Eastbound FindsA bowl of soy sauce ramen cost an average of 620 yen in Tokyo’s 23 wards in September 2026, and 993 yen in Kumamoto, according to Japan’s Statistics Bureau. That is roughly the price of three 191-yen cups of instant noodles from a Tokyo supermarket. Hana’s short answer to “what kind should I order?”: Japan has four main ramen types (shoyu, shio, miso and tonkotsu) plus tsukemen, and which one you get depends a lot on the region you are in.
Key points
- Japanese ramen comes in four main broth types: shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt), miso and tonkotsu (pork bone), plus tsukemen, where you dip the noodles in a separate, stronger soup.
- Tonkotsu broth is made from pork bones, so it is not an option if you do not eat pork.
- A bowl of soy sauce ramen cost an average of 620 yen in Tokyo's 23 wards and 993 yen in Kumamoto in September 2026, according to Japan's Statistics Bureau.
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- In most ramen shops you pay first at a ticket vending machine, and slurping your noodles is normal, not rude.
- If you bring instant ramen into the US, declare it: CBP says soups and soup bases must be declared, and products made with meat such as beef broth are usually not allowed.
Why ramen noodles bounce
The noodles’ roots are in China, but what gives ramen its springy, bouncy bite is kansui, an alkaline solution mixed into the dough, as Japan’s national tourism organization (JNTO) explains. It is the ingredient that separates ramen from soba or udon.
AdvertisingQuick pick: Ramen tasting tours and cooking classes in Tokyo – GetYourGuide
Mikan's note: Pork-bone or beef flavour packets from a Japanese convenience store can be taken at US Customs, and not declaring food can cost up to $1,000, so declare every packet or buy your instant ramen in the US instead.
Japan then turned the dish into something the world eats every day. Momofuku Ando’s Chicken Ramen went on sale on 25 August 1958, and Nissin, his company, calls it the world’s first instant noodle product. Cup Noodle followed on 18 September 1971. According to the World Instant Noodles Association, the world ate 123.07 billion servings of instant noodles in 2024, a record. Japan ranked fifth with 5.9 billion; the US was sixth with 5.15 billion.
And here is a fact worth repeating at dinner: the Japanese city that spends the most on ramen in restaurants is not Sapporo or Fukuoka, the cities with famous local styles. It is Yamagata. In Japan’s household spending survey (households of two or more people, 2023–2025 average), Yamagata households spent 21,695 yen a year on ramen eaten out, about 2.5 times the national 8,752 yen. Sapporo (7,627 yen) and Fukuoka (7,604 yen) spent less than half that.
What are the different types of ramen broth?
JNTO names three types after their seasoning (miso, shio and shoyu) and a fourth, tonkotsu, after its pork-bone broth. The categories overlap, so read the table as a map rather than strict rules.
| Type | What defines it | Where it is known | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoyu (soy sauce) | Soy sauce seasoning | Tokyo’s traditional bowl: dark soy broth made with pork or chicken bones. Kitakata (Fukushima) is usually soy-based. Toyama Black is a black soy broth with chicken and fish stock | The style Japan’s price survey tracks |
| Shio (salt) | Salt seasoning | — | Ask about the broth base if you avoid pork |
| Miso | Miso seasoning | Sapporo, Hokkaido: miso with pork-bone broth and medium-thick wavy noodles | Sapporo’s version uses pork-bone broth |
| Tonkotsu (pork bone) | A cloudy white broth made from pork bones | Kyushu. Hakata (Fukuoka) keeps toppings simple. Tokushima mixes pork-bone broth with dark and tamari soy sauce for a brown soup | Made from pork. Not for anyone who does not eat pork |
| Tsukemen (dipping noodles) | A thicker soup served on the side; you dip the noodles in it | — | The dipping soup is thicker than a normal ramen broth |
In Hakata you can also order kaedama: a second serving of noodles alone, dropped into the soup you still have while it is hot.
Vegetarian or halal? We could not confirm vegetarian or halal ramen information from an official source for this guide, so we do not name shops. Assume a broth contains meat or fish unless the shop clearly says otherwise.
Related guidesJapanese Snack Subscription Box: Bokksu vs Sakuraco vs TokyoTreat From $32.50/moHow do you order at a Japanese ramen shop?
- Pay at the machine first. JNTO says that in most ramen shops you pay in advance at a ticket vending machine, which has a button for each dish. Buy your ticket before you sit down. Some shops take orders at the table instead.
- Show your group size with your fingers if staff ask how many you are.
- Slurp. It is not rude in Japan; it is how noodles are eaten.
- Leave when you finish. JNTO’s advice is not to linger once your bowl is empty.
If you would rather have a guide order for you, our guide to Tokyo food tours compares guided food walks and ramen and sushi classes.
How much is a bowl of ramen in Japan?
Japan’s Statistics Bureau tracks one item, “chuka soba”: a bowl of soy sauce ramen (including pork-bone soy) eaten in a restaurant, takeaway excluded. Average prices for September 2026:
| City | Price per bowl |
|---|---|
| Tokyo (23 wards) | 620 yen |
| Yokohama | 718 yen |
| Osaka | 781 yen |
| Kyoto | 799 yen |
| Fukuoka | 803 yen |
| Sapporo | 883 yen |
| Yamagata | 888 yen |
| Kumamoto | 993 yen (highest in the table) |
| Saitama | 465 yen (lowest in the table) |
These are survey averages, not menu prices at any given shop.
Two ramen museums near Tokyo
Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum opened on 6 March 1994 and calls itself the world’s first ramen-themed amusement park. You can eat ramen from well-known shops around Japan under one roof, see exhibits on its history and join a noodle-making class. Same-day entry is 450 yen for adults (19 and over) and 100 yen for ages 6–18; under-6s are free. It opens 11:00–21:00 on weekdays and 10:30–21:00 on weekends and holidays, and the ramen shops stop taking orders 30 minutes before closing. It is closed on 31 December and 1 January.
Cupnoodles Museum Yokohama costs 500 yen for adults and is free for high school students and younger. It opens 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) and is closed on Tuesdays (the next day if Tuesday is a holiday) and over the New Year. Making your own Cup Noodle at the My Cupnoodles Factory costs extra and needs a numbered ticket for a time slot; once the day’s tickets are handed out, that day’s sessions are closed.
The museum in Ikeda, near Osaka, is free to enter. There you can make Chicken Ramen by hand, from kneading the flour to flash-frying, but this has to be booked in advance online or by phone; check the official site for current session times.
Can you bring Japanese instant ramen into the US?
Neither CBP nor USDA mentions instant ramen by name, so go by what their pages say about soups and meat:
- Declare it. CBP says travellers must declare meat, fruit, vegetables, and plant and animal products, including soups and soup bases (answer “Yes” to question 11 on form 6059B).
- Meat in the ingredients is the problem. CBP says products made with meat from restricted countries, such as beef broth, are usually not allowed. USDA says most beef, pork, sheep and goat products cannot be brought back. A tonkotsu packet can be confiscated.
- The penalty is for not declaring. A first, non-commercial failure to declare can bring a civil penalty of up to $1,000. USDA says you face no penalty for items you declare, even if they are not allowed in.
The easy way around it is to buy Japanese instant ramen in the US or order it online (see the links at the end of this page). The same rule caught out Japanese curry roux with pork extract, which we explain in our Japanese curry roux guide.
Prices, museum hours and fees, and the CBP and USDA pages were checked on official sites on 24 October 2026. Hours and rules change, so check again before you travel.
What else is on the menu at the ramen counter?
Local ramen-and-gyoza counters are part of a bigger family of everyday “Chinese” food in Japan. Which of those dishes were actually invented in Japan? Our guide to yoshoku and Japan’s own “Chinese” food has the answer.
