A bowl of tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran

Ichiran ramen restaurant has an unorthodox style. It’s a place where you can eat some of the finest ramen in Japan, without interacting with a single waiter. The experience is designed for maximum efficiency and comfort, leaving you to enjoy your mouth-watering bowl of ramen in peace and privacy. 

First opened in Fukuoka, Ichiran specialises in making that region’s signature Hakata noodle dish – Tonkotsu ramen. This is a pork-based broth, and Ichiran adds its special Red Sauce to the mix, which takes days to prepare. Over the years the restaurant has gained in popularity and now has chains across the country. 

My wife and I recently went along to the Kobe outlet, and were immediately struck by the lack of personnel when arriving. Upon descending a flight of stairs, you enter the restaurant’s foyer, but no one was there to greet us. All I could hear were the sounds of waiters behind some noren curtains taking orders and greeting new customers. 

Beside these curtains was a ticket machine where you make your order. Following the easy instructions, the machine dispenses your ticket which you take to the main eating area, which is situated behind some more noren curtains. At times you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled upon a private member’s noodle club. 

Seats are arranged in one long row, with each one separated by a partition at either side of your counter, giving one the impression they are about to eat at their own private telephone booth. Once seated, you will be faced with a small open window to the other side, which is where the waiters go about their business. You will only be able to see their midsections as they rush about the place collecting orders.

Private booths at Ichiran

On the counter is a checklist which asks how you would like your noodles prepared. From spicy, medium, or mild to extra firm or soft. These checklists come in either Japanese or English. When you settle on your choice of noodles, you press a buzzer on your counter which immediately summons a waiter to your booth, who then collects your ticket and order specifications through the window and walks off in a flash to prepare your food.

Making your tonkotsu order

And because Ichiran specialises in serving only Tonkostu Ramen, the time it takes for a waiter to return with your food is within 5 minutes. They will come back with an ample sized bowl and when they set it down on the counter, they close the small window with a folded blind, leaving you to enjoy your meal privately. When we entered the restaurant just before 5pm, it was almost empty, but soon after it was packed with office workers looking for a quick unfussy bite to eat at the end of a long day. And with this sudden influx of people, the noise level in the restaurant increases. You may not be able to see the other diners beside you, but you’ll certainly hear them due to the Japanese custom of slurping violently on noodles. At times it sounded like a herd of Wildebeests slurping from a huge communal trough. Ichiran is certainly more of an aural experience rather than a visual one. 

In a dozen or so slurps, you’ll no doubt finish your ramen and be inclined to have more. This being a restaurant focussed on convenience, you’ll have the chance to order a second helping – or Kae-Dama – with ruthless efficiency. Indeed, there’s a sign on the side of your booth that says it’s traditional in Fukuoka to order a second serving thus encouraging diners to do as the Romans do.

Choose your size!

To order your second helping, you just need to leave some soup in your bowl, fill out another checklist on the counter with your preferences and then hit the little button on your counter again. And in no time at all you’ll be served another batch of noodles. 

Once finishing your meal, you simply up and leave. You’ve already paid the bill at the beginning and you don’t need to call the waiters to take your plates away. It’s all part of the design to ensure maximum comfort with minimal fuss. If the experience was satisfactory, you can leave your feedback on a form hanging on the side of the booth.

Feedback form

When I left the restaurant, I saw a queue going all the way up the stairs and out of the restaurant. So, if you want the full-on slurp-fest of a fully charged Ichiran restaurant, I’d suggest going around the rush-hour period after 5pm. It’s quite an experience. And a tasty one at that!