FD 03Food line · stop 3 of 4
Ramen in Japan: styles, ticket machines and noodle firmness
The four main broths, how to order from a ticket machine, what staff will ask you, and the etiquette at a busy counter.
Ramen is the most common meal for visitors and one of the cheapest good meals in Japan, usually ¥1,000–1,600 a bowl. Most shops do one style well.
The four main broths
| Style | What it is | Associated with |
|---|---|---|
| Shoyu | Clear soy sauce broth, usually chicken-based | Tokyo |
| Shio | Light, clear salt-seasoned broth | Hakodate |
| Miso | Rich, savoury miso broth, often with butter and corn | Sapporo |
| Tonkotsu | Creamy, milky pork bone broth with thin noodles | Fukuoka (Hakata) |
Also look out for tsukemen, thick noodles served on the side for dipping into a concentrated broth.
Using the ticket machine
Many ramen shops have a ticket machine by the entrance. You pay before you sit down.
- Put in cash. Older machines take ¥1,000 notes and coins only. Newer ones take IC cards.
- Press the button for your bowl. The top-left button is often the house speciality.
- Press buttons for extras: soft-boiled egg, extra pork, rice, or a noodle refill (kaedama).
- Press the change button and take your change.
- Hand the tickets to staff, or put them on the counter, and sit where you are shown.
No English on the machine?Take a photo and use your phone's camera translation. Or look for photos on the buttons and press the most expensive one in the top row for the full house bowl.
What staff may ask you
- Noodle firmness: katame (firm), futsu (normal), yawarakame (soft). At tonkotsu shops you can go firmer still.
- Broth strength and amount of oil, at some shops.
- Garlic, at shops that offer it free.
If unsure, say "normal" to everything.
Etiquette
- Slurping is normal. It cools the noodles.
- Drinking the broth from the bowl is fine.
- Do not stay long after finishing if people are queuing outside.
- Return your bowl to the counter top if others do.
Queues
Famous shops can have hour-long queues. Go at opening time (often 11:00) or mid-afternoon. Some popular shops hand out timed tickets in the morning.
