Hyperlocal Tokyo

**Musashi Bukotsu Souden (武骨相傅)**, a ramen shop in Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo. Opened in 2011, it's located about 130 meters from Keisei Ueno Station, with convenient parking nearby. The shop operates on a ticket system (cashless payment accepted) and has 16 counter seats. Their signature dish is the **Thick White Tsukemen (つけ麺)**, priced at ¥1,080 for a regular serving. You can even get up to 3.5 times the standard noodle amount (1kg after cooking) for free! Musashi has been a popular ramen chain since the 1990s, growing into a renowned group representing Tokyo's ramen scene. No introduction needed! Their rich, flavorful soup, made with a strong animal base and a touch of seafood, is simply delicious. The thick, chewy noodles are a perfect match. ★ The thick-cut roast pork is incredibly tender and flavorful, almost as if cost was no object! Delicious! I'm planning to slowly work my way through all the restaurants in the Musashi group. I thoroughly enjoyed the ramen. Thank you for the delicious meal! 😋

Popular Tsukemen Shop First of all, the atmosphere and decor of the shop are really cool. It has a sophisticated, mature vibe. The tsukemen itself is reliably delicious. I'm a fan of this chain. It's interesting how each location has its own unique character. Being a popular spot, the staff are energetic and provide excellent service. I appreciate that. However, while delicious, it's also quite expensive. The prices are definitely on the high side. That's why I've given it a slight deduction.

I finally got to visit this famous restaurant known for its thick-cut chashu tsukemen. I arrived at 11 am on a weekday, aiming for their opening time. There were only two people ahead of me in line. Once they opened, we were ushered to the ticket machine in order of arrival. As it was my first visit, I chose the most basic option, the White Thick-Cut Roast Pork Tsukemen. Considering its uniqueness, the size of the meat, and the location, 1850 yen was a bit of a luxurious lunch. The interior was black-themed, chic and calming. I sat at the counter and waited. When the noodles arrived, I was convinced. The chashu was indeed thick, almost like a pork steak. It wasn't seasoned, so you had to dip it in the tsukemen broth to enjoy it. It was incredibly tender. However, as I expected, it started to feel a bit heavy after eating about half of it. I had ordered a medium portion of noodles, so I didn't end up eating just meat, but I might have been better off with a large portion. Personally, I would have preferred the tsukemen broth to be a bit warmer throughout the meal. It was a unique experience, something you don't find everywhere else.

I had the chilled Bang-Bang noodles. Is this a summer-only menu? It was recommended for summer. The soup, with its chunky nuts, was very creamy and had a slight spiciness, but it was mild enough to drink without choking. It was delicious, but it lacked a bit of impact. This place always seems to have a line. However, on the day I went, there were few people due to the typhoon (the whole Ueno area was less crowded). You buy tickets from a vending machine before entering, and no one else can enter until you finish buying. This is probably because otherwise, people who have finished eating wouldn't be able to leave the store. Also, for some reason, the people behind me got their noodles much faster than I did. It would have been nice if the staff had mentioned something like, "Cold dishes take a little longer," so I wouldn't have felt uncomfortable. It was pretty good, but I probably won't go back.

I ordered the "Rich Black MEGA Roast Pork Tsukemen" 🙂 The 800g roast pork was incredibly impressive!😮 It's probably the best char siu in Japan (lol). They provide a cutting board, knife, and fork 🍴 so you can cut it into bite-sized pieces and enjoy it.☝️ The meat was delicious, but I might get a little tired of it halfway through 🤔 Make sure you go with an empty stomach! 😄 Don't worry! You can take any leftovers home.☝️