1-Hour Easy Ramen Cooking Class in Kabukicho Shinjuku Tokyo

Ramen: the story of Japan's soul food

Ramen arrived in Japan with Chinese cooks in the port cities more than a century ago, and the first popular ramen shops in Tokyo opened in the early twentieth century. After the Second World War cheap wheat flour and hungry cities turned it into everyday food, and today Japan has tens of thousands of ramen shops, from tiny counters to famous queues outside cult favourites.

Every region has its own style: soy-sauce shoyu ramen is the classic Tokyo bowl, Sapporo is known for rich miso, Fukuoka for creamy pork-bone tonkotsu and Hakodate for light, salty shio. Your instructor explains these styles and the four building blocks of any bowl, the broth, the seasoning, the noodles and the toppings, so you understand what you are eating long after the class.

The ramen cooking class step by step

Real ramen broth and fresh noodles take days to prepare, so this class uses a shortened recipe that lets you make and eat a satisfying bowl in about an hour. After the introduction you choose your soup from the house recipes, then boil your noodles at your own station, learning the timing and the quick shake that drains them properly.

Next you assemble the bowl the way ramen chefs do: soup first, then noodles, then toppings arranged on top, from sliced meat and a soft-boiled egg to green onions and seaweed. Then it is time to sit down and eat your own creation while it is hot. On the default option a plate of golden fried gyoza dumplings and a soft drink complete the meal. The experience ends when you finish eating.

Kabukicho and Shinjuku

The class takes place in Kabukicho, the famous entertainment district on the north-east side of Shinjuku Station. Its name comes from a kabuki theatre that was planned here after the war but never built. Today its streets are packed with restaurants, cinemas, karaoke and bright signs, and it is one of the liveliest places in Tokyo, especially after dark.

Because the venue is only a few minutes on foot from Shinjuku and Seibu-Shinjuku stations, the class fits easily into a day around Shinjuku. Before or after, you can walk to the peaceful lawns of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, enjoy the free view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building or explore the narrow lanes of small eateries by the railway tracks.

Practical tips: ingredients, timing and access

Please note the ingredients: the ramen soup contains pork, chicken and beef and is a secret house recipe, so the class is not suitable for vegans, vegetarians or people with gluten intolerance, and the noodles contain wheat. The gyoza on the default option are filled with meat and vegetables. If you have any food allergy, tell us before booking so we can check with the kitchen.

Classes start every hour from 11:00 to 17:00, so it is easy to choose a time around lunch or an early dinner. The venue is on the second floor and there is no elevator. Some staff speak limited English and may use a translation device, but every step is shown clearly. Bring an ID card or a copy, and when you arrive tell the staff that you have booked the ramen experience.