In a residential stretch along Inokashira-dori, a short walk north of JR Mitaka Station, Menya Sakurai is known for its light, clear-broth shoyu and shio ramen. Selected for Tabelog's "Top 100 Ramen Shops" eight years running (2017–2024, per its official X profile), the shop relocated on October 19, 2025 to 2-21-3 Nishikubo in Musashino City, about five minutes on foot from its old home, and made a fresh start.
About the shop
Owner Yuta Sakurai trained for about five years at Mendokoro Honda in Higashi-Jujo before opening his own place in the Mitaka area in November 2016 (per an official interview with Tempos Food Media). Since then, his clear chicken-and-dashi shoyu and shio bowls have made the shop a fixture of the Top 100 list.
The original location (2-15-27 Nishikubo) closed at the end of August 2025, and on October 19, 2025 the shop reopened along Inokashira-dori, about five minutes' walk away. According to local media, the new space seats around 13 between the counter and tables; in its own opening announcement, the shop said that easing the long lines it was known for was one of the goals of the move.
What to order
The core menu is shoyu (soy sauce) and shio (salt) ramen: a clear soup that layers chicken with kombu, shiitake and other dried-goods dashi, paired with medium-thin straight noodles from Mikawaya Seimen, according to media reports. If you want the toppings, go for the "Tokujo" (deluxe): local food media describe five kinds of chashu prepared by different methods—moromi-koji-marinated, sous-vide pork shoulder and chicken breast, charcoal-grilled pork belly, hook-roasted pork leg, and oven-roasted chicken thigh—plus a seasoned egg. The niboshi ramen, made with dried sardines from Nagasaki and flying-fish niboshi from Toyama, is another staple.
Prices at the new location have not been officially confirmed, so check the official X account for the current ticket-machine prices. For reference, the tokusei shoyu ramen was 1,400 yen as of a 2023 official interview.
Tips for visiting
Ordering is by shokken (meal ticket): buy a ticket from the vending machine inside the shop. Per local media reports just after the move, dinner service runs only on Mondays and Saturdays; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are lunch only; Sundays and holidays run 11:30–16:00 straight through; and Wednesdays are the regular closing day. Temporary closures and limited-edition bowls are announced on the official X account (@menya_s), so check the latest posts before you go. This is a shop that drew daily lines before the move, so allow yourself extra time.