Enjoy Super-Famous Ramen from Across Japan at TOKYO CITY KEIBA! Hot Winter Event, “Ramen-Fest 2018”!

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Written by GOOD LUCK TRIP

Have you ever visited TOKYO CITY KEIBA (TCK)?
Located in Tokyo’s Shinagawa-ku, the racetrack is not just a place where you can enjoy horse races. It is also an exciting sightseeing spot that features fun events, gorgeous illuminations, and even delicious gourmet foods!

TOKYO CITY KEIBA (TCK)
TOKYO CITY KEIBA (TCK)

This Article will introduce TOKYO CITY KEIBA as a whole, as well as its hot winter event, “Ramen-Fest 2018”! If you’re a couple, family, or group of friends traveling who want to enjoy Tokyo’s nightlife at the end of the year, this is for you!

Table of Contents

A Racecourse in Tokyo’s Shinagawa

A Racecourse in Tokyo’s Shinagawa

Tokyo is home to both Tokyo Racecourse (Tokyo Keibajo) in Fuchu, as well as TOKYO CITY KEIBA in Shinagawa-ku.
Tokyo Racecourse hosts races every weekend (including national holidays), and TOKYO CITY KEIBA hosts races on weekdays (including national holidays). Additionally, TCK is located close to the heart of Tokyo, making it easy to visit on weekdays as you avoid the weekend crowds!

好像觀光景點一樣的賽馬場
A raCecourse like a sightseeing spot: TOKYO CITY KEIBA (TCK)

Twinkle Race

TOKYO CITY KEIBA is home to “Twinkle Races,” Japan’s first nighttime horse races, held April through December. (Races January through March are held during the day. Detailed schedules can be found on the racecourse’s official web page.)
While Twinkle Races are being held, not only are there the thrilling races, but there are also colorful illuminations set up! Other exciting events are also held frequently, so you can enjoy a variety of activities while watching the horse races. TCK truly is a great “night date spot”!

Photogenic Twinkle Race is Great for Social Media Posts!
Photogenic Twinkle Race is Great for Social Media Posts!

Furthermore, Kanto’s largest-scale illumination event that uses around 8 million bulbs, “TOKYO MEGA ILLUMINATION,” had its grand opening on October 7th, 2018! (※Illuminations on the nights of Twinkle Races utilize approximately 3.5 million bulbs.)

TOKYO MEGA ILLUMINATION TOKYO TWINKLE MAP
TOKYO MEGA ILLUMINATION
TOKYO TWINKLE MAP

Convenient Access

The nearest stations to TOKYO CITY KEIBA are Tokyo Monorail’s “Oi Keibajo-mae Station” and Keihin Kyuko’s “Tachiaigawa Station.” You can also reach the racecourse from other points in Tokyo, as a free shuttle bus to the racecourse is offered from JR Oimachi Station, Omori Station, and Kinshicho Station.

Tokyo Monorail’s “Oi Keibajo-mae Station”
Tokyo Monorail’s “Oi Keibajo-mae Station”

A Variety of Delicious Gourmet Foods

TCK offers access to a wide variety of food and drinks, from delicious street foods to menus aimed at women!
Additionally, you can even enjoy a full-fledged buffet-style meal made under the watchful eye of a famous French chef at “Diamond Turn,” a race-viewing restaurant. You’re sure to walk away with great memories of your experience enjoying delicious food and exciting races!

Diamond Turn – Buffet!
Diamond Turn – Buffet!
Diamond Turn - Interior!
Diamond Turn - Interior!

Visit Ramen-Fest 2018

TOKYO CITY KEIBA’s main annual event will be taking place soon!
This year the event will feature 8 ramen restaurants from across the country, selected by the “self-proclaimed man who has eaten the most ramen in Japan” ramen critic Hiroshi Osaki!

Additionally, 4 famous restaurants from across Japan featuring side dishes, such as gyoza, kara-age, fried rice, and dim-sum will also have pop-ups. See for yourself which restaurants are featured, and stop by at the end of the year!

Event Outline

Location
UMAILE SQUARE on-premises
Featured Restaurants
8 ramen restaurants, 4 side dish restaurants
Event Period
December 25-27, December 29-31
Hours
2:00pm-9:00pm on December 25-26
1:30pm-9:00pm on December 27
10:00am-6:00pm on December 29-31
Last orders are taken 30 minutes before closing.
Admission
100 yen
Free admission on the December 25(Tues.) and 26(Wed.).

Featured Ramen Restaurants (8 Total)

Event Venue: UMILE SQUARE
Event Venue: UMILE SQUARE

#1 Sapporo Misono (Hokkaido)

Enjoy the delicious flavors of Sapporo’s iconic miso ramen! The chashu, made with pork belly smoked over cherry wood chips, is tender and juicy.

Sapporo Rich Miso Ramen - Topped with Smoked Chashu
Sapporo Rich Miso Ramen - Topped with Smoked Chashu

#2 Shinsyunya Men (Yamagata Prefecture)

Shinsyunya’s signature dish, “Golden Chicken Chuuka,” is a delicious ramen where you can enjoy the flavors of the entire chicken, thanks to the soup made with a variety of chicken cuts, like thighs and ovaries.

Yamagata Sakuranbo Chicken - Golden Chicken Chuuka
Yamagata Sakuranbo Chicken - Golden Chicken Chuuka

#3 Tokyo-Style Miso Ramen Do Miso (Tokyo)

This kotteri (thick) ramen starts with a rich soup blended with several types of miso, then mixed with a generous portion of pork backfat. The rich soup and thick noodles are a perfect match.

Rich Miso Ramen
Rich Miso Ramen

#4 Tai Shio Soba Toka (Tokyo)

This luxurious shio ramen is made with carefully-selected red snow crabs from Tottori Prefecture’s Sakaiminato and fresh red snapper from Ehime Prefecture’s Uwajima. The broth goes beautifully with the super-thin straight noodles, made with Shinshu flour.

Carefully-Selected Red Snow Crab and Rich Red Snapper-Broth Luxury Shio Ramen
Carefully-Selected Red Snow Crab and Rich Red Snapper-Broth Luxury Shio Ramen

#5 Ryuusuke (Ibaraki Prefecture)

This ramen restaurant specializes in chicken-based soups. For this event they are offering ramen and tsukemen featuring a broth made by simmering chicken for a long time, paired with house-made thick noodles.

Traditional Shoyu Ramen
Traditional Shoyu Ramen

#6 Kotobuki Seimen Yoshikawa (Saitama Prefecture)

The combination of this soup, made with carefully-selected niboshi (dried sardines) and seasonal ingredients, and the house-made noodles that are aged for 24 hours is absolutely superb.

Special Concentrated Niboshi Soba
Special Concentrated Niboshi Soba

#7 Yaezakura (Tokyo)

This tonkotsu and seafood ramen is made with a double-soup, made with both tonkotsu and seafood broths, and when paired with the delightful house-made noodles with great texture it becomes addictive!

Rich Tonkotsu and Seafood Ramen
Rich Tonkotsu and Seafood Ramen

#8 Menya Clear (Shizuoka Prefecture)

This ramen combines a luxurious soup, made with domestic oysters and chicken, with medium-thin noodles made with an original blend. Not only does the soup have oysters in it, but they’re present as a topping too!

Rich Local Chicken and Oyster Ramen
Rich Local Chicken and Oyster Ramen

Featured Side Dish Restaurants (4 Total)

Chuuka Aji-Ichi

This restaurant’s famous fried rice is known as “one of Tokyo’s top 5 fried rice.” This time, they will be featuring a special menu with green onion and house-made grilled pork.

Menu: Tokyo Top 5 Fried Rice “Negi Yakibuta,” Tokyo Top 5 Fried Rice “Seabura Negi Double Yakibuta,” Tokyo Top 5 Fried Rice “Kara-negi Seabura Double Yakibuta,” Secred House-Made Yakibuta-Mori

Chuuka Aji-Ichi

Ganso Kara-Age Senmon-ten Tanaka-ya

This Hakata-based kara-age specialty restaurant serves delicious and iconic fried chicken dipped in a sweet-and-salty soy sauce based tare sauce.

Menu: Hakata Kara-Age, Hakta Kara-Age Nanban, Hakata Kara-Age Negi-Mayo

Ganso Kara-Age Senmon-ten Tanaka-ya

Kobe Nankin-Machi Kouran

This restaurant’s famous “Yaki-Shoronpo,” made with a thick wrapping and packed with piping-hot juicy meat, are the perfect side to eat with ramen.

Menu: Yaki-Shoronpo, Butaman, Kakuniman, Bo-Shumai

Kobe Nankin-Machi Kouran

Kinsenken Tsutsumi

This restaurant will be offering its “Shizuoka Gyoza,” carefully made with ingredients like pork and cabbage sourced locally in Shizuoka Prefecture. They’re delicious even without dipping into the tare sauce!

Menu: Shizuoka Gyoza

Kinsenken Tsutsumi

Summary

TOKYO CITY KEIBA is more of an entertainment facility than a place to gamble. Many people would certainly agree after they gave it a visit!
For this year’s end in Tokyo, Why not pick your favorite ramen and side dish and enjoy them while you watch the pulse-pounding horse races?

TOKYO CITY KEIBA (TCK) – Basic Information

Address
2-1-2 Katsushima, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Tel
03-3763-2151
Admission Fee
100 yen (15 and under free) ※Reserved seats available at additional cost
Business Days and Holidays
See calendar on official web page
Smoking Areas
Yes
Access
[By train] 2 minutes on foot from Tokyo Monorail’s Oi Keibajo-mae Station
[By free bus] By free shuttle bus, about 12 minutes from JR Oimachi Station, about 8 minutes from JR Omori Station, and about 40 minutes from Kinshicho Station
[Rental cars] Parking fee 1,000 yen (1 day)
Website
http://www.tokyocitykeiba.com/en/