Everything You Need to Know Before Going to Ichiran

Ichiran is perhaps the most famous ramen restaurant in Japan. And not without good reason, because Ichiran’s ramen is very tasty and consistently good. Moreover, eating here is quite an experience in itself. You order from a vending machine, fill in a form indicating how you want your ramen prepared, and then eat in a small booth. This might sound a bit intimidating, but in this article, I’ll explain exactly what you can expect.

To get straight to the point: most Ichiran restaurants are busy. Very busy. If you don’t want to wait for an hour, there are two things you can do. First, try visiting the restaurant at an unusual time. For example, we went at 4 p.m. at a busy location in Shibuya and only waited about 20 minutes because it was neither lunch nor dinner time. Second, try going to a less popular location. In Hiroshima, where there were far fewer tourists, we were able to get a seat without waiting twice.

Okay, once you arrive at Ichiran, you order at a vending machine. These machines have a touchscreen and you can switch the language to English. This part is pretty straightforward. When you order, small tickets come out of the machine—one ticket per item. If you order ramen with a drink, you get two tickets. You take these tickets with you to your seat.

Your seat is often a kind of small booth. Sometimes there are tables for two people, but usually, you sit at a long counter with partitioned seating. Behind your seat is the kitchen.

Once seated, place your tickets on your table. You’ll also find a form on the table where you can indicate your preferences. Fill out this form as you like and place it with your tickets. Someone will take it from the kitchen. Not sure how to fill it out? Here are your options:

Dashi: the fish-based broth.

Richness: how rich your soup is; richer soups are usually fattier and heavier.

Garlic/green onion: how much garlic and green onion you want.

Chashu: whether you want slices of pork or not.

Spicy: how spicy you want your soup—this is truly on the spicy side here.

Noodle texture: whether you want your noodles cooked hard or soft.

Not sure what to choose? Some options have dotted lines around them—these are Ichiran’s recommended settings for first-timers. Feel free to go with those; that’s what I did my first time.

Once the staff takes your tickets and form, they close a little window, so you can no longer peek into the kitchen. Thirsty while you wait? There’s a tap at every table, and there should be cups nearby so you can fill up water yourself.

Your table will also have chopsticks and napkins. If you’re dining with someone else, you can partially open the divider between your booths.

Usually, you won’t wait long for your ramen. Within about five minutes, someone will slide a divine bowl of ramen through the window onto your table.

The tonkotsu ramen is always flavorful and nicely creamy. We especially love the tender chashu and usually order extra, which comes on a separate plate. If you’ve finished your noodles but still have soup left, you can order extra noodles (kaedama) for a small additional charge. Near your table, you’ll likely find some cards with English text and the Japanese translation. You can place these cards at the end of your table to communicate with the staff, including ordering extra noodles.

Want to try it yourself? Check out this overview of all Ichiran locations in Japan.

What else you should know

• A basic bowl of ramen at Ichiran costs around ¥1000, about €6,50,-. Want extra toppings, like an egg or more chashu (both highly recommended)? These cost a few euros extra.

• When it’s very busy, you usually have to buy a ticket from the vending machine before you get in line. While waiting, you can already fill in your preferences on the form. This way, they can serve you faster once you get inside.

• It’s not the intention to linger at this kind of restaurant in Japan. Once you’ve finished eating, you’re expected to leave promptly to make room for the next customer.