Origins of Ramen

Kenichi Ozaki (오자키 켄이치; 尾崎貫一)

Kenichi Ozaki was originally a customs official. In 1910, he founded a restaurant called 'Rairaiken (라이라이켄)' in Asakusa, Tokyo, leaving a major mark on the history of ramen in Japan.

Japan's First Dedicated Ramen Restaurant, Rairaiken (라이라이켄) (1910)

• Standardization of ramen: Kenichi Ozaki (오자키 켄이치) recruited Chinese chefs from Yokohama Chinatown and developed "chuka soba" tailored to Japanese tastes.

• The first dedicated restaurant: He transformed noodles, which at the time were merely one item on the menus of Chinese restaurants, into an independent business model centered on a dedicated ramen restaurant.

• Explosive popularity: The restaurant achieved tremendous success, attracting between 2,500 and 3,000 customers per day at the time, and ushered in the popularization of ramen.

The style introduced by Kenichi Ozaki (오자키 켄이치) at Rairaiken (라이라이켄) became the model for the ramen eaten today.

• Shoyu (soy sauce) broth: He established a style in which a chicken- and pork-bone-based broth is seasoned with soy sauce (shoyu).

• Establishment of the toppings: He originated the classic ramen composition of placing chashu, menma (bamboo shoots), scallions, and narutomaki (fish cake) on top of the noodles.

• Affordable pricing: By setting prices that ordinary people could comfortably afford, he laid the groundwork for ramen to become a national food of Japan.