Many foreigners are familiar with Ichiran Ramen, a well-known brand with locations in London, the USA, and more. However, if you ask locals if they often eat at Ichiran, the answer is usually no. Ichiran Ramen is more of an experience and is relatively expensive for a ramen meal. Locals prefer to eat cheap ramen wherever they can find it.
Ramen is the go-to meal for the broke student, the single person just starting to work, or those men who have argued with their wives and need some ramen-me-time alone.
I hadn't previously thought about creating a ramen map guide, but since many people want to visit authentic ramen spots, I decided it would be cool to make one and share it with you. My friend always says, and many Japanese people share this opinion, that if a ramen shop isn't dirty, can it really be tasty? The dirtier the shop, the tastier the ramen. This idea surprised me too.
I got inspired to embark on a mission to find cool ramen places that are popular throughout Japan, not just in Tokyo. During my search, I discovered a cool spot called Salmon Noodle 3.0, a French-inspired version of ramen. The "3.0" in the shop's name is derived from software-upgrade jargon, reflecting the idea that their ramen is highly evolved and two steps ahead of the competition.
When I read the chef's story, I got even more excited. In an interview, the Chef shared, “At the trading company, I was surrounded by lovely people, had good benefits, and would have had a stable life if I’d stayed there. But you only live once, and I wanted to do what I really want to do.” These days, Chef’s former colleagues often drop by his shop to enjoy some ramen. His love for ramen led him to leave the trading company and join En Petit in January last year. After training at the firm’s affiliated ramen shops, he eventually became a manager.
Another remarkable find is T's Tantan, a restaurant specializing in vegan ramen. Vegan cuisine is not very popular in Japan, especially for ramen, which traditionally uses bone broth from pork, beef, chicken, or fish. This new take on ramen is a great innovation, catering to a growing market. You can see long queues of foreign visitors eager to try their unique noodles.
It's interesting to note that also the Google Trends search for "ramen" in Japan shows a steady increase in interest from 2004 to 2024. Check it out here: Google Trends - Ramen in Japan
Now, given Japan's high consumption of ramen, as I mentioned in "Why Cup Noodles are so Popular", I started to wonder: which place in Japan consumes the most ramen?
Surprisingly, it's not Tokyo, but Yamagata City.
They are the Japan's top spender on ramen, according to a recent household survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.
In 2022, Yamagata City spent ¥13,196 per household on ramen, surpassing Niigata City, which held the top spot in 2021. The survey covered spending on various Chinese noodles, including ramen and yakisoba. Below is a map of Japan with Yamagata City highlighted in red.
The city's status as the birthplace of the popular summer dish, hiyashi ramen (chilled ramen), likely contributed to its high ramen consumption, which remained strong even during the 2023 heatwave. (The below graph is the findings of the survey)
In Yamagata, local ramen shop owners formed a committee to promote the city as a ramen mecca. They introduced initiatives like designating February 8 as Yamagata's Ramen Day to boost consumption. Another great excuse to enjoy more ramen!
Now the moment of truth - The Ramen Map.
I compiled all the research from the five pages of The Japan News - Ramen Japan and integrated it into a Google Map.
Check it here the Ramen Map, the data includes locations such as Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Okinawa, and more.
