Old-school ramen place with large servings and reasonable prices.

Nice restaurant, have old grandpa chefs friendly. Noodle so good, silence clean table. 5 star

「天水」 is a longstanding neighborhood Chinese restaurant founded in Showa 45, tucked down a backstreet in Higashi-Ueno. An elderly gentleman aged 87 runs it all by himself, and it only opens 4 days a week for a few hours at lunchtime, making it almost elusive, but I managed to visit at just the right time. I ordered the signature **「半チャンセット（900円）」**. The ramen arrived with a gentle Japanese-style soy sauce broth, its chicken-bone and kombu umami gradually coming through. The saltiness was perfect, and after one sip it went down so effortlessly and deliciously that I wanted to say, “Someone stop me!” The chewy medium-thin noodles, superb sesame-scented menma, and tender, thick-cut chashu were a perfect combination too. The half portion of fried rice in the set was so generous it hardly seemed like a half portion! Its distinctive touch was chopped chashu, pink kamaboko, and egg added afterward in thin-strip style; the moist texture is addictive. There is no air conditioning, just a fan rattling away, but the interior has a comforting nostalgia, like visiting your grandmother's house in the countryside. Eating the meal he prepared so carefully left me satisfied from the heart. It's a treasured restaurant, and I hope he takes care of himself and keeps going in good health for many years. Thank you so much for the meal!

+3

They only operate until 2:30 in the afternoon and are closed on some weekdays too, so I failed to visit on my last trip. This time I rushed over as soon as I arrived in Tokyo. I got there almost at 2 and asked if it was still okay. The owner smiled kindly and invited me in, and his smile alone already put me in a good mood. Ramen and a half portion of gyoza, available after 1, for 800 yen. Rather than the polished flavors of famous ramen shops you visit on a trip, I loved the rustic noodles typical of chuka soba, the saltiness, the crunch of the menma and bean sprouts, and the rich, oily juices of genuinely homemade gyoza. If hygiene is your priority, it might be a no-go, but this place is as local as it gets, and I really love places like this. I hadn't even had breakfast, so this was my first meal and I wolfed it down. I was also grateful I could smoke a cigarette.

+1

An old-fashioned Chinese restaurant near Senju Hospital in Higashi-Ueno. It stands quietly, looking as though it has been there forever. It has the feel of a ramen shop visited only by locals. At lunchtime on a day off, I nervously knocked on the door. Inside, about 4 people were slurping ramen, and the elderly owner welcomed me in a cute T-shirt. ✔︎Ramen and half gyoza (3 pieces) set　800円 ※Only after 13:00? ✔︎Bottled beer (large bottle) 650円 A large bottle of Classic Lager is nice. For the ramen, I followed another customer's lead and asked for firm noodles. I thought the gyoza might arrive first, but the ramen came first. As you can see from the soy sauce seasoning splashed on the bowl, the kaeshi is strong, while the chicken-bone and seafood flavors are lighter. Old-fashioned chuka soba. The noodles didn't feel firm, but their smooth, high-hydration texture made me think, yes, this is what noodles at a Chinese restaurant should be… The menma was cold but thoroughly seasoned with no unpleasant smell, and above all, the large chashu had been cooked so thoroughly that it fell apart when lifted with chopsticks—braised pork would be a more fitting name. That alone keeps the lager flowing. The owner looks busy running everything alone, but finds moments to laugh happily with regulars and is kind to first-time visitors too. Shops where time seems to have stopped in the Showa era are dwindling, but I hope this neighborhood ramen shop keeps going in good health. Recommended

+3