Restaurant
Narisawa
Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa's acclaimed Aoyama restaurant, serving a seasonal tasting menu built around Japanese ingredients, forests and the farming landscape.
Sugoi Niboshi Ramen Nagi Golden Gai
A tiny, round-the-clock ramen counter up a steep staircase in Shinjuku Golden Gai, specialising in intense broth made from dried sardines.
At a glance
- Type
- Niboshi ramen
- Area
- Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- n-nagi.com
Good to know
- Open 24 hours
- Counter seating
Why we recommend it
Nagi's original Golden Gai shop is a cramped upstairs counter in the middle of Shinjuku's famous alley of bars, and its ramen is built on niboshi, dried sardines, which give the soup a punchy, savoury and slightly bitter depth. The company has grown into a chain with branches in Japan and abroad, but this tiny room up a steep staircase is the main shop and the one with the most character. It shares the lanes with around 300 bars, which makes it an unusual place to eat noodles.
The house speciality is the niboshi ramen itself: a cloudy, intensely fishy broth served with thick, slightly wavy noodles and, in a signature touch, a few wide, flat sheets of noodle that slip about like lasagne. Toppings include slices of pork and chopped spring onion, and many diners order an extra serving of noodles or a side of rice. The fish flavour is strong and divides opinion, but fans of the style come from far away to try it. If you are unsure, start with the standard bowl rather than the richest options.
The shop is open 24 hours, so it works equally well as a late-night refuel after Golden Gai's bars or as a quieter mid-afternoon stop. Ordering is done at a ticket machine before you sit down, and prices are low. Seats are few and the stairs are steep, so expect a short queue on the street at busy times, especially late on Friday and Saturday nights, and be ready to eat and leave promptly so others can sit down.
It suits solo diners, ramen enthusiasts and night owls, and it is a fun stop on a Shinjuku evening. It is not suitable for anyone with limited mobility because of the stairs, and the counter is too small for groups to sit together. Anyone with a fish allergy should go elsewhere.
The shop is on the second floor of 1-1-10 Kabukicho, inside Shinjuku Golden Gai, about three minutes' walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Station on the Marunouchi, Fukutoshin and Toei Shinjuku lines and about eight minutes from the east exit of JR Shinjuku Station. Hanazono Shrine is next to the alleys, and the rest of Kabukicho is a short walk away.
Sugoi Niboshi Ramen Nagi Golden Gai FAQs
Is it open late?
Yes, the Golden Gai main shop is open 24 hours.
What is niboshi ramen?
Ramen with a broth made from dried sardines, giving a strong, savoury fish flavour.
How do I order?
At the ticket machine before you sit down.
Is there a queue?
Often a short one on the street at busy times, especially late at weekends.
Is it accessible?
No, it is up a steep staircase.
Is it good for groups?
The counter is very small, so it suits solo diners and pairs best.
Where is it?
On the second floor of 1-1-10 Kabukicho, inside Shinjuku Golden Gai.
What is the nearest station?
Shinjuku-sanchome, about three minutes' walk; JR Shinjuku east exit is about eight minutes.