Ramen Benkei Asakusa

Located along Kototoi-dori Avenue, Ramen Benkei Asakusa Honten was founded in 1973 and carries forward a pivotal chapter in Tokyo's ramen history. Its founder, Soichi Nishikawa, began his journey working at the food cart run by Mr. Ushikubo, founder of the legendary Sendagaya Hope Ken—the pioneer credited with creating the "back-fat pork bone soy sauce" style and establishing dedicated ramen shops across Japan.

Inspired by his mentor, Nishikawa operated his own food cart for ten years, driven by a determination to create an even richer and bolder flavor. During the Showa era, his ramen developed an almost addictive following among taxi drivers and youth, growing so intense that lines of waiting cars frequently caused severe local traffic jams known as "Benkei Jams."

The signature Ramen features a broth simmered for seven hours using pork bones, chicken, and vegetables, topped with a generous layer of carefully refined pork back fat through the traditional "seabura chatcha" method. The medium-thick noodles are crafted by Asakusa Kaikarou, a historic local noodle maker that has partnered with Benkei since its food cart days. Grounded in decades of refined craftsmanship, the shop continues to serve an authentic taste rooted in deep tradition.