Gaijin Gourmet – By Far the Best Ramen in Futakotamagawa: Kokumaro!

I found the best tasting ramen for the best price in Futakotamagawa. It’s a shop called Kokumaro and it is the most delicious and reasonably priced ramen in town.

Hello! My name is Mike (in Tokyo) Rogers and I am the Gaijin Gourmet!

Futakotamagawa’s ONLY ¥600 ramen shop! This is the regular ramen for ¥600 yen (tax included.) includes two slices of pork in Tonkotsu (Kyushu-style pork based soup). In this photo and egg is included at an extra ¥100. Best ramen deal around!…. And, of course, there’s no tipping in Japan!

Futakotamagawa is about 10 ~ 15 minutes from Shibuya station on the Den-en-toshi line. It is famous for Takashimaya department store and a bunch of other high class shopping establishments as well as the headquarters of online shopping giant, Rakuten.

Since this is a high class shopping area, nearly all of the restaurants are expensive; and filled with rich housewives. That’s why a find like Kokumaro is a lifesaver for the Gaijin Gourmet who is always watching for ¥1 coins on the ground at the train stations! Nearly all of the local ramen shops sell their lowest priced ramen for at least ¥760. There’s a few places that sell so-called “Gourmet ramen” that goes for ¥1000 ~ ¥1200 a bowl.

Kokumaro starts at ¥600. By far the best tasting ramen for the price in this town.

Outside of Kokumaro. This place gets packed and there’s a line of people there waiting to get in at all hours of the day. Kokumaro is a chain of restaurants and they have shops in Futakotamagawa, Shibuya, Kabukiocho and a bunch of shops in their homeland of Kyushu. See their homepage here: http://www.kokumaro.com/

This is what it looks like at night. The one to the right. The shop to the left is some high-falutin’ dinery. Never been there… It is expensive. Of course expensive restaurants are supposed to taste delicious. The problem is that many of them are just expenisve and not so delicious. It is a fine art for the Gaijin Gourmet to find the Holy Grail! I like cheap and delicious establishments!

And speaking of cheap and delicious, when you go into Kokumaro at Futakotamagawa, you will be immediately confronted by Mr. Meal Ticket-Machine. Not to worry. Follow the easy instructions: Look at picture. Insert money. Press button. Take ticket. give ticket to shop staff. Sit down. Eat.
It’s so simple a chimpanzee was able to complete the task in 6 seconds.
If you want a beer to drink, just say, “Beer?” the staff and they will help you press the correct button.

Like I said, Kokumaro in Futakotamagawa is always packed and, there is almost always a line of at least 3 ~ 10 people waiting to get in. The place is cozy and clean.

Here is what I always have. It’s the regular ramen with extra mountains of sliced green onions. Cost? ¥800! (with tax!) Wow! At the top left is Beni-shoga (pickled ginger root). Top right is Takana (hot & spicy leafy vegetables that originally came from China). And now we get to why Kokumaro is always packed and there’s always a line outside: Not only is it cheap and delicious, but you can add the condiments like Beni-shoga or Takana all you want…. And!….

The plat de résistance! The deal clincher! Fresh garlic and a garlic press at the counter that you can add as much healthy and fresh, raw and delicious garlic as you want. Oh my god! I am in heaven! Usually ramen shops have already crushed garlic in small bins, but those have preservatives in them. This is the real (raw) deal!

Of course, the Gaijin Gourmet insists upon a spic and span, clean kitchen. Kokumaro in Futakotamagawa has it as well as friendly staff. On the right is the manager of the Futakotamagawa branch, Morita san! (If you go there, tell him Mike sent you!) This guy is great. He and his staff work hard to make sure that you get the best ramen in town… And they do it with a smile and they do it every night! Bravo! Well done Morita san!

Even the ladies love Kokumaro Futakotamagawa. All the locals know this ramen shop and it has the reputation for the best ramen and best ramen deal in town! Here’s Ayako giving rave reviews for the taste!

I think Kokumaro is the best place to eat ramen in Futakotamagawa. Inside the place is packed and, like I said, there are always people waiting to get in - Seeing is believing.... Oh, by the way, even if you have to wait, it’s only a few minutes and well worth it.

Kokumaro Ramen at Futakotamagawa? 5 + Stars for value, volume of servings, service, friendly staff and great taste!

Futakotamagawa Kokumaro Ramen  3-14-6 Tamagawa, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo 158-0094

Tel 03-3708-2790

Business Hours: 11:00 am ~ 2 am.

〒１５８−００９４東京都世田谷区玉川３−１４−６

I like this place so much I even made a map for you!

Map to Kokumaro Ramen. From Futakotamagawa station, take a left out the ticket gates toward the big street. Walk between the two Takashimaya buildings straight for about 3 minutes.

——————————–

Looking for great deals on cheap eats in Japan?:
Gaijin Gourmet! The Best, Most Delicious Soba Restaurant in Shibuya and Shinjuku robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-most-delicious-soba-restaurant-in-shibuya-and-shinjuku/

Gaijin Gourmet – Hamazushi! Tokyo’s Best Robot Sushi! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-hamazushi-tokyos-best-robot-sushi/

Gaijin Gourmet – Sukiya! Japan’s Best Gyudon (Beef Bowl) robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-sukiya-japans-best-gyudon-beef-bowl/

Gaijin Gourmet Advice for Foreign Gentlemen Living in Japan!

Gaijin Gourmet – Best Soba Chain in Tokyo？Yude Taro and ¥220 Draft Beer?! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-best-soba-chain-in-tokyo？yude-taro-and-¥220-draft-beer/

Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Premium Salad Bar in Tokyo? – Sizzler in Setagaya robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-premium-salad-bar-in-tokyo-sizzler-in-setagaya/

Gaijin Gourmet! Great Cheap and Delicious Soba in Gaienmae on Ginza Line! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-great-cheap-and-delicious-soba-in-gaienmae-on-ginza-line/

The Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Salad Bar Deal in Tokyo at Big Boy – My Favorite Rock N Roll Diner!! robot55.jp/blog/the-gaijin-gourmet-the-best-salad-bar-deal-in-tokyo-at-big-boy-my-favorite-rock-n-roll-diner/

Tokyo’s Best Cheap Sushi is in Okachimachi!? 東京の一番安くて美味しい寿司屋？御徒町にあるの？ http://robot55.jp/blog/tokyos-best-cheap-sushi-in-okachimachi/

Gaijin Gourmet – Beware! The Worst Noodle Restaurant in Tokyo? robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-beware-the-worst-noodle-restaurants-in-tokyo/

The Gaijin Gourmet: Soba Wars At Hanzomon Station in Tokyo robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-soba-wars-at-hanzomon-station-in-tokyo/

———————-

At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp

ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬

Gaijin Gourmet - The Most Delicious and Healthy Places to Eat in Japan for Under $5!

Hi! Just to let you know that when you are in Japan, that you can eat a delicious, healthy, safe meal for under $5 (USD). No kidding.

Where to find that information? Well, the Gaijin Gourmet (that's me) has temporarily moved. I'll be blogging Gaijin Gourmet articles showing you where to go to get the best deals in Japan over at the Robot55.jp site. 

Why did I move there? Well, because we are also going to start making a series of videos in English for folks coming to Japan and looking for the best places to eat well on a budget.

I have already written about the best budget sushi chain in Japan; the best noodles shops; and the best places to get salads! And I just completed the newest in the series:

Gaijin Gourmet - Sukiya! Japan's Best Gyudon (Beef Bowl) robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-sukiya-japans-best-gyudon-beef-bowl/

Here's a snippet:

"It's time for another installment of the world famous (and Original) Gaijin Gourmet. Today I simply must introduce to you good folks a chain restaurant in Japan that, if you are traveling here on a budget and with kids, you'll want to know about.

The restaurant is Sukiya. Sukiya has almost 2000 shops in Japan so they are everywhere you are. And most Sukiya shops are open 24 hours a day. The only shop that has more restaurants is McBurgers, but I don't have to introduce them to you. A few reasons: 1) McBurgers is not healthy. You don't want your kids, or yourself, to be eating that stuff. 2) Sukiya has an extremely healthy menu with lots of very reasonably priced and delicious items. 3) The kids love Sukiya!

Sukiya is a "Gyudon" chain. That means they specialize in serving some cooked meats on a bed of rice. It's delicious and the price will drop your jaw. Since I am watching my weight, whenever I go to Sukiya, I always order the salad (there's no salt or dressing on it, you add those yourself if you wish) and the "Healthy Gyudon" (that is called, "Gyudon Light" on the menu.) It is "light" because the calories are so low because this delicious menu item has a block of Tofu instead of the rice.

Sukiya is the ultimate answer to travelers on a budget who want to eat healthy and food that is not full of salt and oil. I give Sukiya 5+ stars. Seriously, I think you can't beat them for taste, quality, cleanliness and price. A high quality, healthy and (Japanese style) low calorie meal can be had for as little as ¥380.

I usually order Gyudon Light (¥380 yen) and a salad (¥100) and drink the tea (free). I'm happy, I've eaten healthy and the damages? ¥480. Are you sitting down? That's about $4 USD and THERE IS NO TIPPING!"

Folks, this morning set at Sukiya with a baked salmon, rice, pickled veggies and miso soup is under $4 (USD!) Incredible! 

I'll be writing a bunch more of these in the coming months (the plan is to write at least one a week, so I hope you'll go to check it out on Robot55.jp. 

If you are on Facebook, please come and "Like" our Facebook page and then you'll see the new articles when they are posted.

So check it out, OK?

Looking for great deals on cheap eats in Japan?:

Gaijin Gourmet – Best Soba Chain in Tokyo？Yude Taro and ¥220 Draft Beer?! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-best-soba-chain-in-tokyo？yude-taro-and-¥220-draft-beer/

Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Premium Salad Bar in Tokyo? – Sizzler in Setagaya robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-premium-salad-bar-in-tokyo-sizzler-in-setagaya/

Gaijin Gourmet! Great Cheap and Delicious Soba in Gaienmae on Ginza Line! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-great-cheap-and-delicious-soba-in-gaienmae-on-ginza-line/

The Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Salad Bar Deal in Tokyo at Big Boy – My Favorite Rock N Roll Diner!! robot55.jp/blog/the-gaijin-gourmet-the-best-salad-bar-deal-in-tokyo-at-big-boy-my-favorite-rock-n-roll-diner/

Tokyo’s Best Cheap Sushi is in Okachimachi!? 東京の一番安くて美味しい寿司屋？御徒町にあるの？http://robot55.jp/blog/tokyos-best-cheap-sushi-in-okachimachi/

The Gaijin Gourmet: Soba Wars At Hanzomon Station in Tokyo robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-soba-wars-at-hanzomon-station-in-tokyo/

Gaijin Gourmet! Part 5: Great Udon in Tokyo: Rakugama Senmenjyo

Well, it's another episode of the fantastically popular Gaijin Gourmet. The blog post written by me, Mike Rogers 'The gaijin cheapskate with the tastebuds, bud!', tells you where the best cheap places are to eat in Tokyo. 

I once was told that, "If someone eats out for over 300 nights a year, they can be a newspaper or magazine restaurants critic." Well, for several years, I ate dinner outside 364 nights a year... Lunch everyday too!

But, I never became a critic (until now) because if I don't like a place, I don't go there twice. If the service is bad upon entering or seating, I will get up and walk out.

I don't have time to write about restaurants I don't like. I, actually, don't have the time to write about nice restaurants that I do like because if they are nice restaurants and I do like them, one of the good reasons I like them, is that they are undiscovered. I certainly wouldn't like to write about them now and ruin one of the few spots I enjoy and look forward to going to.

One more thing, expensive restaurants should be delicious. It's the cheap ones that are delicious that are the real treasures. So it's the cheap and delicious ones that I want to write about in Gaijin Gourmet! 

*Oh, and many years ago, I wrote that Fuji Soba was good and now that's one reason it is so popular for foreigners... But! Fuji soba has really gone downhill. I cannot recommend it anymore. Today's restaurant blows Fuji Soba away!

Today, I want to tell you about Rakugama Seimenjyo. Rakugama Seimenjyo, in English means, "Easy Pot Noodle Place"

This place rocks. It a chain restaurant that serves Japanese noodles (Udon). This is a chain restaurant and the place is packed at lunch time during the week, so don't even try to go there at those times. 


Get there at 11:30 or after 1:30 and you will be in for a real treat.

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW

The typical basic bowl of noodles is about ¥280 ~ ¥330 ($3.60 ~ $4.27 USD). See menu and HP here: http://www.sankofoods.com/shop/rakugama/index.html

Walk into the restaurant. Chose from the menu. I recommend the "Kama Age Udon" (kama a-gay uu-do-n) at ¥280 yen. Order from the nice lady. (Notice that you can see into the kitchen and it is spotless!)

Receive your basic tray of noodles. Then proceed to the toppings rack to the right. Choose the toppings of your choice. They have delicious fried chicken, fried veggies, fried squid, shrimp, pumpkin, and an assortment of rice balls... And! The prices are much cheaper than even a convenience store! 

Choose any or all of the toppings you like. Super cheap too! You can easily fill your stomach up for $7.50 (USD)... No tipping too!

Hot udon with an egg and fried shrimp. Most restaurants about ¥800 ~ ¥1,000 yen. Here? ¥400 (about $5.18 USD!)

Large hot udon and fried squid ¥480 (about $6.12 USD)

My wife had the "tempura udon" at ¥400 (about $6.12 USD). This place is delicious and you just can't beat the prices!

The restaurant is called, Rakugama Seimenjyo in English means, "Easy Pot Noodle Place." They have 19 shops all over Tokyo. Here's a webpage that shows locations (sorry it's all in Japanese!): http://www.sankofoods.com/shop/rakugama/shop.html

My favorite one is just 1 minute walk from Sangenjyaya station!

楽釜洗面所

(Rakugama Seimenjyo)

Sangenjyaya 2-13-11

Setagaya-Ku,

Tel: 5779-8340

I highly recommend this place for locals and for tourists. This gets the Gaijin Gourmet 5 stars award for cleanliness, delicious taste, and awesome price.