Japan's first ramen shop unexpectedly reopens after nearly half a century.

Throughout Japan, as well as many places around the world, numerous establishments serve the long-standing traditional noodle dish, ramen. However, every culinary trend must have a starting point somewhere, and for Japanese ramen restaurants, that starting point is Rairaiken.

Opened in 1910 in Tokyo's Asakusa district, Rairaiken was Japan's first ramen restaurant. Founded by Kanichi Ozaki and a team of 12 professional chefs from Yokohama's Chinatown, Rairaiken quickly rose to prominence and achieved rapid success, serving around 3,000 customers daily.

Rairaiken had established its brand in the Asakusa area for over 30 years. Around 1944, due to the effects of the war, the restaurant closed for the first time. Ten years later, in 1954, the shop reopened to serve customers but moved to a new location in Yaesu Ward, near what is now Tokyo Station. However, by 1976, with no one left to continue the family business, Rairaiken was forced to close again. Now, after 44 years of inactivity, Rairaiken has unexpectedly returned, resuming business to serve ramen lovers.

Reportedly, this is part of a mission to preserve and share the history of traditional Japanese ramen. The Ramen Museum in Yokohama collaborated with Kanichi's grandson, Kunio Takahashi, and great-grandson, Yusaku Takahashi, to research and restore the shop.

The restoration began with an effort to identify the original recipe that Mr. Kanichi used in his ramen. His grandson, Kunio, and experts determined the noodle flour ingredients based on his first experience eating ramen at the shop back then. For the broth that once captivated thousands of diners, Mr. Kanichi primarily used a type of shoyu (soybean paste) from eastern Japan, adjusting the recipe according to the quality of the ingredients and customer preferences. All of this will be featured in the restored shop located in Yokohama, about 25 minutes south of Tokyo.

Although it remains unclear whether Rairaiken can return to its heyday and operate for a long time, the restaurant will certainly open its doors to customers this fall in the Ramen Museum area in Yokohama.

Huong Thao