Of Japan’s cultural exports, I think Ramen might be the most universally loved. I personally enjoy eating ramen (in moderation of course). Whether it’s the instant variety or the more traditional ones that you’ll find in restaurants like Ichiran. And since I had a stop in Yokohama on this Japan trip, I decided to pay a visit to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum.
Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum: A Must for Ramen Lovers
I was staying at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Yokohama so I had to take a taxi to get to the museum. Travel time may vary depending on traffic and time of day. When I went there it took the taxi 40 minutes from the hotel to the museum.
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I read that this was a popular spot for both tourists and locals so I was surprised that there were only a few people lining up when I came here. Of course, this wasn’t a problem for me. I actually liked that the line here was non-existent. It just means that I get to go inside faster!
So I’ve been referring to this place as a museum but really, it’s more of an amusement. Specifically, it’s the first Ramen-themed amusement park in the world (or at least that’s what they advertise themselves as). Anyway, the price of admission for adults is JPY450 while seniors and students will only need to pay JPY100. If you see yourself coming here multiple times during your stay then the special pass might be a better deal.
So the Ramen museum features a number of restaurants and this sign features their waiting times as well as the floors that they’re on. Outside of Sugomen (which takes 10 minutes to prepare your order), all the other restaurants on this list can get you your orders immediately.
Here’s the entrance to the museum. It’s actually just to the side of the ticket/admissions counter and you could actually get a glimpse of the inside of the establishment here.
This is the first exhibit that you’ll see when you get inside the museum. The magazines on the wall are all ramen-related (or have featured ramen/the museum) and are actually available for purchase. Some of the magazine titles that I saw include Brutus, dancyu, and Shukan Gendai (among many others).
Here’s the floor map of the Shin-Yokohama Ramen museum. Right now, I’m on the first floor which has the museum/exhibit and an area for making cup ramen as well as a ramen making workshop (that you’d unfortunately need to reserve in advance).
Here’s an interesting infographic detailing the origins of ramen. I honestly thought that the Japanese had been making ramen as it is now for centuries. Turns out, it’s actually quite recent and is more of a fusion of Japanese and Chinese cuisine and food cultures. This was honestly an interesting read and I think I might actually research more of ramen’s rich history.
Here’s another angle of the area with the magazine issues that feature ramen or ramen-related information. Inside the glass display, you’ll see one of the ingredients used in ramen: bamboo shoots. Here you’ll find it in different states from unprocessed, processed and uncut, and in 2kg bags of menma that’s used as toppings for ramen.
A wider view of the magazine section and the bamboo shoots display. You’ll notice that the museum also has free wifi so just make sure to check the SSID and use the provided password to get in. If you’re not fluent in Japanese then I highly suggest connecting to the network and using Google Lens on your phone to translate some of the signs here.
This display is a great primer for the variations of ramen that you’d typically find in Japan. Much like Japan’s culture, ramen is actually quite diverse and can be classified in different ways (either by style, seasoning used, or by soup). I also found the umami section interesting since I always thought it meant tasty. Turns out I was kinda right?
A closer look at the magazines on display here. The free Wifi is going to be really helpful here if you want to know what the text on these mean. Conversely, you can just buy one that you like for around JPY50 (I might be wrong).
So apparently, this distinguished gentleman is named Uncle Charumera and he’s supposed to be the mascot for a brand of ramen noodles called Myojo Charumera. I looked into this a little deeper and I found that there’s also an obscure video game on the Playstation One called Charumera that features him and the yatai on his right.
Speaking of yatai, here’s a cool breakdown of the parts you’ll find on one. Aside from enumerating the parts, you can also read up on how the yatai essentially played a part in the popularity of ramen as well as of other Japanese food.
Ah, instant ramen. The food that has sustained countless struggling students on many sleepless nights spent studying. Here’s a display featuring instant ramen/noodles from all over the world. I think a couple of these are from the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, and Malaysia.
This display features instant ramen flavors from Maruchan, Top Ramen, and Shin Ramyun. I think most of the brands and products found on this display are available in the US, Korea, and Japan.
Now here are some instant ramen flavors that aren’t too common. The display mostly includes specialty ramen (for lack of a better term) from regions/areas like Hokkaido, Sapporo, Kochi, and Kagawa. Aside from these, some unique ramen flavors like Vegatarian Soy Milk Spicy Ramen (from Sakurai Foods) are also on display.
Not all instant ramen are cheap. Here’s a display featuring some of the most expensive ramen brands and flavors that you might not necessarily want to eat every day if you’re on a budget. Some of the brands I managed to find through a quick search include the Oyama Seimen Maesawa Beef Ramen, Ogasawara Seifun Beppin Ramen, and Ishimaru Foods Instant Tuna Ramen (just to name a few).
I’m not sure where and when these are from but I think what are featured in the display case are items typically used in ramen shops.
So here’s a great read about Kanichi Ozaki, the founder of Rairaiken. I actually didn’t know of this man up until now (maybe I’ve heard his name here or there). Basically, his exceptional business acumen as well as the decision to tailor the taste of his noodles for the Japanese palate paved the way for the popularity of ramen in the early 1900s.
Here are a couple more memorabilia on display in the museum. Also, I’m not sure if you noticed but isn’t that Narutomaki chair just cute?
Aside from ramen of the edible kind, the museum also has displays that feature games and/or toys that have a connection to ramen. On this display, you’ll find a ramen card game called a rameka as well as a rubix cube where instead of colors, the cubelets’ sides have symbols relating to ramen.
A recreation of the corner facade of the Rairaiken ramen shop that you’d find during the turn of the 20th century in Japan. These were typically run by Chinese immigrants (just like the Shatenki Yokohama restaurant which serves Chinese porridge) and would have signs advertising the kind of Chinese cuisine they served.
This is the stairs that lead down to the basement floors of the park. I was tempted to go down but I then realized that there were still a lot of areas on this floor that I wasn’t able to check out.
I decided to spend a little more time on this floor and then I came across this sign. So apparently Chinese noodle dishes go way back even to the Muromachi period.
An interesting picture featuring the original Rairaiken facade with the shop’s employees posing in front of it. As I mentioned earlier, the facade we saw earlier is a reproduction with the original likely lost to time.
Here are replicas of the bags of flour that Rairaiken used to make their noodles. The bags show that they were milled by a company called Nis-Shin (Nisshin) Flour Milling Co. If I’m not mistaken, the company is still around and is one of the largest flour millers in the country.
Another angle of the Rairaiken corner facade and possibly my last picture of it. It’s kind of sad how the shop is gone now considering how much of an influence it was in shaping Japan’s culinary culture. Such a shame really.
Anyway, I circled back to the umami and ramen variations explainer again just to take a clearer picture of the infographic.
Oh, here’s an interesting display. Earlier we saw a sign that talked about Tokugawa Mitsukuni (Mito Koumon) and how he was the first to eat ramen. Well, apparently this is the ramen (it’s a replica of course) that he ate. Looking at the ingredients, you realize how much ramen has changed since that time.
Following the success of Rairaiken, a demand for ramen had come up that the store simply couldn’t supply by itself. In the time since it started operations, other shops like Takeya Shokudo sought to fill in the gaps by coming up with their own take on ramen. On display is a replica of Takeya Shokudo’s ramen as well as a book detailing the shop’s story from its inception.
Here’s a page from Kappo Sendai Kappor showing the Chuka Soba from Nobu. Now, Chuka soba is really just a more traditional term used to describe ramen. It literally means Chinese noodles and the one pictured is specifically called Sendai-style Chuka Soba (Nobu is a restaurant that’s located in Sendai).
A chronological listing of the various ramen shops that opened during the post-World War II era. If I remember correctly, it was during this time that ramen really exploded in popularity as it was affordable and had almost everything you’d need in a meal (carbs, protein, vegetables).
Here are some interesting pictures taken of the ramen shops in the list earlier. Then on the right is a book called Glimpses of Japan which likely features ramen.
The item on the left is a poster celebrating 80 years of ramen by the Noodle Club. Pictured is a bowl of ramen priced at 1200 yen and based on the inscription to its bottom right, it might have received the Best of Ramen award in 1998. As for the map on the right, it’s called a Tabearuki and it details ramen shops in Japan that it recommends (at that time it was published).
I’m not quite sure why but I found myself back in this area again. Hmmm, did I miss something? Hey, are those floating bowls of ramen in the back?
So as it turns out, this is a map showing the various kinds of ramen in Japan and in what regions/areas you’ll find them. I think this was really cool though I would have wanted it to be a little more interactive.
While it felt like a blur for me, I didn’t realize I had actually spent quite some time admiring the displays in the museum. At that point I then decided it was time to check out the souvenir shop.
The Hiyoko-chan items here were really tempting me. If you’re someone who likes Nissin’s Chicken Ramen mascot then you’ll love this area. A few of the Hiyoko-chan merch you’ll find here include plastic cups, bowls, slippers, plushies, and lunch boxes.
Since this is a ramen museum, you’ll also be able to purchase some premium instant ramen here. Prominently pictured here are 2-serving packs of Rishiri Island Miraku Grilled Soy Sauce Flavor Raw Noodles and single-serving packs of Kumamoto Ramen Komurasaki. Also, if you were checking the map of the place earlier, you’d know that these premium instant ramen are from the shops that you’ll find at the lower levels.
Seriously, there probably isn’t a better place for satisfying your premium instant ramen cravings. From regional ramen to even limited edition ones, I’m pretty sure that they’re available for purchase here.
I finally decided it was time to visit the lower floors. I went back to the stairs I pictured earlier and came across this on the landing.
Apparently these are bowls collected from the various ramen shops in Japan. Kind of impressive that they’ve managed to get this many through the years.
Another thought crossed my mind as I was taking this picture. Just how many ramen shops are there in Japan right now? Surely, there has to be more than just the ones pictured here?
Here are a couple more pictures from the post-World War II era that show a glimpse of life in Japan at that time. I’m not sure why but I feel a certain sense of nostalgia just looking at these pictures.
I finally decided to continue down and was rewarded with the view of this painting on the landing’s walls. The perspective on this painting makes it seem like I’m actually looking down on what appears to be a train platform.
As I was nearing the 1st Floor Basement level it all then clicked for me. They painted the walls here to look like this floor was the train station platform which ties it to the painting in the landing earlier. Really cool concept.
I finally reached the entrance to the 1st Floor Basement and checked out this list of the ramen shops on this level.
While I already knew what to expect, I still was surprised at how cool this looked in person. Now I have no idea how Tokyo looked in the 1950s but I can appreciate the effort they made with this reenactment. I particularly loved the weathering on the walls and their use of lights.
This is one of those places that you really have to be there to appreciate it better. Also, I decided to see if the movie posters were period accurate and I found out that they actually close. One of the posters is for a movie called Daibosatsu Toge or Sword of Doom and it was released in 1957 (the reenactment is of 1958 Tokyo).
I’ll say this again, the details here are amazing. They really put a lot of effort in the weathering as well as making sure the chipping of the cement, grime, and dust looked realistic. On a side note you can actually see people eating at one of the restaurants in this level through the glass.
Oh wow, there’s even a tobacco shop here! So here’s a fun fact. The Japanese government used to support the tobacco industry. At one time it even provided subsidies as well as owned stakes in tobacco companies. These tobacco shops were also said to be common during the 1950s.
Another type of shop that has died in recent decades is the photo studio. Japan was a leader in the camera industry in the 1950s so photo studios like this were also a dime a dozen. Basically, people brought their film and had the photos developed in places like these.
Oh man, this alleyway just looks far too real. Remember when I said earlier that the lighting was one of my favorite things about this reenactment? Well, this picture just proves that. Look at how realistic that night sky looks like?
Here’s a closeup of the photo studio’s window display. If they’re period accurate, the vintage cameras here probably won’t be as sought after by collectors. That said, it’s really interesting seeing this technology and contrasting it with what we have now with our phones.
Another angle of the alleyway. I wonder if this was the same set pieces they used when the museum opened its doors in 1994.
Oh look, a really old CRT TV. I’m so used to the svelte flatness of LED and LCD TVs that I completely forgot how ridiculously large TVs were during this time period. I mean, just look at how large its chassis is compared to the screen.
So I guess this is how clubs looked like in Tokyo in the 1950s. I couldn’t find anything online about the name of the club pictured here (Club Noa Noa) so it’s probably something the park came up with.
Continuing along, I came across more bars and clubs. Again, I didn’t bother checking if these were real because there probably aren’t any records of these establishments in English. At this point, the things (I’m not sure what they are) started breaking my immersion a bit.
I finally came across another of the ramen shops on this level. This is a shokken (or food ticket machine) for Hakata Bunpuku. If you remember the map, it’s the 7th shop for this level (B1F).
Going past the ramen shop, I’m almost back to the entrance that I came in earlier. Before that though, I’ll still need to pass through these bars and clubs.
What do we have here? Much like film cameras, phone booths have gone the way of the dinosaur thanks to smartphones. This one here looks particularly small and cramped which is likely because the Japanese people during that time period were smaller and shorter.
You might think that this is also part of the reenactment but it’s actually one of the shops on this level. The name of this shop is Cafe and Snack Kateko and like its name says, it sells snack items. Pictured here are some of what they sell with the prices ranging from JPY600 for a Bavarian Cream to as much as JPY1300 for a Chocolate Parfait.
Here are the shop’s mascots. I must say, they’re pretty reminiscent of that popular Korean show on Netflix. Thank goodness they don’t have motion-sensing eyes!
This scooter really caught my attention so I searched online and found out that it’s called a Fuji Rabbit. Apparently, this was in production from the start of the American occupation up until the late 1960s. I’m not sure if these were really used for postal deliveries though.
When I finally decided to go down to the 2nd Floor of the Basement, I then came across this. It’s a torii gate that’s been used as a rack for omikuji and ema. There’s also a saisen bako here though it’s likely that it’s not really used for worship and more for the aesthetics.
Here’s how the torii gate looks from a distance. If you didn’t notice, there’s an alcohol dispenser/hand sanitizer right next to the saisen bako that you can use to clean your hands before you head to the level below.
Speaking of the level below, here’s a closer look at it from the landing where the torii gate is. It’s so colorful here thanks in large part to the lighting up top.
Going down from this landing, the first ramen shop you’ll see is Ryu Shanghai Honten. This shop is popular for its Karamiso ramen which was created way back in the 1960s.
Finally, a view of the place from ground level. Now that I think about it, the landing and B1F level views are probably better at showing the scale of the place than the view here. That said, it’s still an immersive experience (at least for me).
Club Orion is a standing bar just under the landing. It has a great selection of drinks and even has some draft beer if you’re feeling parched after walking around the whole museum. Unlike the other shops here, it opens at around 12 noon.
Where it says Beauty Salon is actually another ramen shop. This one is Asakusa Rairaiken and it’s said that they actually recreated the original’s ramen with help from the descendants of Kunichi Ozaki. Off to the side, you’ll find the ordering station for Ryukyu Shinmen Tondou which is known for its Otoko-aji and Onna-aji ramen.
As I was walking around this level, I came across these Hello Kitty-like charms called maneki-neko. I say ‘Hello Kitty-like’ because I’m not really sure if they’re the Sanrio character since they don’t have her signature ribbon. Anyway, maneki neko are said to draw in wealth, prosperity, and good luck.
At this point I was starving so I went to one of the ramen shops. I chose Rokkakuya 1994+ and saw that they weren’t that busy yet. Also, I realized that the interior of the shop is pretty modern in contrast to its facade.
As they were preparing my order, I had a good look at the shop’s equipment. I realized these looked fairly new and upon searching online, I found that the shop actually closed down in 2017 and only recently made a comeback. It used to be one of the three major Iekei ramen chain restaurants in the country and was known for its thick noodles and a rich pork-based broth. It likely is the same deal with Asakusa Rairaiken where the museum’s administration decided to bring it back.
My orders finally came. My companion had already started on their order so it looks a lot different than mine (on the left). Typically, this order will include seasoned eggs and about four nori sheets.
As for the taste, the broth was indeed rich and the noodles had a lot of chew to them. I’d be hesitant to say they were the best ramen I’ve ever tasted. I think I’ve tasted better. That said, it would also be a disservice to say they were bad. It was just fine and if you were as hungry as me when I ate it, you’d probably also have no issues finishing the bowl.
I enjoyed my time at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. If you enjoy ramen and want to know more about its history then I’d say give this place a shot. I honestly thought there wasn’t much you can do here but turns out it does have a lot of activities and good views. It’s not perfect though as there are areas that break the immersion (at least for me) but it thankfully didn’t detract from the overall experience. What if you’re not that into ramen? If that’s the case then I think this is perfectly skippable. What do you think of Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum? Ever been there? Share what you know with us!
