Food Scene
Hulu-lu is a popular ramen shop in Ikebukuro and it has been widely accepted as one of the best spots for salt and soy sauce based ramen. The high quality of the food is very well furnished and sophisticated with so much thoughts put into every detail. The thin noodles that come with the good chewy texture perfectly match with the lightly flavored chicken based soup while enjoying the nice relaxing Hawaiian music inside. The salt based ramen here is marvelous and a "must order", while the soy sauce based ramen are very decent. It is our "must go" place in Ikebukuro for a reasonable and fine local food. A shop is a nice cozy place but it might be a little bit too small for such popular place.
Restaurant: Hulu-lu (フルル)
Recommendation: Shio Soba (Salt Based Ramen) - 750 Yen
Phone: 050-5872-4667
Address: 2-60-7, Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station: 10 minute walk from the Ikebukuro Station west exit
Open Hour: [Mon, Wed - Sat] from 11:30 - 15:00
Close: Tuesday
Price Range: [Lunch] ~¥999, [Dinner] ~¥999
Credit Card: N.A
Seats: 11 seats (5 counter seats + tables of 2 seats and 4 seats)
25 locals recommend
麺屋 Hulu-lu(フルル)
2-chōme-60-7 IkebukuroHulu-lu is a popular ramen shop in Ikebukuro and it has been widely accepted as one of the best spots for salt and soy sauce based ramen. The high quality of the food is very well furnished and sophisticated with so much thoughts put into every detail. The thin noodles that come with the good chewy texture perfectly match with the lightly flavored chicken based soup while enjoying the nice relaxing Hawaiian music inside. The salt based ramen here is marvelous and a "must order", while the soy sauce based ramen are very decent. It is our "must go" place in Ikebukuro for a reasonable and fine local food. A shop is a nice cozy place but it might be a little bit too small for such popular place.
Restaurant: Hulu-lu (フルル)
Recommendation: Shio Soba (Salt Based Ramen) - 750 Yen
Phone: 050-5872-4667
Address: 2-60-7, Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station: 10 minute walk from the Ikebukuro Station west exit
Open Hour: [Mon, Wed - Sat] from 11:30 - 15:00
Close: Tuesday
Price Range: [Lunch] ~¥999, [Dinner] ~¥999
Credit Card: N.A
Seats: 11 seats (5 counter seats + tables of 2 seats and 4 seats)
Italian BAR UOKIN
1-chōme-35-8 NishiikebukuroItalian BAR with delicious food.
The ramen shop of choice for Ikebukuro's late-night partiers, Muteki sizzles with a soy sauce-flavoured, fatty tonkotsu soup that goes down very smoothly and makes for a nice match with the medium-thick, pleasantly firm noodles. Make sure to add some garlic to the mix, and ordering some extra chashu pork also merits consideration. Their most popular dish is the honmaru-men, while the milder and less greasy genkotsu-men is completely adequate as well. Queues tend to form even at night, but customer turnover is rapid and everything functions remarkably efficiently all the way up to closing time (4am).
194 locals recommend
Mutekiya
1-chōme-17-1 MinamiikebukuroThe ramen shop of choice for Ikebukuro's late-night partiers, Muteki sizzles with a soy sauce-flavoured, fatty tonkotsu soup that goes down very smoothly and makes for a nice match with the medium-thick, pleasantly firm noodles. Make sure to add some garlic to the mix, and ordering some extra chashu pork also merits consideration. Their most popular dish is the honmaru-men, while the milder and less greasy genkotsu-men is completely adequate as well. Queues tend to form even at night, but customer turnover is rapid and everything functions remarkably efficiently all the way up to closing time (4am).
Parks & Nature
kebukuro West Gate Park (Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi Kōen), across from the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space, with a plaza and fountain, is immortalized in popular fiction as the hangout of young working class heroes, molls, and punks. It began with an urban mystery novel series called Ikebukuro West Gate Park, which was turned into a TV and manga comic series. But be assured: it's a work of fiction playing on the area's somewhat gritty reputation, and not based on its actual present state. Visit Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park on a weekend and, more often than not, you'll encounter a colorful festival or some other buoyant outdoor social event in full swing.
Ikebukuro does, however, thrive on fiction in a very modern, Japanese form - that of manga and animation ("anime"). The northern end of the east side of Ikebukuro station, near Sunshine 60 Dori Avenue, is full of stores dealing in kawaii ("cute") popular comic and anime character goods, which are especially popular with girls.
75 locals recommend
Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi Park
1-chōme-8-26 Nishiikebukurokebukuro West Gate Park (Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi Kōen), across from the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space, with a plaza and fountain, is immortalized in popular fiction as the hangout of young working class heroes, molls, and punks. It began with an urban mystery novel series called Ikebukuro West Gate Park, which was turned into a TV and manga comic series. But be assured: it's a work of fiction playing on the area's somewhat gritty reputation, and not based on its actual present state. Visit Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park on a weekend and, more often than not, you'll encounter a colorful festival or some other buoyant outdoor social event in full swing.
Ikebukuro does, however, thrive on fiction in a very modern, Japanese form - that of manga and animation ("anime"). The northern end of the east side of Ikebukuro station, near Sunshine 60 Dori Avenue, is full of stores dealing in kawaii ("cute") popular comic and anime character goods, which are especially popular with girls.
Arts & Culture
The striking, glass-paneled Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space with a large, distinctive sculpture out front (see picture above) is just across from the Metropolitan Plaza Building. It is a multi-hall venue featuring a rich array of stage and musical (largely orchestral) performances.
12 locals recommend
Nishiikebukuro, 1-chōme−8−1
The striking, glass-paneled Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space with a large, distinctive sculpture out front (see picture above) is just across from the Metropolitan Plaza Building. It is a multi-hall venue featuring a rich array of stage and musical (largely orchestral) performances.
Shopping
Ikebukuro Marui
3-chōme-28-13 NishiikebukuroLarge shopping mall
Getting Around
1丁目 Minamiikebukuro
The biggest terminal station.