Any Korean who has traveled to Japan has probably waited in line at least once outside Ichiran. For Korean travelers, the ramen chain has become a must-visit stop on any trip to Japan. Among Japanese diners, however, a common refrain is that it is too expensive to visit often.
A total of 7.42 million Koreans visited Japan in the January-August period, up 21.2% from a year earlier, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization on the 29th. In August alone, 850,500 Koreans traveled to Japan, a record high for the month. Annual arrivals are likely to top 10 million this year. Koreans account for about 27% of all foreign visitors to Japan, meaning more than one in four is Korean.
Ichiran ramen is one of the stops many of those travelers consider essential. Launched in Fukuoka in 1993, Ichiran set itself apart with partitioned single-seat booths and customizable orders. Unlike typical Hakata tonkotsu ramen, which carries a strong pork odor, Ichiran's broth is clean and light, a profile widely described as suited to Korean tastes.
Online communities have spread word of a so-called "golden recipe," a customization that delivers roughly the spice level of Shin Ramyun. First-time travelers to Japan are often told that if they are unsure about ramen, they should go to Ichiran.
Buoyed by Korean demand, Ichiran is also targeting the domestic market. It has no permanent store in Korea, but its Korean branch sells meal kits through pop-up stores that rotate among department stores nationwide, including Paldo Department Store, Gwangju Shinsegae and The Hyundai Seoul.
A pop-up at The Hyundai Seoul in October 2024 drew wide attention for replicating the look of the chain's Japanese outlets. In China, a knockoff called "Tchiran" — the Ichiran logo with the "I" removed — opened in Beijing, sparking a trademark infringement dispute and underscoring how much the brand's value has risen.
In Japan, however, Ichiran's standing differs sharply from its reputation in Korea. A basic bowl costs 980 yen, above the average price of ramen in Japan, and many Japanese diners say they rarely go because of the cost. That reflects a premium strategy Ichiran adopted from the start, targeting women and foreign tourists. Women account for more than 40% of customers at Ichiran stores, more than double the 15% at typical ramen shops.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue plunged as foreign tourists disappeared, and some said the chain was headed for collapse. After travel resumed, it recovered fully, posting annual revenue of 47.7 billion yen (about 450 billion won) as of 2025. The more Korean tourists arrive, the better Ichiran fares.
