Ramen in Tokyo Station’s Basement

You’ll find some of the best eating in Tokyo in the basement, of all places. Whether it’s a depachika in a department store or a train station, the Japanese never have too far to go to find something incredibly delicious (and beautiful) to eat. On my recent trip to Tokyo, I stopped in the lower level of the Tokyo station, the same one you’ll arrive at if you take the train in from Narita Airport. There, you’ll find “Ramen Street” – an alleyway with several excellent ramen shops catering to travelers and train company employees with limited time to eat. Naturally, the quality of the broth and the noodles is as good as anywhere in the city. In this case, I had tsukemen ramen, which means the noodles arrive alongside the bowl of broth, allowing you to dip them in as you wish. It also prevents them from getting soggy in the hot broth. Next to the bluefin I had at the market in Osaka, this was one of my favorite breakfasts in Japan. Oishii!