Ramen shop in Asagaya Station Ichibangai. It is a counter-only restaurant where customers pay in cash when their ramen is served. The daughter of the founder of HOPE KEN runs the restaurant as a chef.

This long-established shop is in a back alley just steps from the south exit of Asagaya Station. Its pork-bone-based broth combines pork back fat and the savory flavor of vegetables, making a rich bowl without an overly heavy finish that pairs well with the relatively thin noodles. The old-fashioned interior has counter seating only; although old, it is kept clean. Orders are placed verbally, and you pay in cash when your food is served. The shop is run entirely by female staff. I like adding plenty of the special spicy condiment on the table, 「唐華」. There may be a short line at lunchtime, but turnover is quick. Recommended when you want a hearty bowl of tonkotsu shoyu ramen.

A chuka soba specialty shop in an alley a short walk from the south exit of Asagaya Station. I stopped by while running an errand nearby on a weekday evening. The interior has an old-time charm, with counter seating only, and the shop was run by the owner and Asian staff. The menu lets you choose various toppings for a chuka soba base, but I ordered 【中華そば】800円【生玉子】50円 My bowl arrived about 5 minutes after ordering. Speaking of ホープ軒, I have long visited the shop in front of the National Stadium. It is known for its distinctive shoyu tonkotsu base with scattered pork back fat, medium-thick noodles, bean sprouts, and thinly sliced chashu. I was reassured to see a bowl that followed that style exactly. The broth looked somewhat clear, but it was delicious, with a solid pork-bone richness and the umami and saltiness of soy sauce. The refreshing bean sprouts balanced it well, and the medium-thin noodles picked up the broth nicely. Since they had raw eggs, which the main shop does not offer, I used one as a sukiyaki-style dip, like at 永福町大勝軒. It also went very well with this shoyu tonkotsu, giving it a mellow, deeper flavor that was delicious. I regretted my choice, thinking that chashu ramen with an extra bowl of white rice would have made an even better pairing. The noodles were a little too soft, which was disappointing, but next time I will try asking for them firm.

I have been coming here for over 20 years. The base is tonkotsu shoyu, but without any particularly overpowering pork-bone flavor. That does not mean it is bland; the broth is actually rich, yet wonderfully smooth in the mouth and going down. The thin noodles pick up the broth beautifully, although they may become soggy if you take your time savoring them. I always have ramen with rice, and the bliss of a full stomach is also at its peak.

Soul food for the people of Asagaya. I have been visiting since about 40 years ago, when the previous generation ran it. I hear the daughter has now taken over and runs the place. A very long time ago, they also had negi ramen. The green onions were spicy, so I used to eat that in winter. A quick explanation. Payment here is upfront, so have your money ready as soon as you enter. This is the original ホープ軒, so do not compare it with Sendagaya or imitation ホープ軒 shops. The broth is sweet. Yes, that is 阿佐ヶ谷ホープ軒, and that is how it should be. The condiments here include black pepper and a spicy confection powder called 唐華. Do not underestimate this 唐華. It is incredibly spicy, so first-time visitors should start with 1 spoonful. It is safer to add more after deciding, “That is not enough.” Also, 唐華 has a strong flavor. My way of changing the flavor is to start eating it as served, add black pepper after eating 1/3 to enjoy the change, then add 唐華 after eating 2/3 to enjoy the heat. They have also had foreign assistants here for quite a long time. Perhaps the proprietress (the daughter) trains them well, because their service is perfect. As soon as your water goes down a little, they come over and ask, “Shall I top it up?” Everyone gives good service. I can recommend it.

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