Koushi in Komabatodai-mae is an unusual shop indeed. At time of writing, the shop is reservations only and limited to just eight customers per day. Furthermore, reservations can only be made via Facebook (in Japanese). The proprietor, Shibata-san is quite a character. He often wears colorful outfits, such as orange jumpsuits or yellow overalls. But don’t let the getup fool you: he’s a legit master of both ramen and Japanese sake. He offers a variety of appetizers, side dishes and ramens, but his signature dish, in our view, is the Houjun Shinasoba, a shoyu ramen made with sake kasu (the lees leftover from sake production). The alcohol content in the bowl is about 1% according to Shibata-san and it comes with a tab of butter that melts into the soup. Original. Splendid.

Note: Koushi is more like an izakaya than a ramen shop. As such, you’re expected to follow the leisurely Japanese approach to wining and dining. Don’t order ramen and run. Sample a few sakes, order a few appetizers and then finish with a beautiful bowl of ramen. This is an evening out.

Koushi | 嚆矢（こうし）

Opening Hours: Reservations only

Days Closed: Various

2-4-6 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo

東京都 目黒区 駒場 2-4-6