Do you know Iekei Ramen?
Iekei ramen is a type of ramen served at Japanese ramen restaurants that have the character “ie” (＝house) in their name.
Its most distinctive feature is its rich soup! The soy sauce-based soup made from pork bones and chicken carcasses is punchy and hits you right in the feels when you’re hungry!
Another distinctive feature of Iekei ramen is that it is topped with seaweed and spinach in addition to the char siu pork.
Another unique feature is that garlic and ginger are available on the table as free toppings.
This type of ramen originated from a ramen shop called “Yoshimuraya” in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.
“Yoshimuraya”＝”吉村家”
”ya”＝”家”＝”ie”（Different ways to read Japanese）
That’s why ramen shops with the character “ie” in their names are called Iekei Ramen.
Located in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, the “Iekei Ramen” restaurant is called “Oudouya”
Iekei Ramen has branches in many places in Japan, but let me introduce my favorite Iekei Ramen.
It’s “Oudouya,” （王道家）with its main store in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture!
It’s less than a 10-minute walk from the west exit of JR Kashiwa Station, and it’s just across National Route 16, so be sure to check it out!
（To be more specific, Oudouya once moved to Toride City in Ibaraki Prefecture, where the main store is located, but it has now returned to Kashiwa, so I would recommend the Kashiwa store.
I was really sad when it moved to Toride once…）
If you are going by car, the Toride main store has a parking lot, so I’ve included a map of that store. In the end, both stores are delicious!
It’s difficult to walk to the Toride store from the station, so we recommend going by car.
Try Iekei ramen, especially Oudouya！
I had my first ramen of 2025 at Oudouya, so I wrote this article to introduce it.
I’ve loved ramen since I was a student, so if you come to Japan, be sure to try it!
By the way, there is one in Tokyo too! It’s in the Ueno and Okachimachi area, so it’s easy to access. But it’s super crowded!
And let’s not forget that they are also collaborating with Nissin Foods, Japan’s leading chilled ramen manufacturer!
If the store is too crowded, you can enjoy chilled Oudouya at home. The soup was still as delicious as ever.
There is also a cup ramen called Oudouya at convenience stores, but I don’t really recommend it…
If you’re eating it at home, the chilled noodle type is by far the best. The soup comes in a pack and has a strong flavor.
If you boil spinach at home and top it with seaweed, it’s almost the classic. It’s also great as a souvenir!
Be sure to try some Japanese Iekei ramen!
fanfanjapan!!
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