The Ichiran Ramen Main Store (一蘭 本社総本店, Ichiran Ramen Headquarters) is located in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Japan.
It serves as both the flagship and headquarters-managed store of the Ichiran Ramen chain.
This is the starting point of the tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen specialty brand “Ichiran”,
which now operates throughout Japan and overseas (Korea, the U.S., Hong Kong, and more).
Since its founding in the 1960s, Ichiran has consistently ranked among Japan’s top ramen shops.
This is the exterior of the Ichiran Ramen Main Store.
It felt like a tall tower you’d see in China.
You can see people dining on the first floor from outside,
and it’s set up with individual booths similar to study cubicles in Korea.
I wondered, “How do people eat upstairs?”
It turns out that the upper floors are actually Ichiran’s head office where employees work.
They even have a Korean menu, so ordering is easy for foreign visitors.
The base is their signature natural tonkotsu ramen, and the “Ichiran 5 Selections”
menu combines popular toppings as a set.
It’s kind of like Subway’s “Recommended Combo.”
I added a soft-boiled egg and wood ear mushrooms, which my brother recommended.
The seats are divided like study cubicles, and they’re narrower than expected.
There’s a staff member behind the counter who serves the ramen directly without showing their face.
On the right, there’s a “Help” sign written in Japanese — if you hold it up, staff will assist you without talking.
It’s very considerate for shy customers, though we didn’t need to use it as Koreans.
When you sit down, you’ll find an order sheet like the one above.
The front is in Japanese, the back in Korean — it seems most foreign visitors are Korean.
I heard that level 7 spiciness suits Korean taste best, so I chose level 7.
You can customize the rest based on your preferences.
It looked absolutely delicious.
I first tried the broth without mixing, and the rich pork flavor filled my mouth instantly.
A few days earlier, I’d eaten miso ramen in Korea, but honestly, it couldn’t compare to this.
Ichiran’s ramen was on a whole different level — truly incredible!
The noodles in Japanese ramen are very different from Korean ones.
Korean noodles are usually chewy and bouncy,
while Japanese noodles are thinner and have a texture closer to pasta.
I really enjoyed it.
There’s just one thing I regret — choosing level 7 spiciness.
I thought I could handle spicy food, but it was hotter than expected.
It wasn’t just spicy; the aroma of chili overwhelmed the broth’s original flavor.
After stirring, I could no longer taste that deep pork richness.
If you visit, I recommend sticking to level 5 or below, or
enjoying half the bowl before mixing in the spice.
And above all — don’t skip the egg topping! It takes the flavor to another level.