walking around Nakano, Tokyo with Chibi Nakano, and introducing various people and delicious restaurants.

"Let's go eat some hot ramen today, Chibi Nakano-san." I love ramen, but it's hard to go out to eat it with my small children. That's when a mom friend from kindergarten introduced me to "Menjiru Shokuzen Kojitsu." Nowadays, there are more and more restaurants that are easy to go to with children, but this restaurant was a pioneer of that trend. This restaurant combines natural ingredients with safety and deliciousness.

After exiting the west exit ticket gates of JR Higashi-Nakano Station, go down the stairs on the left, cross the crosswalk in front of you and go straight ahead, and you will see the flag. It blends in well with the quiet residential area.

Located in Higashi-Nakano, Tokyo, where there are many hidden gems, this restaurant has been loved by the locals since it opened in 2001. The restaurant has a homey atmosphere with all table seating. The large central table is decorated with flowers and music from a music box is playing.

The store manager, Yumiko Muneta, came to take our order. "Please choose either 'ramen' or 'tsukemen'."

I'm glad there's a "small portion" option.

If you flip the menu over, you'll see that it's written in English and Chinese, and there are also pictures, so you can rest assured.

The ultimate choice: "Ramen" as always, or "Tsukemen" as a first attempt. I was torn. "Chibi Nakano, would Tsukemen be best to enjoy our homemade noodles in a simple way?" After much deliberation, I decided on Tsukemen today. I ordered it hot.

Soon after, the "boiled egg tsukemen" was brought to us.

The soup stock is in a thermos. It's nice that you can eat it hot until the very end. During lunch time, it comes with a small bowl of bean sprouts or fried rice. It's free! Chiitan ordered the small bowl of bean sprouts.

The homemade medium-thick straight noodles have a chewy texture that is irresistible. You can enjoy the wheat flavor even without the noodles, but when you dip them in the soup, it's irresistible!

The clear soy sauce soup is sour and slightly spicy. It is made without artificial flavorings, so it has a gentle taste, but is packed with richness. The thinly sliced bamboo shoots and roast pork that entwine with the noodles also make you feel the quality of the ingredients.

I was right to ask for the boiled egg. It added a smoothness to the dish, and I couldn't stop eating it. The small bowl of bean sprouts also had a crunchy texture, which was fun to eat.

I was so engrossed in the meal that I forgot I was there for an interview, and the 200g of noodles disappeared into my stomach in an instant. When I finished drinking the soup, my body was so warm that sweat started to form on my forehead.

We spoke to the store manager, Munematsu Yumiko.

-How did you come to open your restaurant in Higashi-Nakano? "Previously, I ran a ramen restaurant in Kokubunji for 15 years, but as my children got older, I decided to restart my business by making homemade noodles and using no artificial flavorings. This restaurant was originally my family home, and we renovated a parking lot."

-Please tell us the origin of the restaurant's name. "My husband, who loved Yasujiro Ozu and Japanese movies, named it after an idiom. We worked together on the restaurant and the food, but he passed away shortly before we opened. I was very hesitant, but my husband's feelings were there, and with the support of those around me and my daughter, I thought I should just do what I can, so I opened the restaurant."

--What is the most popular menu item? "Many people order either ramen or tsukemen with a boiled egg. The popularity changes depending on the season, with cold tsukemen in the summer and ramen in the winter." The boiled egg was soft and delicious! "We have it delivered directly from a chicken farm in Ibaraki."

-What kind of stock do you use for the soup? "Whole chicken and bones. We combine Japanese-style stock with shiitake mushrooms, kelp, and dried sardines. We don't use pork bones or chemical seasonings." It's safe for small children. "All the seats are at tables so that families with children can come easily. I think it's easy for women to come alone." Chiitan also found it easy to come when she came with her children.

-What kind of customers do you have? "We have a lot of familiar customers. We're really grateful that people who used to come here continue to come even after they've moved away." The taste is something you never forget, even after many years... Chiitan understands that. On this day, customers kept coming in one after another.

-What do you like about making ramen? "I like cooking, but I think I've always loved interacting with people. I started working in the kitchen after my husband passed away, and even now I still interact with customers through eye contact and other means." It's Munematsu's thoughtfulness that makes his customer service so warm.

Please note that payment is only accepted in cash. Although the prices of everything have increased recently, the prices here have remained the same since the store opened (as of 2024). I am really happy about this.

In fact, Menjiru Shokuzen Kojitsu has been awarded the Bib Gourmand (food that is more satisfying than its price) by the Michelin Guide Tokyo for three consecutive years since 2015. It was a bowl of ramen that was definitely worth it.

"Menjiru Shokuzen Kojitsu" is a perfect fit for Higashi-Nakano, where you can feel the same goodness even as the times change. Please come and warm up with some ramen on a cold day, or try some cold tsukemen on a hot day.

"Thank you very much. Please come with your family next time," Munematsu's gentle voice echoes.

Noodle soup meal Good day

Location: MK House 1F, 1-53-7 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

Access: 1 minute walk from the west exit of JR Chuo Line "Higashi-Nakano Station"

Business hours: 11:30 to 14:30, 17:30 to 20:30 (open only during lunch hours on Saturdays)

Closed: Sundays and Mondays