Oimachi’s Higashi-Koji yokocho is riddled with dirt-cheap izakaya and other more or less unseemly boozers, but it also hides a few real gems – including this tiny standing-only noodle joint. Only five people can fit along the counter at the same time, and you’ll literally be rubbing shoulders with fellow slurpers as you dig into Irikoya’s old-school niboshi ramen.
Their signature Iriko Ramen is available in usukuchi (light, ¥950) and koikuchi (rich, ¥1,000) versions; we prefer the former soup’s mellow fish aroma and gentle sweetness, achieved by the addition of pork fat. You also get to choose either flat or curly noodles, both of which combine nicely with the flavourful soup. All bowls come with a generous cut of soft and fatty char siu pork, while deep-fried tofu slices can be added for ¥100.