Chinchintei is an abura-soba specialist in the Sakai district of Musashino City, on Tokyo's western side. It opened in 1954, and in 1958 it put abura-soba — ramen served with no soup, the noodles tossed instead into tare and lard pooled at the bottom of the bowl — on its menu. It is widely credited as the dish's birthplace, though other origin claims exist. The shop is a 12–15 minute walk north of Musashisakai Station, near Asia University, and serves lunch only.
What kind of shop it is
It started as a set-meal diner for people heading home from the nearby factories. The third-generation owner has said the shop used to open in the evenings as well, and that abura-soba was devised as something to eat alongside a drink. The soupless format traces back to banmen, a Chinese noodle dish the founder encountered while training at a restaurant in Hongo, Tokyo.
In March 2026, Toyo Suisan launched a chilled noodle product supervised by the shop — "Maruchan Mazelabo 'Chinchintei' Abura-soba" — sold nationwide except Hokkaido. The company's press release introduces Chinchintei as a long-running abura-soba shop in Musashino City and states both the 1954 founding and the 1958 menu debut.
What to order
Abura-soba is the signature bowl, in regular, large, or extra-large. There is also a chashu version, plus ramen with soup, wonton, fried rice, and rice on the side. The bowl comes with tare at the bottom and noodles topped with chashu, menma, and naruto fish cake — mix it thoroughly before your first bite.
The seasoning happens at your table, with vinegar and rayu (chili oil). Toyo Suisan's release notes that adding vinegar and chili oil to tune the bowl to your own taste has become the customary way to eat it here. Try a few bites as served, then add both partway through.
Tips for your visit
There is no ticket machine. You join the queue, order verbally, and pay at the register after eating. Service is lunchtime only and ends when the noodles run out, so leave yourself some margin.
The shop has no website; announcements go out on its official X account (@chinchintei1). The hours, closing days, and prices on this page come from secondary sources, so check X before you go — particularly for unscheduled closures.
- Lunch only; closes once the noodles run out
- No ticket machine — order verbally, pay after eating
- Vinegar and chili oil at the table are the customary finish
- Nearest station: Musashisakai Station, North Exit, 12–15 min on foot