The Japanese food-joint-style restaurant chains are the ones of the first places you should check out during your stay in Japan. These casual restaurants are known for maintaining consistent quality and service across all locations, giving you the confidence that no matter what you order, you will have a nice eating experience at a very reasonable price.

To make things better, many of those food-joint-style restaurants are very tourist-friendly—no reservation required, open 24 hours, quick service, menus with photos, electronic menus with multilingual support, and cashless payment systems.

The two major food-joint-style restaurants, Katsuya for tonkatsu, and Ramen Kagetsu Arashi for ramen, have many locations. Japanese locals also vouch for their authenticity.

(*The store locators on their websites only display in Japanese, but you’ll understand just how many locations there are if you do a store search through a map app.)

Tonkatsu is a classic Japanese pork cutlet. Panko (breadcrumbs)-coated pork is deep-fried to brown, crispy perfection.

Another top choice, ramen, is a warm noodle bowl served in a flavorful broth. You can pick from several flavors: soy sauce, salt, miso, seafood, or pork-based.

Though tonkatsu has roots in French cuisine and ramen originated from Chinese cooking, both have evolved uniquely within Japanese food culture. Today, they stand as iconic Japanese dishes with a solid place in the country’s culinary scene.

Japan’s favorite tonkatsu chain, Katsuya, was founded in 1998 and has locations nationwide. Katsuya is a pioneer in making tonkatsu, a dish that used to be considered as a delicacy, widely available at a reasonable price and high quality. Thanks to Katsuya, tonkatsu today is a regular staple of Japanese people, loved by everyone of all ages.

As of March 2025, there are almost 500 locations nationwide, making it one of Japan’s biggest tonkatsu chains. Katsuya’s tonkatsu is the most popular in the country, without a doubt.

(*The website is only in Japanese, but you can search for nearby store locations on a smartphone.)

Katsuya’s signature, Katsudon goes well with Tonjiru pork miso soup on the side. The restaurant also has limited-time menu items that change every few months.

Beyond just great food, these restaurants also stand out for their remarkable fast service and consistently clean, well-maintained eating environment—a hallmark of Japanese dining. You can enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine while experiencing a slice of everyday local life, all in a quick and convenient setting.

For your first time at Katsuya, we recommend trying their signature Katsudon—a hearty bowl of rice topped with crispy tonkatsu. The tonkatsu and onions are lightly simmered in a savory broth and finished with a soft-cooked egg.

The 803 yen (tax included) Katsudon Take is sure to satisfy you with its volume, a generous 120g serving of U.S. pork loin tonkatsu. With each bite, you’ll taste the commitment and effort Katsuya puts into making each tonkatsu.

Right out of the fryer, the crispy, tender, and juicy tonkatsu pairs well with the savory umami of the dashi and soy sauce. The real treat is the gentle taste created by the egg coating everything in the bowl. Having the tonkatsu together with rice and eggs and yet enjoying the individual taste of each, it's impossible to leave unsatisfied.

The secret lies in the main ingredient of Tonkatsu—U.S. pork.
Katsuya uses U.S. pork to bring their tonkatsu to perfection. When imported, U.S. pork is refrigerated but never frozen. During shipping to Japan, U.S. pork is aged in a carefully controlled environment to ensure maximum flavor.

At every Katsuya location, U.S. pork is freshly sliced, seasoned, and fried to perfection. Katsuya takes great pride in the time and effort put into crafting each tonkatsu, ensuring consistent quality across all restaurants. Their mission is simple: to bring joy to every customer by serving delicious, high-quality tonkatsu at an affordable price.

U.S. pork is raised on high-quality corn and soybean feed, often grown by farmers who are hog farmers themselves. It’s leaner than domestic pork, making it an excellent choice for tonkatsu. The higher ratio of lean meat enhances the umami flavor, making it even more delicious when paired with Katsuya’s signature homemade sweet soy sauce.

Pairing Katsudon with the popular Tonjiru pork soup completes your remarkable dining experience at Katsuya.

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Ramen Kagetsu Arashi was founded in 1992 and has 230 stores worldwide. Kagetsu Arashi’s signature menu item, Arashi Genkotsu Ramen, which is served in the heartwarming soy sauce-flavored rich pork bone soup with slices of juicy roast pork belly (char-siu) that melt in your mouth, captures the hearts of both Japanese and tourists from overseas.

(*Available only in Japanese)

What makes Kagetsu Arashi a great place for ramen is its impressive variety. In addition to the classic soy sauce flavor, Arashi Genkotsu Ramen also comes in miso and salt flavors. The menu features 13 regular ramen options, plus seasonal specials and a wide range of toppings. With so many choices, you can enjoy a new ramen experience every time you visit.

The Arashi Genkotsu miso-flavored roasted pork ramen is a great one to experience the deliciousness of both char-siu (roasted pork belly) and miso-based soup. The rich, flavorful soup and curly ramen noodles are bound together in such a way that once you take a bite, you won't stop till you're done.

The generous slices of tender, juicy char-siu pork belly, which cover half the bowl, make Kagetsu Arashi’s ramen incredibly flavorful. Kagetsu Arashi takes great pride in the care and effort put into preparing each bowl of ramen, ensuring each slurp is exceptionally delicious.

Kagetsu Arashi never compromises on quality when it comes to their ramen. They have always chosen U.S. pork for their juicy, flavorful char-siu—the tender, roasted pork belly slices. Made with U.S. pork loin, their char-siu elevates each bowl of ramen to perfection.

Kagetsu Arashi has been using U.S. pork for its exceptional flavor and high quality, setting it apart from other imported options. Its versatility and high quality make it the key ingredient in Arashi Genkotsu Ramen's signature soup, adding richness to every bowl.

Making Kagetsu Arashi’s famous char-siu takes four days.
First, U.S. pork is layered on top of each other and then rolled and bound into a tube. Boiling water is poured over the pork roll and left to rest for a while. It is then soaked in a broth made from a blend of soy sauces and simmered for about six hours, with pork bone broth added to enhance its rich flavor.
Once the char-siu is removed, the flavorful broth is used as a soup base for Ramen.

Making the ramen soup base from the char-siu broth is a time-consuming process, which is why other ramen restaurants don’t adopt this method.

At Ramen Kagetsu Arashi, using this method is at the heart of their ramen’s rich flavor. With this extra effort, Kagetsu Arashi is committed to ensure every bowl is packed with depth and authenticity.

Through the past ten years of excellence, Ramen Kagetsu Arashi is confident that they have brought their char-siu to perfection by using U.S. pork. To ramen lovers out there, the umami of U.S. pork belly-infused ramen soup is truly unique and sure to sweep you off your feet.

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The most eateries in Japan get their ingredients from various locations to provide customers a casual, affordable, and delicious dining experience.

Traveling Japan is not just for shopping—the food is just as exciting!
Exploring Japanese cuisine, whether it's an everyday favorite or a highly recommended specialty, offers a deeper understanding of the country’s culture. If you want to make your trip more meaningful while enjoying local flavors like a true insider, Katsuya and Ramen Kagetsu Arashi are must-try spots.