If you're eating ramen in Saitama (Saitama Prefecture), these are the places to go! 8 popular shops by area

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Located in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Gara Kuraku Gakko is a unique ramen shop with a school theme.

Inside, they display school inspired items such as mini blackboards and randoseru (Japanese school backpacks). The place has a homey atmosphere and feels comfortable.

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The menu names also include playful touches that bring school to mind, such as "2-nen 1-kumi (Class 2-1)".

The "3-nen 1-kumi Shoyu Ramen" is popular for its rich soup, slowly simmered from chicken bones and pork bones. The thick cut chashu (braised pork) is melt-in-your-mouth good and said to be so tasty it keeps you coming back for more.

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The "Assari Uma-Shio Raumen 3 Nen 3 Kumi" is a bowl that lets you enjoy the light, tasty flavor of a Domestic chicken bone broth.

The soup coats the noodles well, and with each bite the fresh scent of yuzu (Japanese citrus) spreads through the bowl. The noodles come in Large size or extra-large at no extra charge.

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Musashi no Mugiho in Iruma, Saitama is an izakaya (Japanese pub) with a full lineup of carefully crafted ramen dishes.

Inside, in addition to counter seats that are easy to stop by alone and table seating, there are also raised tatami seating areas where you can relax. It is said to be convenient for different occasions.

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The "Madai (Sea Bream) Shio Soba Special Ramen" is a deluxe version topped with seasoned egg, four slices of chashu, and two pieces of Kinka-buta (Kinka pork) wonton.

The soup is said to be excellent, with a light taste that still lets you feel the rich flavor of Sea Bream, and it coats the smooth noodles well.

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The limited-quantity “Madai (Sea Bream) Shio Tsukemen (kombu kelp water),” with only 5 to 10 servings available, features house-made flat noodles soaked in slightly cool kombu kelp water, giving them a smooth and pleasant texture and letting them pair perfectly with the dipping broth!

You can choose between two kinds of dipping broth, salt or soy sauce, so you can enjoy it the way you like.

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Rakkan Tokorozawa Ten in Tokorozawa, Saitama, is known for its soup, which carefully brings out the full flavor of the ingredients.

The interior, based on wood grain and black tones, has a clean and neat feel. There are counter and table seats arranged with good spacing, so you can enjoy your meal in a calm atmosphere.

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The "Tokusei Kohaku (special amber) ~ Tanrei Shoyu (light soy sauce) ~" is a bowl with an excellent balance of umami from kioke-jikomi (wooden barrel brewed) soy sauce and dashi (Japanese soup stock).

The soup with a lightly toasted aroma clings well to the straight noodles with their chewy texture, and it is said to be so good that you can finish it in no time. The sharp bite of the onion adds a nice accent!

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The signature “Meibutsu Rakkan Gyoza” is a popular menu item that you can order either A la carte or as a set with rice.

The gyoza are packed full of filling, with a nicely browned surface and lots of juicy meat inside. They say the flavor stands out even more when you eat them with the “Rakkan hiden no tare (Rakkan’s secret sauce).”

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Boasting 50 years in business, Keiraku is a restaurant in Kasukabe, Saitama where you can enjoy a wide variety of Chinese dishes.

The interior, based around brown tones, has a modern and grown-up feel. There are counter and table seats, and guests can relax and spend time there in comfort.

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The ramen and gyoza made with carefully simmered chicken bone broth are said to be very good.

The soy sauce based soup for the ramen has a rich dashi flavor and pairs well with the medium-thin noodles and toppings. The toppings, including the carefully prepared nitamago (marinated soft-boiled egg) and chashu (braised pork), are also said to be excellent.

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"Curry ramen" is a popular bowl To finish after drinks.

It comes topped with a curry ankake (thickened sauce) made with pork and onions, and the soy sauce based soup carries a gentle curry aroma. As you keep eating, the curry flavor grows stronger, and by the end, it leaves you with the same Manzoku as eating a full plate of curry.

Photograph:ありす。。

This izakaya where you can enjoy sumibiyaki (charcoal grilling) and carefully crafted ramen is a 3-minute walk from Kawaguchi Station.

The casual interior has table seating, zashiki (tatami floor seating), and counter seats, and it is said to be easy for first-time visitors to drop in. Even though it is an izakaya, coming just for the ramen is also OK!

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The "Kai-dashi Tonkotsu Ramen (Salt)" is a bowl that combines a broth made by drawing out the aroma and umami of large amounts of asari (manila clams) and hotate (scallops) with a clean tasting tonkotsu (pork bone) soup.

What makes it appealing is how directly you can enjoy the umami of the tonkotsu and shellfish broth. You can choose between two flavors, salt or soy sauce, depending on your mood that day.

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The "niku-jiru gyoza (juicy meat dumplings)" made without garlic or nira (garlic chives) are a good choice for people who worry about the smell after eating gyoza.

The filling is well seasoned, and the dumplings are finished with a juicy bite like xiaolongbao. They also go perfectly with beer even without any dipping sauce.

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Osake to Men no Taikunchi is a restaurant in the fiercely competitive ramen area of Soka, Saitama, where you can mainly enjoy Asahikawa ramen.

The interior, based on white tones, is bright like a cafe, with counter and table seating arranged spaciously to create a comfortable space.

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"Moyashi soba (bean sprout noodles)" is a piping hot ramen with a layer of oil floating on the surface of the soup.

The double soup, made by combining animal-based stock with seafood stock such as niboshi (dried sardines), has good depth while keeping the finish clean. The soup clings well to the chewy noodles, so it stays tasty all the way to the last bite.

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The uniquely named Aka Gorira (Red Gorilla) 3-Kara is a bowl that really stands out with its bright red soup.

The soup, turned bright red with spicy miso, is less hot than it looks, and plenty of ground meat adds rich flavor. It comes topped with chashu (braised pork) and hosaki menma (bamboo shoot tips), making it a satisfying bowl.

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Uchu Hanten, where you can enjoy inventive Chinese cuisine with a fresh twist, is located in Niiza, Saitama Prefecture.

Lit by pale blue neon, the stylish interior is designed to evoke a spaceship. Along with BGM played through Japanese-made speakers from the 1970s, you can enjoy Japanese-Chinese food with a fresh new twist.

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The "Su Ramen" topped with shiraga negi (finely shredded white leek) is a bowl that combines chicken bone broth with a seafood soy tare.

This carefully crafted ramen is simple, but well known for its deep umami. It is good as is, and it is also good to change up the flavor with niku miso (seasoned meat miso) or bean sprouts. They recommend enjoying it however you feel that day.

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This is a menu item that many people visit for, with the Tamago Nokke Kuro Chahan (black fried rice topped with egg) as their goal.

The striking Kuro Chahan is said to be a dish you can enjoy to the very last bite, with the fragrant aroma of soy sauce and deep richness, accented by the mellow egg and the sharp kick of beni shoga (pickled red ginger).

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Jidori Chuka Soba to Takitate Chichibu Okan-meshi Toriko Shokudo is a diner in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, where you can enjoy ramen made by a former French chef.

The interior, with its exposed concrete, is bright and stylish. There are counter seats and four-person tables, so it is easy to visit whether you are dining solo or in a group.

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"Chichibu Buta Miso Ramen" is a new local specialty of Chichibu, topped with its famous miso grilled pork.

The rich miso soup goes perfectly with the springy medium-thick curly noodles. The fragrant pork is more filling than it looks, making it very satisfying.

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The "Toriko Set," which comes with rice and 3 pieces of Kara-age, is a popular menu item that many people order with ramen.

The Kara-age is fried with perfect heat, giving it a light, crisp coating while the inside stays moist and juicy.