Chiba

At what’s considered the best ramen shop in Japan, the main draw is tsukesoba, ramen master Tomita-san’s fresh, bouncy dipping noodles. They come with thick, gravylike tonkotsu broth made with pork bones, dried sardines, yuzu, and tougarashi (spicy!), as well as your pick of toppings, like pork chashu and perfectly runny egg. This is the OG, about an hour outside of Tokyo. It’s a trip worth taking, even though you have to come in early and line up for timed tickets; ramen fanatics consider it a pilgrimage.