STATEMENT
Japanese Wonder to the World
Since its founding,
IPPUDO has been focusing on creating a new ramen culture in Japan.
Starting with ramen, IPPUDO plans to introduce Japan's beloved gastronomic culture to the world - where people can enjoy, understand and appreciate the Japanese food and culture.
Continuing to thrill the world through Japanese cuisine,
IPPUDO seeks to bring smiles for the generations to come.
Feelings towards
“Keep changing to remain unchanged.”
Feelings towards “constantly changing
Feelings towards the food
IPPUDO still needs to prove itself for many more years before it can claim to be a long-established shop. The year 2035 will be its 50th anniversary. The year 2085 will be its 100th anniversary. It’s not easy to predict the future, but there is one thing that will “never change”. That is IPPUDO’s firm resolve in the way it serves each single bowl of ramen to each individual customer. IPPUDO’s future aim is to become a long-established shop. In order for IPPUDO to be recognized as a respectable long-established company in the years to come, IPPUDO is committed to focusing on “what will never change”, and achieving this requires constant change.
IPPUDO has always believed that taste is not only experienced with the tongue. Naturally ingenuity is needed, which incorporates all five senses including sight and sound, but the elements of comfort and safety are also essential in taste. IPPUDO carefully selects the ingredients, prepares the water, and maintains its cooking environment in perfect condition to ensure thorough cleanliness and organization. And then, these are brought to life through the hands of a master craftsperson. That’s why we do not grudge a single minute of time spent on developing our staff. IPPUDO’s food, and naturally its ramen, was born on this unique foundation of “primary standards”.
Feelings towards the design
The wooden signs and hand-dyed fabric dividers reminiscent of Kyoto’s long-established stores. The woody interior such as found in a wood sculptor’s studio. The original bowls specially ordered from a pottery. The sound of jazz flowing in the background. Young men and women dressed in samue robes welcoming you in a breezy tone. Everything about this “IPPUDO – Hakata” design born in 1985 is so inventive. This spirit of the company has now been passed on to create even more innovative stores. What’s more, underlying the design is the theory of the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water (moku, ka, do, gon, sui). So please come and experience the harmony of each of the elements for yourself.
Feelings towards hospitality
IPPUDO aims to have staff who are able to “notice attentively, think attentively and act attentively”. In other words, people who carefully observe what the customers want, surmise their needs using their past experience and make predictions when taking action. These are people who are able to evoke feelings which exceed the expectations of our customers. Reading the human mind is not something that can be explained in an instructions manual. This is the source of IPPUDO’s omotenashi (hospitality). Another is the spirit of gratitude. For us at IPPUDO, every steaming bowl is an “arigato” – a thank you, which we serve to our customers all around the world together with a smile.
2011
IPPUDO NY ranked No. 1 in the 2010 “Yelp”, the US coast-to-coast restaurant review site
Opened its first IPPUDO ramen shops in Hong Kong
2012
Hosted the “First Ramen General Election”, an “original ramen creation” contest Opened its first food-court geared ramen shop “IPPUDO RAMEN EXPRESS”
Opened its first IPPUDO ramen shops in Taiwan, China and Australia
2013
Opened its first IPPUDO ramen shop in Malaysia
Held an event called Shiki no ramen dai ni sho (Four Seasons Ramen Part 2) which served a one-day-only “original ramen creation”
Ramen supervised by IPPUDO selected by All Nippon Airways (ANA) for ANA international inflight meals
2014
“PARIS RAMEN WEEK Zuzutto” held in Paris, France as part of the 2014 COOL JAPAN Project gaining much acclaim
Opened its first IPPUDO ramen shops in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia
First overseas expansion into Europe with the opening of its shop in London, U.K.
HISTORY
1985.10.16
Established “HAKATA IPPUDO” in Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka city
1994
Opened its first Kanto-region IPPUDO ramen shop
in the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
1995
Opened “IPPUDO Ebisu”, its first Tokyo IPPUDO ramen shop
in Hiroo, Tokyo
2007
Launched the Kiwami shinaji (Ultimate Modern) at 1,300 yen per bowl
2008
Started its global expansion by opening “IPPUDO NY”, its first overseas IPPUDO ramen shop in New York
2010
Remodeled the Daimyo Headquarters on IPPUDO’s 25th anniversary and opened its first IPPUDO sub-brand shop, “SHIROMARU BASE” in Omori, Tokyo
2010-2011: Won first place in best overall at the Tokyo
Ramen of the Year Grand Prix
1996
Launched its signature dishes,
“Shiromaru Classic” and
“Akamaru Modern”
1997
Became Champion of the “TV Champion – Ramen Master Chef Championships” aired by TV TOKYO
1999
Defended its Champion title to become a two-time winner of the “All-Time Best! Ramen King Finals II” aired by TV Tokyo
2000
Elected to the Hall of Fame for three consecutive wins in the “Look at That Queue!
Ramen Master Chef Championships” aired by TV TOKYO. Launched the industry’s first ramen shop brand “cup noodles” in joint development with Nissin Foods
2002
Held an event called Shiki no ramen (Four Seasons Ramen) at the Daimyo Headquarters, which served a one-day only “original ramen creation”
2005
Won the “World’s Greatest Ramen King Finals” aired by TBS to be crowned the first “Ramen King”
2015.10.16
Revamped its signature dishes “Shiromaru Classic” and “Akamaru Modern” on the occasion of its 30th anniversary
2016
Opened its first IPPUDO ramen shop in Paris, France
AWARDS
JAPAN
Three consecutive wins as TV Champion as aired by TV TOKYO
Champion of the “TV Champion - Ramten Master Chef Championships”
Successfully defended its title to become Champion of “All-Time Best! Ramen King Finals II”
Champion of “Look at That Queue! Ramen Master Chef Championships”
Crowned first “Ramen King”
Crowned first “Ramen King” in the “World’s Greatest Ramen King Finals” aired by TBS
“TRY Grand Prix”
Won overall first place in the “Tokyo Ramen of the Year (TRY) Grand Prix” 2010-2011
Trip Advisor
IPPUDO Nishikikoji ranked best overall No. 9 in the “2014 Restaurants Popular with Foreign Visitors”
Ranked No.1 in the ramen shop category
Ramen Walker
Grand prix 2012
Restaurant Industry Press Club
Winner of the Special 10th Anniversary “2013 Restaurant Award”
CHINA
The Beijinger
Won the Japanese food category/imported food category of The Beijinger 2015 Restaurant Awards
NY
Ranked No. 1 in the “TOP 10 Restaurants” of 2010
Ranked No. 3 in the “TOP 10 Restaurants” of 2011
Ranked No. 1 in the 2010 Noodle Category
IPPUDO NY: Ranked No. 1 in 2011; ranked No. 2 in 2012; ranked No. 1 in 2013; ranked No. 2 in 2014
MIchelin
“IPPUDO NY” listed for six consecutive years since 2009
The New York Times
Selected as one of the top 10 recommended ramen shops
The 2015 Best Asian NYC Restaurants Contest
The first IPPUDO NY shop won in the ramen category
HONG KONG SAR
Open Rice
Ranked no. 1 for 16 consecutive weeks in the restaurant chart
The first IPPUDO Hong Kong shop won “Best Restaurant in the Tsim Sha Tsui area”
Michelin
Listed in the Hong Kong & Macau restaurant and hotel guide
APAC Sabre
Won the Asia-Pacific region’s largest industry award in the Product Media Relations category
CIPRA
Won an award from the China International Public Relations Association founded in Beijing in 1991 highly rating IPPUDO’s campaign
Weekend Wkly
Selected as one of the top 5 Japanese restaurants “customers definitely want to go to”
U Magazine
Selected as one of the top 5 popular restaurants of "U Magazine"
Won Popular Food Award 2015
MALAYSIA
Trip Advisor
Ranked 43rd out of 2,644 restaurants, received the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence
THAILAND
Wongnai
Won “Best Restaurant” on the Wongnai restaurant review site
As well as the abovementioned awards, IPPUDO received recognition with numerous other awards.
SINGAPORE
Epicure’s Top Award
Won Epicure’s Top Award, Ramen TOP10 sponsored by food magazine, Epicure
Epicurean, Hungry Go Where Peoples Choice
The first IPPUDO Singapore shop won “Most Popular Japanese Restaurant”
Women’s Weekly
Won the GolfPlate of women’s magazine, Women’s Weekly, in the ramen category
Trip Advisor
Received the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence
FOUNDER
SHIGEMI KAWAHARA
Founder of CHIKARANOMOTO (lit. “The Source of Power”) GROUP
Chairman and CEO of CHIKARANOMOTO GROUP
Founder of IPPUDO
Born in Fukuoka prefecture in 1952.
After opening “HAKATA IPPUDO” in ’85, Shigemi Kawahara established CHIKARANOMOTO (lit. “The Source of Power”) GROUP in ’86. It was through Shigemi Kawahara opening a ramen shop in the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum in ’94 that tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen gained popularity throughout all of Japan. Then, starting with IPPUDO’s foray into the New York gastronomic scene in 2008, IPPUDO has since been acting as a global leader to convey the appeal of both ramen and Japanese food throughout the world.
In addition, winner of the 10th Anniversary Restaurant Award in 2014 for IPPUDO’s achievements in expanding the restaurant industry and contributions in developing a restaurant culture.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in ’97 as a three-time winner of the popular TV TOKYO program, “TV Champion – Ramen Master Chef Championships” and recognized with awards from numerous contests featuring “original ramen creations”. Author of books including Ippudo gorin no sho (“IPPUDO – The Book of Five Rings” (Chichi Publishing)) and Anata no mise o tsubusanai hosoku (“The Principles Behind Not Bankrupting Your Shop” (PHP Institute)), Nanatsu no shuukan to ippudo (The Seven Habits and IPPUDO).
IPPUDO's commitment
A taste of tradition and innovation – in all IPPUDO’s ramen.
IPPUDO ramen keeps to the basics of Hakata ramen,
but constantly strives to innovate.
Now try our ever-evolving “most recent taste”.
ABOUT SOUP
Hakata Kinugoshi Tonkotsu
(Hakata Silky Pork Broth) Smooth yet with a rich and full-bodied taste. While following the traditional cooking methods of Hakata tonkotsu ramen, IPPUDO has created a “double maturation process”, which adds several layers of depth to its taste. Cooked for a good 18 hours in a specially-crafted soup pot, then rounded off using a lower heat maturation method for another full day. Smooth and mellow as silk, this specialty pork-based stock forms the base for IPPUDO’s ramen.
ABOUT WHEAT
“Kaze no daichi”
(windy plains) a wheat variety specially grown for IPPUDO. An original blend of wheat varieties mainly using hard flour which produces a delightfully springy and chewy texture. Combined with low gluten wheat for its strong umami (savory taste), and then interfused with “Ra Mugi” (so named as an abbreviation of ramen + mugi meaning wheat), a wheat variety from Fukuoka prefecture specially grown for use in ramen. This results in a pleasant, springy chewiness yet with a firm easy-bite texture and a mild sensation when swallowed. Then the last impression which comes into play is the original flavorful aroma of the wheat. Ultrafine noodles made from IPPUDO’s original wheat.
ABOUT NOODLES
IPPUDO round blade noodles fineness no. 26
A bowl full of basics – the question is what noodles would best suit the Shiromaru Classic? Noodle specialists worked night and day trying out all kinds of possibilities until they reached the answer which was “Round blade noodles fineness no. 26”. Skilled professionals controlled the hydrolysis rate and process by adjusting the temperature and humidity, and achieved the most perfect balance. Using “round blades” which produce circular noodles, these noodles which draw up just the right amount of silky pork broth, and provide a gentle, almost nostalgic comfort can be said to be the basic origin of IPUUDO tonkotsu ramen.
IPPUDO edged blade noodles fineness no. 22
A bowl full of innovation – “Edged blade noodles fineness no. 22” born out of a quest for greater elasticity and solidity to match the Akamaru Modern. This taste and texture created so as not to lose out to the impact of the spicy miso, infused oil and back fat was achieved through delicately adjusting the kansui (alkaline solution) and wheat, and pursuing the ultimate balance of rolling ratio. Using “edged blades” where the edges of the cutting edges are square in shape, these strong noodles created through a low hydrolysis rate entangle with the deep flavor of the Akamaru Modern and double the soup’s umami (savory taste).
*Noodle fineness This refers to the number of noodles cut within a width of 30 mm when the band of noodles is finally cut using a roll cutter. And so the bigger the number, the finer the noodles and the smaller the number, the thicker the noodles.
ABOUT CHASHU
IPPUDO’s double CHASHU
The ōdō no bara (royal road pork belly) and ōdō no kata (royal road pork shoulder) By gently, gradually and slowly simmering the chashu, the time-honored soya sauce-based braising liquid is absorbed to the very center of the chashu. This is the “repeated simmering process” uniquely created by IPPUDO. The umami of the original pork flavor is further condensed by allowing the flavor to settle through low temperature vacuum aging. The ōdō no kata (royal road pork shoulder) has a pleasant, chewy texture where the more you chew, the more the juices and flavors pour out while the ōdō no bara (royal road pork belly) provides a mouthwatering succulence where the pork just melts in your mouth. You can enjoy these two pork cuts in one bowl.
ABOUT KAESHI
The “kaeshi”
The “IPPUDO kaeshi masterpiece” uses a unique blend of a variety of soya sauces originating from Kyushu. This kaeshi was born through intense research into the techniques of Japanese buckwheat noodle-making. After trying out new recipes one after the other during the 30 years since IPPUDO was first established, it evolved into the ultimate kaeshi perfect for IPPUDO’s ramen. This secret onko chishin (manner of discovering new truths through scrutiny of the old) recipe is known only to Shigemi Kawahara and a handful of other trusted “kaeshi guardians”. It is passed down only to those people who obtain the title of “master”.
