What makes this bowl of noodles cost around twice as much as a regular ramen, and is it worth it?

Ever since the pandemic eased, inbound tourism has been booming in Japan, with record numbers of overseas visitors arriving in the country. In fact, it’s hard to walk through almost any area of central Tokyo without passing a visitor from overseas, and for many businesses that’s seen as a good thing, especially as the weak yen gives them greater spending power than local customers.

In an attempt to appeal to these overseas customers, you can now see multilingual posters and products aimed at tourists all over the city. Our reporter P.K. Sanjun recently came across one such poster outside the Kabukicho branch of ramen chain Mita Seimenjo, where the words “WAGYU RAMEN” in large font immediately caught his eye.

▼ With no Japanese writing on the poster whatsoever, this was clearly a menu item that was marketed towards foreign tourists.

Mita Seimenjo might not have the same level of instant brand recognition amongst foreign visitors compared to rival chains, but locals know it for its rich seafood-and-pork-bone broth and thick, chewy noodles. P.K. himself says it’s probably most famous for its tsukemen (dipping noodles), and he has a lot of praise for its excellent karaage (fried chicken) too.

With over 50 branches, mainly located around Tokyo, P.K. has visited his fair share of Mita Seimenjos but not once had he seen the “WAGYU RAMEN” poster before. After running a search for it online, he couldn’t find any mention of it on the chain’s official website, leading him to believe it must be a Kabukicho branch exclusive.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to try a new ramen, P.K. stepped inside the store and ordered it, while wincing slightly at the 2,380 yen (US$16) expenditure, which is around twice the cost of the tsukemen he normally orders at the chain. Though local customers would balk at such a price tag, the chain even offers an extra slice of A5 Wagyu for 1,480 yen, making it a very expensive topping.

When his order arrived, it certainly looked delicious – a generous slice of Wagyu beef dominated the top of the bowl, crowned with a raw egg yolk for an extra touch of luxury.

On the side, as if to avoid stealing the spotlight from the beef, were spring onions and bamboo shoots, served separately on a small plate.

Taking a sip of the broth, it was exactly what he expected from Mita Seimenjo. The reliably delicious seafood-and-pork-bone broth paired perfectly with the smooth, chewy noodles, and he had to admit that at this point, it was an excellent ramen.

▼ Time to try the Wagyu.

Though he’d initially had his doubts, he needn’t have doubted the skills of Mita Seimenjo, because this was a fantastic slice of A5 beef. Beautifully marbled, it was incredibly rich, with a remarkable sweetness to the fat that had him wanting to jump up and do a happy wagyu dance.

Just when he thought things couldn’t get any more indulgent, he added the accompanying truffle into the broth and it immediately transformed the taste of the entire bowl, giving it an even richer, more luxurious flavour. In the end, the truffle left just as much of an impression on P.K. as the Wagyu itself.

▼ The truffle, and the raw egg, really elevated the soup.

After slurping up the final mouthful of broth, P.K. was pleased to discover that this wasn’t an expensive tourist gimmick. Rather than simply placing an expensive slice of Wagyu on top of a plain bowl of ramen, careful consideration had been given to the dish as a whole, balancing the flavours with quality ingredients that made the price feel surprisingly reasonable.

That said, if P.K. were to return, he’d probably opt for two bowls of the chain’s delicious tsukemen instead of one bowl of WAGYU RAMEN. However, from a tourist’s point-of-view, the chance to enjoy two of Japan’s most famous culinary exports, ramen and Wagyu beef, in a single bowl will likely be a temptation too hard to resist. So go ahead and indulge, as this is a food encounter you won’t regret, but keep in mind that the tsukemen is also worth a look-in, as that’s what locals really keep coming back for.

Restaurant information
Mita Seimenjo Kabukicho Branch / 三田製麺所 歌舞伎町店
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Kabukicho 1-14-3 Kabukicho Dai 103 Tokyo Building 1F–2F
東京都新宿区歌舞伎町1丁目14-3 第103東京ビル1・2F
Open 11:00 a.m.–3:00 a.m. (Last order 2:45 a.m.) Mon-Thu; 11:00 a.m.–6:30 a.m. (Last order 6:00 a.m.) Fri & public holidays; 10:00 a.m.–6:30 a.m. (Last order 6:00 a.m.) Sat; 10:00 a.m.–3:00 a.m. (Last order 2:45 a.m.) Sun
Irregular holidays
Website

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