TOKYO - As the cost of ramen ingredients has risen, ramen shops in Japan have found themselves [beset by tough business conditions](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japans-rising-ramen-prices-give-election-voters-food-for-thought). Many of them are reluctant to raise prices, lest they run afoul of customers who remain highly conscious of the 1,000 yen (S$9) barrier.
According to research on family budgets in 2024 conducted by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the city of Niigata ranked second in the nation for annual spending per household (of two or more people) on Chinese noodles, including ramen, at restaurants.
In 2023, Toyoko, a popular restaurant serving Niigata’s local specialty ramen Niigata noko miso ramen, also known as Niigata thick miso ramen, filed for bankruptcy protection under the Civil Rehabilitation Law.
Following the purchase of Toyoko by Abeko-Seika Co., based in Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture, the rehabilitation of the company is underway.
General manager of the food service division of Abeko-Seika Kenichi Tanaka has been involved in the management of Toyoko for some time.
“Toyoko raised prices to cope with the rising cost of ingredients, but it wasn’t able to keep up. We had to take measures to cut costs. We couldn’t keep the original taste,” he said.
The shop made the painful decision to lower the density of its pork bone broth, he said.
The introduction of a self-service system is one restructuring measure being implemented amid the rising cost of ingredients. Customers buy a meal ticket, pick up their ramen and clear away their dishes after eating.
One shop that has adopted the self-service system is Toyoko’s Atago shop in Niigata City, which seats about 60 people. “I hope I can help keep the food cheap. It would be a sad thing if there was no more Toyoko ramen,” a 47-year-old company employee from the city said.
Their Ganso Niigata noko miso, which uses newly selected Echigo miso, is priced at 930 yen, only slightly changed from the previous 900 yen.
“It pains me to inconvenience customers by making it a self-service system. We were very worried about that decision,” Mr Tanaka said. “But we’ll never compromise on taste. We still want our customers to enjoy delicious ramen.”
Ramen eaters are very price-sensitive.
According to a survey of 500 men and women between the ages of 16 and 69 conducted by market research firm Asmarq Co. in 2024, more than 90 per cent of respondents considered ramen costly or somewhat costly when the price exceeded 1,000 yen.
Only about 30 per cent of respondents said they would still eat ramen as often if the price increased.
Ramen chain operator Kourakuen Corp., which has more than 350 locations nationwide, has reduced the number of chashu pork pieces in its Chinese noodles from three to two and is keeping the price at 490 per cent.
Mr Atsushi Sasaki, director of public relations and investor relations at the company, said: “We have managed to maintain the price by having customers order side dishes with their meals. Consumers are highly price-conscious.”
In Arakawa Ward, Tokyo, popular restaurant Ramenya Toy Box, a longtime winner of the Michelin Guide’s “Bib Gourmand” award (given to restaurants that provide good value for diners’ money), raised the price of its regular ramen by 100 to 1,200 yen in 2024.
At the same time, it introduced kake ramen for 1000 yen. The ramen has only a green onion topping.
“Some people say they don’t mind eating ramen without chashu pork, and we still wanted to offer an option that didn’t exceed 1,000 yen,” owner Takanori Yamagami said.
Prices continue to soar. For example, the cost of the gas used for cooking ramen is now more than 50 per cent higher than before Russia’s aggression in Ukraine began in 2022.
“One of the charms of ramen is that it can satisfy you for a low price. But it is also true that we cannot keep operating our ramen shop without raising prices. We are trying to find ways to preserve those charms,” he said.
Brands of cup ramen consisting only of noodles and broth, with no toppings, have entered the market, with the “Soup Gekiuma!” (Soup super delicious!) series, priced at 238 per cent and sold at Lawson convenience stores since last year, gaining popularity.
“We haven’t made it clear enough to consumers how ramen has changed from the old days to become the ramen of today,” said ramen critic Rikiya Yamaji.
In the past, Chinese restaurants were able to sell ramen at a reasonable price because they served the noodles in broth that was also used for other dishes. Nowadays, as restaurants compete with each other to offer the best taste, they take a lot of time and effort to prepare their soups.
“Consumers need to look at it like this: Ramen made with care costs money, which in turn helps to protect the ramen they love,” he said.
Local ramen also popular.
When asked why the Japanese are so attracted to ramen, Akira Tachibana, co-chairman of the Universal Ramen Culture Research Association for Social studies and associate professor at Yamato University, said: “The barriers to entry for ramen shops are low, and new shops keep creating new recipes. This constant innovation attracts consumers.”
Another reason for the popularity of ramen is its regional variability. Local varieties of ramen are available throughout the country, taking advantage of various local ingredients and climates.
“Because it is so readily available, people have come to recognise it as comfort food,” Mr Tachibana said.
“The popularity of ramen is not a fad. It has been established as part of the culture. I think it will continue to attract people’s attention in the future.” THE JAPAN NEWS/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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