Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
*Komurasaki, Ryu-Shanghai, and Yuji Ramen have vegan ramens.
2 Chome-14-21 Shinyokohama, Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 222-0033, Japan
Tel: 045-471-0503
Hours: 11:00-21:00
Web: http://www.raumen.co.jp/english/
If you adore ramen, like I do, you need to make your way over to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. This place is not in Tokyo, it is in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture, which is right below Tokyo. However, it is only about 50 minutes from Shinjuku, so if you get there in the morning, you can be back in central Tokyo by the afternoon. Or you can see Yokohama afterwards and make it a sight seeing day.
I have known about the existence of this Ramen Museum for a long time, ever since I lived in Japan. For some reason I had not visited it until this trip. Probably because, well, if you live in Japan, you don’t have to go to a Ramen Museum to get good ramen. It’s everywhere! It’s like not going to a Burger Museum if you live in the states. You don’t really have to, to get a good burger. So visiting this place didn’t even cross my mind until I took a vegan ramen cooking class during my stay. In the class, was a Japanese vegan blogger, Kazz, who writes about vegan eats all around Japan on his blog, Vegepples. Out of all of the places he has eaten, which is a lot, he said the vegan ramen from Komurasaki in Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum was his #1 choice. Well, there was no way I was going back home to the states before trying this place out!
I decided to squeeze it in on one of my last days in Tokyo, and my dad wanted to join me. So it became sort of a father daughter field trip. There it is, the Ramen Museum!
You have to purchase the entrance ticket. Admissions fees is 310 yen for adults, children and seniors 100 yen.
When you get inside, there’s an interesting and informative history of ramen exhibit towards the back left, and a gift shop at the back.
But if you go down the stairs to your left,
You are transported to the Showa era of Japan, aka the good old days! We both loved it and got a kick out of it, because it was a recreation of his childhood, and for me, it was straight out my favorite Japanese movies like the “Tora-san” series. It was like a tiny Caesars Palace, or in this case, Showa era palace with ramen shops!
Not all of the ramen shops are vegan but three of the shops in here each have a vegan ramen. Komurasaki, which was the one that was highly recommended, Ryu-Shanghai, and Yujiramen. Here’s the Ramen Museum’s page about their vegetarian and vegan options.
This place has a wrap around 2nd floor with ramen shops, a fortune teller, and a old school candy store.
The first floor is all ramen shops and an Okinawan bar.
Komurasaki is at the front right corner on the first floor.
After waiting 10 minutes in line, it was our turn. You have to buy your ramen ticket outside with the ticket machine. Make sure you purchase the ticket for 野菜だけで作った王様ラーメン (King Ramen made with just vegetables). This is the one vegan ramen that they have at Komurasaki. Really be careful and make sure you get the King Ramen made with just vegetables, because they do have a regular King Ramen that is not vegan. You also have the options of extra toppings, like bean sprouts, green onions, etc. My dad got the same thing too.
It is a small cozy space inside and you can see the ramen chefs hard at work.
Behold, King Ramen made with only vegetables! Tonkotsu (pork bone broth) like creamy soy milk based broth ramen topped with mushrooms, bean sprouts, green onions, and soy chashu meat. Absofreakinglutely delicious! The soup is savory, creamy, with incredible depth of flavor, and the chashu slices are excellent. My carnivore dad kept excitedly saying, “I can’t believe this is vegan! It can’t be!” He even asked the server if this was really vegan lol. It sure was. Well, if you can make a carnivore Japanese excited about a vegan ramen, then you have my seal of approval. Being a lover of good ramen, I will probably always try to come back here every time I come visit Japan.
I was extremely satisfied with the incredible vegan King’s Ramen from Komurasaki, but I wasn’t about to go home after eating just one bowl of ramen. After all, I did pay an admissions fee, and there are 2 more vegan ramens offered in this museum.
So next up, Ryu-Shanghai. This place is directly across the street from Komurasaki, located at the front left corner of the first floor.
Once again, we waited about 10 minutes in line, and bought a ramen ticket. The vegan ramen they offer here at Ryu-Shanghai is called “Vegetarian Ramen”. They also have extra topping options too. I told my father he can sit this one out because he’s full, but he insisted he wanted to try this one too.
Inside is small, purposely aged and made to look like your old school neighborhood small mom and pop ramen shop.
They have a notice on the wall that says to please be aware that the ramen will take a little longer to come out because their thicker ramen noodles requires longer cooking time. No problem, I can digest my ramen from earlier a bit more.
Then here comes Ryu-Shanghai’s vegetarian ramen (vegan ramen). A miso based soup with fragrant toasted sesame oil, topped with thinly sliced Japanese leaks and a dollop of spicy miso. I enjoyed this good savory soup, especially with their thick perfectly cooked al dente noodles. You can slowly melt the spicy miso while you eat the ramen, and enjoy the spice level changes in flavor as you go. But if you don’t like things spicy, I would scoop out the spicy miso. My dad liked this one too!
My dad and I were extremely full at this point and there was no room for the 3rd vegan ramen. Oh well, I will come back next time. Wow, what an experience! I am incredibly grateful for the awesome recommendation I got from Kazz. If you love ramen, you know a great vegan ramen is hard to come by. Well, look no further. This museum holds all your answers.
Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
*Komurasaki, Ryu-Shanghai, and Yuji Ramen have vegan ramens.
2 Chome-14-21 Shinyokohama, Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 222-0033, Japan
Tel: 045-471-0503
Hours: 11:00-21:00
Web: http://www.raumen.co.jp/english/
