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Japan's Ramen is so Tasty! Tourists Share What They Loved (And Didn't) About Ramen Restaurants

Last updated: 11 February 2021

It is no exaggeration to say that ramen, which is something of a national food in Japan, is one of the most sought-after food by foreign visitors to Japan. In fact, it is not unusual for foreign tourists to line up at popular ramen shops, just as locals do.

We asked several foreigners living in Japan about eating Japanese ramen for the first time, and gathered their opinions. There seemed to be many memories of ramen, such as being inspired and shocked. Now, have a look at some of the more interesting ones! (The following is the respondent's personal opinion.)

The most frequent comment was on the types of ramen available in Japan.

"What surprised me about Japanese ramen is the number of soup bases! I love Japanese classic dishes like 'curry and rice' because they can be made with any ingredients. The first time I tried ramen in Tokyo, I was a bit surprised that you could choose the firmness of the noodles, among other things." (British / 20s / man)

"There are soy sauce, miso, salt and taste variations and they are all delicious! I was particularly impressed by the seafood ramen. In Italy, there are many seafood-based dishes, so I think the taste was kind of familiar." (Italian / 30s / woman)

"I'm surprised that there are so many different types of ramen - and so many shops!" (India / 20s / man)

"There are also ramen shops in Malaysia, but I'd say the sheer variety in Japan is mind boggling. They're so delicious!" (Malaysia / 30s / man)

There are many types of soup bases, noodles (such as regular ramen noodles and tsukemen), and toppings such as char siu and menma. All tastes seem to be very satisfying for visitors.

While many comments were received about the types of ramen, some people were shocked by certain varieties of ramen that were outside the norm.

"I was shocked by curry ramen. I was surprised because there was no such kind of flavor in my country." (Thailand / 40s / man)

"There is ramen with fruit! The lemon ramen I once tried was surprisingly delicious." (Indonesia / 30s / woman)

"I was surprised at first to hear that there was a tomato ramen, but actually it was really delicious. Now I'm pretty much addicted to the shop." (US / 20s / man)

As our interviewees said, there are many unique ramen spots in Japan. It may take courage to try the different varieties you encounter while traveling, but I would encourage you to give even the most peculiar-sounding varieties a go!

Some people said that they were shocked about the “food ticket system” that is commonly used in Japanese ramen shops.

"I was impressed when I first came to Japan because there are almost no shops with meal tickets in Bangkok. I wanted to get a bowl of ramen but couldn't figure out how to order. Eventually I just asked the shop owner because I did not know how to buy a meal ticket." (Thailand / 30s / woman)

"Basically, I only read English and some simple Japanese words, so I had a hard time reading the options on the machine. In the end, I ended up just talking with the staff and asked questions." (US / 40s / woman)

The meal voucher system is considered to be convenient in Japan because it's easy for customers to order directly, and money needn't be handled by the staff, as it's all settled directly by the ticket vending machine. But there seem to be some concerns as to whether the system is easily understood by foreign visitors, and whether multilingual versions can be made available. It would be nice to see more done with the system!

Although they acknowledged the ramen's taste, some commented that they was worried about their health.

"When I ate for the first time, I was thoroughly surprised. Japanese food has a healthy image, but why is ramen so salty? And just how often do people eat it?!" (Spain / 20s / man)

"Not many vegetables, but lots of meat and eggs! In Vietnam, noodles such as pho are almost always eaten with large servings of vegetables - so how do people who like ramen get their vegetables? (Vietnam / 20s / woman)

"Ramen is delicious but given the high calories I try not to eat it so often." (French / 30s / man)

Although ramen should be on your "must eat" list while traveling in Japan, it must be said that certain varieties are very fatty or salty, so some people choose to stray away from temptation on a regular basis!

Finally, comments from people from the Greater China region, the home of ramen. What surprised people from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan when they ate Japanese ramen for the first time?

"The most surprising thing is that ramen and rice was a set. Or Ramen + gyoza or Ramen + rice + gyoza. These are all staple foods in China, but we seldom eat them together. I wonder if Japanese people eat ramen with side dishes because that's their food custom." (Taiwan / 20s / woman)

"It's amazing that the soup is so rich. The ramen I ate locally in China is usually a transparent soup. In Japan, I'm surprised that there are many ramen shops with such deep-flavored soup stock." (China / 30s / man)

"It's not rude to make noise in Japan. In Hong Kong, ramen is commonly eaten, but not many people slurp their noodles." (Hong Kong / 20s / woman)

When it comes to how ramen is eaten, it seems there are some unique culture differences!

"I was surprised when I realized that Japanese people think that ramen is Chinese. Because ramen is kind of Japanese food for Chinese!" (China / 20s / woman)

Indeed, many Japanese would concede that while ramen has its roots in Chinese cuisine, how the food has evolved in Japan has made it really quite unique. There will surely be ramen that will surprise the world!