Ramen Jiro Kaminoge (ラーメン二郎 上野毛店): Setagaya's Finest Jiro; Kaminoge, Tokyo

Surprisingly enough, despite Jiro’s humble beginnings around the Setagaya area of Tokyo, there actually aren’t a lot of Jiro locations left in this area. Currently, two shops call Setagaya home, the ever popular, but stubborn Shin Daita location and this one just a short walk from Kaminoge station on the Tokyu Oimachi line. Despite being in the same district of Tokyo, the two shops are actually quite far from each other and both are located in a somewhat residential area. I would say the two shops grew because of their location in residential pockets of Tokyo as it helped cultivate a collection of hardcore, local fans that will line up for their ramen daily. You won’t see massive lines like Mita Honten or Yokohama Kannai, but Kaminoge still attract a ton of local die hards that swear by this ramen. As you’ll soon see, Kaminoge tops the list (in my opinion) for a certain style of Jiro, so there are traveling Jirorians (Jiro fanatics), that will come and wait for their bowls as well.

The shop started here in Kaminoge in 2002, but a short 4 years later, the master was replaced and the current keeper has been here operating this branch since 2006. When I look at the list of Jiro shops, I honestly find myself scratching my head, wondering why this location is so popular, but one visit on a Friday or Saturday and you’ll see why. One of the reasons for their popularity stems in their proximity to a bunch of universities and company HQs located in the Setagaya area. Every time I make a visit, the line is filled with your typical Japanese college student (both male and female!), or mid 20 businessmen/women waiting patiently to grab a bowl of Kaminoge’s cost effective ramen. As you might be able to tell from the photo of the ticket machine, the ramen here is incredibly cheap (about $7 for a small and $8.50 for a large) and while the regular sho ramen isn’t all that big (in relation to other Jiros), the large is 410g of noodles, pre-boil, so it can fill you up quick. By the way, no English menu available so I’ll translate the machine here. Top left pink button is Dai Buta Iri, or large with extra pork chashu and the Yellow is Dai Ramen, or just large ramen. Blue is Sho Ramen, or small ramen and finally the orange button is Sho Buta Iri, or small with extra pork chashu. That’s it, that’s the entire menu. On the machine is a warning explaining that “the large is 410g of noodle pre-boil” and “if it’s your first time, please get the small”. Not to scare you, but they really don’t take kindly to food waste so only order the large if you’re absolutely, positively sure you can finish it. My order for the day was the Sho Buta Iri, or small with extra pork chashu and my call was Ninniku, Abura or extra garlic and pork back fat. If you need a refresher on Jiro “calls”, refer to my Mita Honten article.

Pictured is my ramen and as you can see, it’s probably on the low end in terms of portion size (relative to the Jiros). It’s actually so small that this is one of the few shops that I grab the extra pork chashu every visit because the large is just a bit too much noodles, and the extra pork is too hard to resist. Anyways, starting with the soup, the Kaminoge rendition is quite low on the emulsification…some might say it’s the lowest of the 42 shops, and thus has a pretty light profile. I quite like this style so the Kaminoge soup is one of my favorites in Tokyo, but the low profile can be a bit too reserved for some. I like to recommend Kaminoge to Jiro first timers because it won’t weigh you down nearly as much as some of the more old school shops, but Jiro regulars will find this a bit unsatisfying. What really makes it for me is the shoyu tare which has a sharp bite to it making the super really crisp and refreshing. It’s not very common to find a Jiro soup like this so I enjoy this bowl a lot. Hints of garlic come in as an after taste in the soup and is accentuated with the garlic topping if you choose to add it during your call. Abura, pork back fat gives it a savory, sweetness and I definitely recommend it as a topping.

Noodles are a bit like the rest of the bowl in that it is rather plain in comparison to the other branch locations. It’s not super thick, nor is it shaggy, but it has a texture to it that honestly just works for this soup. It soaks up the porky broth nicely and has a satisfying, slippery slurpability to them making it pair perfectly in my opinion. They still use the O-shon flour so it has the distinct aroma and flavor of Jiro noods, but I won’t come here expecting some reverse cut magic. The vegetables topping the noodles are crispy and blanched really well leaving a bite to them which I really appreciate, but the non existent cabbage to bean sprout ratio is disappointing. The abura does wonders to inject some flavors in to the bean sprouts so another reason to ask for this free topping during your call.

Probably the biggest highlight of the ramen is the pork chashu and since the noodle portions are rather small, I love that I can indulge by getting extra without feeling like complete utter crap afterwards. The chashu are shoulder cuts, but it’s a lot leaner than the other locations so it tends to look dry. I don’t usually suggest this, but I soak it in the soup or a bit to sort of rehydrate and soak up the shoyu marinade and have some with the blanched bean sprouts… it’s the closest thing to heaven on earth. Rough and tumble texture is great with the slippery noodles as well so really just well thought out on all fronts.

If you’re looking for your first Jiro to visit, I definitely recommend making a visit to Kaminoge. Very friendly vibe and the master is pretty relaxed for the most part. If you do make a visit, feel free to let me know what you thought in the comment section below!