The 'double soup' — a pork-and-chicken broth blended with a stock of katsuo (bonito), mackerel, and niboshi (dried sardines) — is now standard across Japan's ramen scene. Its widely credited birthplace is Chuka Soba Aoba, founded in Nakano in October 1996. The main branch still serves the bowl that spawned countless 'Aoba-inspired' shops.

What kind of shop is it?

Aoba opened in October 1996 as a tiny shop of just 4.5 tsubo (about 15 square meters), according to the official website. The name carries the image of the founder's hometown of Sendai and the fresh, forward-looking ring of the word 'aoba' (young leaves). The founding concept is the 'yatai,' or street stall: a small counter-focused shop with a deliberately short menu, so all the effort goes into a single bowl.

The signature soup is Aoba's original 'double soup,' which combines an animal-based broth with a seafood stock. It was created to take the best of both worlds — light, soy-based Tokyo ramen and rich, pork-bone Kyushu ramen — and its influence was so great that 'Aoba-inspired' became a recognized category of ramen shop. The owner's greeting on the official website also mentions the shop's listing in the Michelin Guide. Aoba now has many branches across greater Tokyo, but the Nakano main branch is where it all began.

What to order

The official menu lists only four items. The 'tokusei' (special) versions add extra chashu pork and menma (seasoned bamboo shoots) plus a seasoned egg. For a first visit, start with the basic chuka soba to taste the original double soup. Tsukemen — cold noodles you dip into a separate bowl of the same soup — is Aoba's other signature.

Prices are not published on the official website, which notes only that prices differ at some branches. Check at the shop for current prices (as of July 2026).

  • Chuka Soba
  • Tokusei (Special) Chuka Soba — extra chashu and menma, plus a seasoned egg
  • Tsukemen (dipping noodles)
  • Tokusei (Special) Tsukemen

Tips for your visit

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to around 9:00 p.m., but the shop closes early once the soup runs out (per the official website, as of July 2026) — so earlier in the day is the safer bet. There is no regular closing day, but hours change around the New Year holidays; the shop was closed on January 1, 2026. Temporary changes are announced on the official website's news page, so check before making a special trip.

The shop is about a three-minute walk from the North Exit of Nakano Station on the JR Chuo and Sobu Lines and the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. The official site does not state which payment methods are accepted, so it is safest to bring cash.