VOL.198 NOVEMBER 2024
JAPANESE RAMEN AND ITS GLOBAL EXPANSION
Ramen Tour for Foreign Tourists in Tokyo
This photo shows a selection of the items available for the ramen tour at a miso ramen specialty restaurant. During the ramen tour, the dishes are served in special mini bowls, and after an explanation by the tour guide about the differences between these four flavors, participants can choose two.
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
Various gourmet tours for foreign tourists are held in Japan, and currently, one of the most popular in Tokyo is the ramen tour. We spoke with the organizer to learn more about this popular tour.
The ramen tour for foreign tourists in Tokyo is organized by Frank Striegl, an American. Interestingly, Frank was born and raised in Japan. As he became accustomed to ramen as a staple of his daily diet, much like the Japanese, he developed such a love for it that he traveled across Japan to try different varieties. Encouraged by a friend, he decided in 2018 to start this tour to share the deliciousness of ramen with people from around the world.
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
“I love ramen so much that I eat it almost every day, and not only in Tokyo but also across Japan, I visit ramen restaurants. A friend suggested that I organize a tour for foreign tourists, and I immediately started planning it. So far, about 20,000 people have participated in the tour,” explains Frank.
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
The ramen tour organized by Frank takes participants to popular ramen restaurants around Shibuya Station* in Tokyo. With an English-speaking guide, the tour takes about three hours, visiting three restaurants and allowing participants to enjoy up to six bowls of ramen. Specially prepared smaller-sized bowls for the tour enable participants to experience a variety of flavors in a short amount of time.
“Many participants in the tour look forward to trying classic ramen varieties like soy sauce and tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen, which are now popular overseas,” says Frank. “However, at the restaurants we visit, we make sure to offer a variety of ramen types, such as miso ramen and curry ramen. Participants are often surprised by how many different flavors of ramen there are.”
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
Participants travel to the restaurants by train or on foot. Along the way, the guide makes sure to answer questions from customers while explaining the history and types of ramen. Sometimes, the conversation expands to topics like Japanese food culture or recommended tourist spots, and there are occasions when the tour stops by nearby shrines and temples.
“Many of the participants in the tour already have some knowledge of ramen and are interested in its types and culture. So, I also share more detailed trivia about ramen, such as the theory that the first person to eat ramen in Japan was TOKUGAWA Mitsukuni**, the 17th-century lord of the Mito Domain, who is famous as the main character in a Japanese TV drama.”
It is said that there are about 2,000 ramen restaurants in Tokyo***. “Many of the participants in my tour are from the United States, and the feedback I often receive is about how delicious the soy sauce, salt, and tantanmen**** ramen were. In addition to taste, the variety of options available, such as vegetable ramen for vegetarians and Muslim-friendly ramen***** for those following Islamic dietary laws, is another appeal of Japanese ramen that can accommodate people’s dietary habits,” comments Frank.
In the future, there is an expectation for tours to visit the restaurants popular only among locals and unique ramen restaurants, which are hard to find on individual trips. Frank hopes that this tour will inspire more ramen fans around the world.
* A station name in Shibuya City, Tokyo. The Shibuya scramble crossing in front of Shibuya Station is known as the busiest intersection in the world and attracts many tourists.
** Born in 1628 and passed away in 1700 (with some theories suggesting 1701). He was the second lord of the Mito Domain (based in present-day Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture). He worked to promote education and, due to his connections with China, even invited Confucian scholars from the Ming dynasty. He is said to have created a noodle dish that became the prototype of ramen. Known as ‘Mito Kōmon’ in Japan, he is famous as the main character in a popular Japanese TV drama.
*** The number of ramen restaurants listed in the NTT Town Pages.
**** A type of Chinese Sichuan cuisine. It consists of boiled noodles topped with a sauce made from soy sauce and chili oil as well as Sichuan peppercorns and minced meat. In Japan, it is typically served with a spicy sesame-flavored broth topped with seasoned ground pork.
***** The concept of businesses understanding the needs of Muslims and providing appropriate services within their capabilities. While ‘halal certification’ ensures full compliance with Islamic law so that all Muslims can use the service with confidence, ‘Muslim-friendly’ refers to accommodations such as ‘pork-free’ or ‘alcohol-free’ options, which partially align with Islamic dietary restrictions.
By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: TOKYO RAMEN TOURS
