A 'Soup-First' Ramen Shop Opens in Ginza: No Chashu, Just Pure Flavor

Ajiwa Shoten Co., Ltd. and Kosho Co., Ltd. are set to open 'Gyokotsuya Ginza,' a fish-bone ramen specialty shop, in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, on June 1, 2026. This store represents a new challenge by a kappo restaurant that has operated the Japanese cuisine establishment 'Ajimi' in Hakata, Fukuoka, focusing on 'ramen where the soup is the star.' Gyokotsuya is not an ordinary ramen shop; it is a place to savor the soup. While traditional ramen relies on the balance of noodles, toppings, and soup, this shop overturns that convention by designing the menu with the soup as the protagonist. The brand is supervised by 'Ajimi,' a kappo restaurant in Nakasu, Fukuoka. Based on the techniques of chefs with Michelin experience, it reconstructs the delicate dashi culture of Japanese cuisine in the form of ramen. We intentionally do not use chashu, which is often considered the star of typical ramen. The reason is simple: it ruins the delicate umami of the fish. By eliminating animal fats and scents, we maximize the purity of the soup. Toppings exist only to enhance the soup, with carefully selected ingredients like small shrimp tempura, green onions, seaweed, and cabbage. The noodles are designed as a supporting role to carry the soup, using custom-made chewy noodles. The soup is based on sea bream bones, carefully prepared using Japanese culinary techniques. Operating hours are from 9 PM to 4 AM. We propose a new value for Ginza's nightlife, not just as a place to finish a night of drinking, but as a destination to 'go drink soup.' Additionally, the shop operates as 'Unagi no Eito Ginza' during the day, featuring a dual-business model of 'eel by day, fish-bone ramen by night.'