How much does a bowl of ramen cost in Japan?

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Having a nice, authentic bowl of ramen is a must when traveling to Japan. It’s one of the nation’s favorite meals to eat.

How much does a bowl of ramen cost in Japan?

The price of ramen will depend on where you get it and what you want in it. But the average cost will be between 300 yen to 2000 yen.

Different areas and cities will have different varieties of ramen, and sometimes different shops like to add their own twist to their ramen.

Just in Tokyo alone, there are at least 10.000 ramen shops! It is a very diverse meal and a great bite to grab for a quick lunch.

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The cost of ramen at different places

The price will mainly depend on what type of shops you buy them from. The four popular shop choices are:

  • chain stores (ichiran)
  • cheap ramen shops
  • family ramen restaurants
  • luxury ramen restaurants

Let’s have a look at all of them.

Cost of ramen at ichiran (chain store)

The most popular choice of establishment amongst tourists is chain store ramen shops, such as ichiran. These are well known around Japan.

The average price of a basic bowl of ramen in these shops is around 890 Yen. If you want any extras, that will cost more.

Ichiran also offers a special menu as well as a regular menu. Items on the special menu will cost around 1500 yen, while the regular is 890 yen.

Chain stores are great when you are not in the mood for looking for a smaller local shop.

Cost of ramen at a ramen shop

Cheap ramen shops are scattered all over Japan. They are the cheapest options for a bowl of ramen.

The average price for one is about 300 yen. If you are looking for something tasty and cheap, definitely check these shops out!

Most avid ramen eaters choose cheap ramen shops because they serve the best ramen bowl. The downside to these shops is you will not have time for a slow and relaxing dinner.

These shops work and serve quickly, so you need to be in and out as quick as possible. If you are looking to get extra toppings for your ramen, it will set you back by about 50-100 yen per topping.

Cost of ramen at a ramen restaurant

If you are looking to sit down, you might be able to find a ramen restaurant. The average cost in restaurants is close to 800 yen. But serious ramen eaters don’t usually choose to go to a family restaurant.

These places have some different options to choose from. Each option will vary in price, but the maximum you would pay is probably about 1000 yen.

Cost of ramen at a luxury restaurant

Luxury restaurants are not that popular in Japan, but there are some great places out there.

These restaurants usually have a nice, friendly atmosphere where people enjoy sitting down and conversing with one another during dinner.

The average cost of a bowl is around the 2000 yen mark, but every option will be different.

Some tips for eating ramen in Japan

If you are planning a trip to Tokyo, don’t be afraid to travel outside of it. Some places outside of Tokyo offer some of the best ramen bowls, like Chiba which is only about an hour’s travel from Tokyo.

Most ramen shops will have a vending machine ordering system. This will display the prices for all ramen bowls they do, so you can browse before you go into the shop.

Make sure you look at all the varieties because they serve many delicious options.

Also don’t forget, most ramen shops in Japan will be cash only. Some shops have upgraded now and started to accept cards. But most places are old-fashioned and don’t accept anything other than cash.

There are also Michelin star ramen restaurants around Japan, but these will come under luxury, therefore costing you a lot of money to eat there.

As long as traveling to Japan is not an option, why not try making ramen at home with these top 7 best ramen machines?

Check out our new cookbook

Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

Try it out for free with Kindle Unlimited:

Read for free

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.