I had initially planned to find something a bit more unique for my last night in Nagoya. However, I was too tired and ended up going for ramen at Ichiran instead. It’s one of those places every tourist in Japan feels they have to try — mainly because it’s consistently good no matter which branch you visit.

Ichiran serves only one type of ramen: its signature tonkotsu. It’s fully customisable and, according to them, made entirely in-house. I ordered a standard bowl with all the usual toppings, including an egg, and added their smoke-flavoured stewed pork on the side to give it a try.

If you’ve never been to Ichiran before, dining there is an experience in itself. You sit at a single bar stool in your own small booth, facing a bamboo curtain. When your food is ready, the curtain is briefly lifted for delivery, but it remains closed most of the time, allowing you to eat in near-total solitude.

The egg arrived first, followed shortly by the ramen. I asked for it to be spicy, which was a first for me at Ichiran. The broth was rich and delicious, pairing perfectly with the firm noodles. The char siu, spring onions, wood ear fungus, and fresh nori sheets came together to make a reliably satisfying bowl. The smoke-flavoured stewed pork was also delicious, and I especially liked the generous amount of spring onions on top, which added another layer of flavour.

It does make me wonder how Ichiran manages to maintain such consistency across so many branches in Japan and around the world. Service is smooth and efficient, with ordering done entirely through a touchscreen. You don’t really need to speak to anyone at all — it’s entirely possible to enjoy a complete meal in silence if that’s your preference.

That said, if I had to choose between the two major ramen chains, Ippudo and Ichiran, I’d still go with Ippudo. It just hits better for me overall, and there’s more variety on the main menu.

Website: Ichiran

Address: 〒450-0002 Aichi, Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Meieki, 3 Chome−25−6 ホテルリソル名古屋 B1F

Map and Direction