A three-minute walk from Edogawabashi Station, in Shinjuku's quiet Yamabuki-cho backstreets, Santora is the miso ramen shop opened in October 2019 by a chef who spent roughly 17 years at Sapporo's miso ramen shop Sumire. It took first place in the miso category of the TRY (Tokyo Ramen of the Year) newcomer awards, then won the established-shop miso category two years running. It is one of the shops in Tokyo serving miso ramen in Sumire's direct Sapporo lineage.
The story
Owner-chef Sugawara worked at Sapporo's Sumire from 2002 to 2019, serving as head of the main shop and managing several branches — a chef trained in the shop's direct lineage. When Sumire ended its run at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, he went independent and opened Santora in Tokyo's Edogawabashi area, a history recounted on the museum's official blog.
The name Santora combines the fact that he was born in March (san) in a Year of the Tiger (tora), plus advice from an eel-restaurant owner that adding the syllable "n" to a shop name brings good luck. The awards followed quickly: first place in the miso category of the TRY newcomer awards (21st edition, 2020–2021), back-to-back first place in the established-shop miso category (22nd and 23rd editions), and third place in the same category in the 25th edition (2024–2025). The shop was also selected for Tabelog's Ramen Tokyo Hyakumeiten 2022, and in October 2025 it was slated to appear at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum's "Sumire All-Stars" event, per the museum's pre-event announcement.
What to order
The signature bowl is the miso ramen (¥1,200 as listed on Ramen Gateway). It follows the Sumire school's method of searing the miso in a wok before finishing the soup, which arrives scalding hot under a layer of lard. The noodles are custom-made by Sapporo's Nishiyama Seimen; in an interview, the owner explained he even adjusts the recipe to account for shipping days from Sapporo.
Shoyu (soy sauce) and shio (salt) ramen are also on the menu, mirroring the Sumire lineup. Check the shop's official X or Instagram for current availability and prices.
Tips for visiting
Hours as listed on the official TRY shop page are 11:00–15:00 (last order) for lunch and 17:30–20:00 (last order) for dinner, with irregular closing days. Days and hours can vary, and lunch service can end early when the soup sells out — always check the latest post on the shop's official X (@SANTORA_RAMEN) or Instagram (@santora_ramen) before you go.
The shop seats 7 at the counter plus 8 at tables (per the TRY shop page). There is no takeout or online sales. It is about a 3-minute walk from Exit 1b of Edogawabashi Station, and within walking distance of the Kagurazaka area.