Yomenya Goemon Ikebukurotobuten at Ikebukuro, Tokyo

A long-running Japanese spaghetti specialist on Tobu Ikebukuro 12th floor, serving chopstick-friendly creative pasta from a Goemon pot.

Yomenya Goemon was founded in Shibuya in 1976 on a simple idea: to make spaghetti that Japanese palates find delicious, eaten with chopsticks rather than a fork. The Ikebukuro Tobu branch, on the 12th-floor Spice restaurant floor, keeps that tradition alive, boiling pasta al dente in a large Goemon pot and serving it in original Arita-yaki bowls delivered on a tray. The brand is proud to call its food Japanese-born Japanese spaghetti, rather than Italian cooking. The menu spans more than 20 wafu and yofu creations, from mentaiko, shrimp and shimeji with shiso to mozzarella and eggplant with black wagyu meat ragu, margherita, tarako and yuba, and crab with bottarga. Healthier options and seasonal summer specials such as chicken and seven-vegetable negi-salt-lemon peperoncino round out the list, and set menus suit those after a lighter meal. The branch is family-friendly, with baby chairs, a children menu and wheelchair and buggy access, and hours run from 11:00 to 22:00. For a comforting, distinctly Japanese take on pasta in the heart of Ikebukuro, Yomenya Goemon offers a reliably satisfying bowl. Its chopstick-friendly style, generous portions and creative seasoning make it a favourite for families, regulars and anyone curious about Japan unique pasta culture.