Shimbashi, one of Tokyo’s major business districts, offers excellent access to places like Ginza, Shibuya, Shinagawa, and Haneda Airport, thanks to the JR Yamanote Line and several other train lines.
After World War II, Japan’s largest black market sprang up in front of Shimbashi Station. As Japan entered its period of rapid economic growth, the area evolved with the construction of corporate buildings, becoming the business hub it is today.
Located just outside the Hibiya Exit of JR Shimbashi Station, the retro and chaotic New Shimbashi Building symbolizes that postwar history. Packed with all kinds of stores—from eateries and knickknack shops to massage salons—this colorful commercial building remains full of character.
On the first floor of the building one shop that never lacks customers is the local branch of “Kaku Masayoshi Misen,” (referred to hereafter as “Misen”) known as the birthplace of Nagoya’s famous “Taiwan Ramen.”
Despite its name, Taiwan Ramen (called “Taiwanese ramen” on the store menu) isn’t actually a Taiwanese dish. It was created by the founder of Misen, who was originally from Taiwan. The dish spread to other shops and is now one of Nagoya’s signature foods.
In Nagoya cuisine, menu items with “Taiwan” or “Taiwanese” in the name are often spicy.
Bold, spicy, and addictive: the original “Taiwanese ramen”
Taiwanese ramen typically features a chicken-based broth topped with spicy minced meat known as Taiwanese mince, along with generous amounts of garlic chives, green onions, bean sprouts, and chili peppers.
The soup for Misen’s Taiwanese ramen is simple, made by combining a soy sauce–based tare with chicken broth.
The noodles are medium-thin and slightly wavy, allowing the soup and meat to cling to them well.
The dish is finished with a topping of boiled bean sprouts, raw garlic chives, chopped green onion, and finally, the signature Taiwanese mince.
This Taiwanese mince is the key to the flavor. Made with ground pork seasoned with Chinese chili peppers, chili oil, and various spices, it’s rich and boldly spicy.
From the vibrant red broth rises an intense aroma of garlic and chili. Take a sip, and you’ll first experience the deep umami of the chicken broth followed by a satisfying wave of heat.
“台湾ラーメン,” Taiwanese ramen 900 JPY (tax included)
The true essence of Misen’s Taiwanese ramen is unleashed when mixed. Use the spoon and chopsticks to break apart the Taiwanese mince and mix it into the soup.
Mix it all together and the spiciness becomes even more intense! The sharp heat hits your tongue while the rich flavor of the minced meat, the fresh crunch of garlic chives, and the subtle sweetness of the bean sprouts all come together in layered waves of flavor.
Even as your mouth heats up and sweat starts to bead on your forehead, you’ll find yourself wanting more. This addictive quality is what makes the original Taiwanese ramen from Misen so irresistible.
While the standard Taiwanese ramen is sufficiently stimulating in spiciness, you can make it spicier according to your preference with “Italian” (double spiciness), “African” (quadruple spiciness), “Alien” (eight times spiciness), or go with the spiceless option.
Spice lovers should definitely try the Alien level, while those who are spice-sensitive can go for the milder “American” version to still enjoy the famous flavors.
You can also mellow out the spiciness by adding vinegar. It’s available at the table, so give it a try.
If you want to focus on the Taiwanese mince, you can ask the staff for a slotted spoon that lets you enjoy solid ingredients without liquid.
Despite its rich, spicy flavor, Taiwanese ramen is relatively healthy—it has less than half the calories of typical tantanmen noodles (Japan’s popular ramen dish inspired by Chinese dan dan noodles), so you can enjoy every last bite guilt-free.
Directly savor the umami of Taiwanese mince with “Taiwanese mixing noodles”
At Misen, the “Taiwanese mixing noodles” are also popular.
Mixing noodles, or mazesoba, derived from ramen, is a noodle dish eaten by mixing noodles with sauce and oil instead of soup. Despite the name “soba,” it doesn’t use buckwheat flour and is primarily wheat-based like ramen.
“台湾まぜそば,” Taiwanese mixing noodles 1,000 JPY (tax included)
Misen’s Taiwanese mixing noodles use similar ingredients to its ramen, but what sets it apart is the homemade red miso-based sauce—a local Nagoya specialty. The deep, umami-rich miso brings another layer of complexity to the dish.
Since mazesoba has sauce concentrated at the bottom, it tastes best when you crush the egg yolk and mix everything well with chopsticks and spoon.
Without the soup, the rich flavor of the toppings really takes center stage. The spicy, juicy umami of the Taiwanese mince spreads across your palate, and with each bite, the meat’s sweetness and the aroma of spices build into an irresistibly addictive taste.
You also get a free serving of rice, so after finishing the noodles, you can mix it with the remaining toppings and enjoy a second round of flavor.
Depending on your mood, you can go for the rich, savory taste of the hot noodles or enjoy a refreshing version with chilled noodles—either way, the choice is yours with this dish.
Creative curries and special dishes galore!
Misen’s Taiwanese mince isn’t just for noodles. One standout dish that started as a staff meal is the “Taiwanese mince curry,” a hearty and popular choice.
“台湾ミンチカレー,” Taiwanese mince curry 1,000 JPY (tax included)
This dish features classic Japanese curry rice—simmered with onions and vegetables—topped with spicy Taiwanese mince. The result is a rich, spicy combo that’s hard to stop eating.
With three pieces of karaage (Japanese fried chicken) that lock juicy chicken thigh umami in crispy batter, plus soup, satisfaction is guaranteed.
Misen also offers plenty of dishes perfect for pairing with drinks. One must-try item is the *Pan-fried dumplings,” the restaurant’s special gyoza.
Filled with classic ingredients like ground pork, cabbage, and garlic chives, plus a generous punch of garlic, these dumplings pack a bold flavor—pure bliss when enjoyed with a cold beer.
Other options include Nagoya specialties like tebasaki (chicken wings), offal dishes, seafood, tofu, and more.
At dinner time, each person is required to order at least one drink, and table time is limited to 90 minutes.
“ギョウザ,” Pan-fried dumplings 600 JPY (tax included)
Just a 3-minute walk from the New Shimbashi Building is another branch located in front of Shimbashi Station, where you can dine in a more spacious setting.
In this diverse culinary hub of Shimbashi, be sure to experience the bold, authentic flavors of Nagoya.
Misen’s branch in front of Shimbashi Station
Information
| Store name | 郭 政良 味仙 東京ニュー新橋ビル店 Kaku Masayoshi Misen Tokyo New-shinbashi building |
|---|---|
| Address | New Shimbashi Building 1F, 2-16-1 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
Shimbashi Station 1-minute walk from Shimbashi Station Karasumori Exit
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| Phone number | 03-6206-6727 |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | None |
| Hours | 11:00-15:00, 17:00-23:00 |
| Closed | No fixed holidays Unscheduled holidays |
| Seating | 24 seats 4 counter seats, 20 table seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | http://www.misen-ganso.jp/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of June 2025.
