Is It Worth It Owning a Ramen Shop in Japan?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 พ.ย. 2021
- Ever since I made a mini-doc on what owning a ramen restaurant in Japan is like, I've thought, "How much money do ramen shops make?" In Japan, ramen isn't a really expensive food and the owners of independent shops work long hours: so is all the work worth it?
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Initially this video was going to explore how profitable independent ramen shops in Japan are. But it's pretty hard to get owners to show their numbers. I received full breakdowns of equipment costs and other metrics, but essentially there were too many variables to show anything definitively. But what did seem apparent was that chef owners don't get rich by doing this type of work, even if their shop is consistently busy.
Always High Quality Content! Cheers! :)
Brilliant video! Very interesting as always - keep up the great work
You don't get rich by working...
Is the owner of the place you did the mini-doc on still working in his shop?
This is great, I wish it was longer!
Ramen shop owners deserve more respect for the hard work they put into their business.
Slurp their noodles loudly!! 😆 💕
Damn right.
@@cathhl2440 ayooo 🤨
respect doesn't pay rent
hard work is for suckers
This is by far a rare & real breakdown of the capital and other resources needed to run a successful ramen shop. Please keep these engaging and REAL interviews going...do one on unagi shops!! KUDOS to the interviewer's honesty. Outstanding storytelling
Agreed on all all accounts!
Unagi… a bit higher-end so the situation could be quite different. (But something I’d be interested in as well.)
Seems very close to me as well. Ramen shop owners are a different breed many are obsessive. The long apprenticeships are only as good the guy teaching though. There’s no real legit schooling in cookery in japan that’s why staff and even chefs are a big hit or a miss. I’ve seen guys in the business here in Japan for many years who wouldn’t last a day in a real kitchen. A lot of bad training by unqualified people is to blame.
@@RealRuralJapan You raise some interesting points. Can you elaborate on what skills the cooks are missing? Thanks!!
Before the pandemic my father went to Japan to learn from Koitani-san, all the way from Brazil. His ramen is at a very fair price (about 5 USD) and his weekly production gets sold out in about 5 min for more than a year now. Brazil have the largest japanese descendants population in the world and ramen is at an all time high here. He and my younger brother work 5 days a week and make about 4x the minimum wage here, which is somewhat good money.
Great to hear!
where do most Japanese in brazil live and is it safe in that area?
@@rocketman3770 Sao Paulo
@@LifeWhereImFrom He is from Sao Paulo, which has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan and Sao Paulo is the 2nd largest city in Brazil
@@rocketman3770 Mostly in Sao Paulo and Parana. But that are many japanese descendants in Bahia (northeast of Brazil) as well. People have a misconception that its crazy dangerous here but it really isn't that bad.
My parents owned a restaurant. It's something I would never want to do. It's incredibly hard work, very long hours, and an extremely tight profit margin.
It absolutely destroys your body as well. Many of my family have their own small restaurants and like a lot of restaurant owners they need to be working there to make the margins worth it. My uncle had his restaurant for 20 years and worked as a cook/manager. He's only 45 now but he says his body feels 80. He did alright for himself but at the cost of his health.
it's not worth it, like you said. If people want to learn as a hobbie, then it's okay. Only as a hobbie though. I'm sure there is other stuff people can learn, that makes more money and at the same time have lots of passion for. The risk is not worth it
@@fearless6947 I wonder if that will change after the pandemic ends (if it ends). A whole bunch of people going outside and returning to work en masse in a thinned out restaurant landscape. Maybe the survivors or new restaurants will make the most of it.
That alone just tell everyone the type of person you really are. At least your parents thought outside the box and not working for someone else for life.
@@deus_ex_machina_ To be honest, I'm not sure what would happen. I think small shops will close. Even if they do survive, it will be hard to maintain a restaurant on there own. Every 5 years, a business owner will sell there business. A lot of restaurants have small profit margin, there too many restaurants and cafe around. You can go on youtube, learn to cook and set up a business. If you have $30,000. You can open up something on a lease.
Some restaurants don't treat there staff properly and feel like they are disposable, these staff will never be loyal to there boss, which is understandable. The staff knows, there is no such thing as job security in this day and age, you have to at least treat them right and not cut hours. Like the Raman shop. The issue for the boss is profit margin. I noticed in McDonnals, they have systemised the opporation where the staff is working so hard, they are always business, the work is non stop. The one's that survive will have good systems in place and the food is consistently good.
In general people with no business skills will not survive
Owning a ramen shop (a good one) probably won't make you into a millionaire. It's hard work - training, waking up early every morning, testing the broth, getting ingredients, preparing for customers, etc. It's only for "Shokunin", a Japanese word for "craftsman (or woman)". But if you feel joy in perfecting the details of your own perfect ramen, then it's worth it.
If you want to become a millionaire, you need to own multiple ramen shops at the very least.
Or
Automate as much of the process as possible, to where you could surpass places like Nagoya Robot Ramen easily. Go in the miligrams with how much and which ingredients are used for each variation of soup, use sensors for precise temperature control, real wood fire to sear the meat slices, etc
@@klappstuhl4370 That sounds terrible though! I think there's a few things about Ramen that make it interesting:
1. The dish itself is very versatile, delicious and nutritious.
2. As above: ""Shokunin", a Japanese word for "craftsman (or woman)". But if you feel joy in perfecting the details of your own perfect ramen, then it's worth it." - it's something MADE FOR YOU BY SOMEONE WHO CARES.
3. It's "Cheap & Cheerful" without ridiculous pretentions just like how food should - small independent Ramen Shops.
There's something good when someone really wants to be doing what they do and providing the output of that as service/product.
I think 2. is fascinating and possibly explains a big reason why someone would want to run a Ramen Shop for a living while working long hours doing so.
So basically you have to be autistic about ramen to want to do this long-term.
@@noseboop4354 No, in Japan they have a culture of dedication to work or path chosen. You don't seem to have any familiarity with their culture saying such a thing using a medical psychological/neurological term for such behaviour where such a technical term is misused and not even needed.
There's innumerable examples of this in diverse array of activities and jobs.
I really appreciate these kind of videos that go deeper into the Japanese life and local business and Life Where I’m from is the best when it comes to this !
You should also watch Paolo from Tokyo's Day in the Life series.
@@experience_point6233 thank you for the suggestion! Will surely check them out now :)
This is exactly why I stopped my food stall 14 years ago. I began my entrepreneurial adventure by opening road-side food stall that’s constantly busy and sold-out, and I generate more margin than the Japanese ramen shops in the video. But the hassle, the hard work, the late sleeps and early wake ups, made the money I generated wasn’t worth it. I ventured into tech world since (strange, I know), founding and running my own companies. I still work long hours, with even more pressure and hard work, but I really enjoying it. So I guess it’s true for jobs that requires craftsmanship, such as chef and programmer, really is not about the money, it’s how can you enjoy pouring yourself into it
@@salt_lake yes sir, food stall is a good introduction, and I’d say education, for those whose family is not millionaires, who are looking to enter the realm of business and entrepreneurship
i think it's the same for any restaurants or eateries in general: long hours, low profit margin, high turnover in staff
It's not as glamourous as they make it out to be on TV and TH-cam, that's for sure....
exactly
The first authentic bowl of ramen I ate in Japan (I was so excited for that first bowl of ramen that only Japan can deliver) was in a shop where they made their own noodles right in front of you. What a treat to watch. Looked tiring. I love this video because it really showcases one of the aspects I love about Japan the most- the love and care they have for the things they do, and they take pride in their work.
I had to learn how to make Ramen myself because when I got back from Japan in 2013, I was not able to find a restaurant in my country that could replicate the flavours that I tasted when I was there. Making good ramen is labour intensive, and has a lot of meticulous steps, based on my experience making ramen, I can't imagine how hard it must be for these restaurant owners. They must really love the craft..
I’d love to try making my own broth someday, but I don’t know where to start. Any advice?
I’m really grateful that the owner of the shop was willing to be so open about the true cost. The figures really surprised me as running a ramen shop requires such dedication, and for the amount of financial award, it really takes a special kind of artist to continue that tradition.
the reason for this I believe is the word "saturated". The competition is so stiff that the owners can't raise their prices significantly. The same as other industry. But this is so low to be honest. Some salary man seems to earn more than ramen shop owners.
I thought that part about the internet making it possible for anyone to look up ramen recipes and open up a shop was interesting. I heard that how to make the broth used to be a closely-guarded secret, so you would have to apprentice with a master to learn it. Not necessary today, I guess. There’s actually a ‘ramen espionage’ scene in the old movie, Tanpopo… a movie which I definitely recommend to anyone who’s interested in ramen by the way… especially if you’re also interested in old samurai movies and Westerns. (From the director Itami Juso.)
That movie’s an absolute masterpiece. 👌 They don’t make films like that anymore.
Why people eat at certain shops is a personal thing and it’s not always the taste. Some ramen shops just have a good feel when you step inside. It’s not an exact science why some fail and some succeed. Some bad ramen places do well talking from a culinary perspective.
I love that movie
That was a great movie! I was inspired to make my own ramen after I watched it. 😊
I’m a professional chef based in Scandinavia. I had worked in cruise ships that sails around the world and 5 star hotels and etc.
When covid is gone, I will come over to Japan to study and “dissect” authentic ramen.
Thank you for featuring this topic, I will be constantly watch this over and over again to spark inspiration.
Fett fedt!
I feel that the 1000 yen wall is not only for ramen. Especially for lunch customers at any eatery in Japan. What I love about Japan is that we don't get pushed to order a beverage with our lunch. There is no upsell pressures and of course no tips. Nice video!
You won't even know unless you ask if they have anything other than the table water :D
I sell at 1400¥ because selling cheap to attract cheap customers will only get you cheap customers who don’t respect the work the put in.
They do have "Otoshi" though which is a kind of like a forced appetizer or table charge. It's usually under $5 but don't be surprised when your check comes and you see that the small salad or little dish of pickles they brought to your table without asking was not complementary
@@nateg5505 Not for lunch, nor ramen at any time. That is an izakaya thing. Susukino here in Sapporo has plenty of shops with otoshi but that is purely an evening deal.
@@RealRuralJapan Exactly this. It's a balance for sure but if you go too cheap, you're gonna get people like the original poster who go out to eat, barely spend anything and expect these businesses to continue to run.
It's the same for most restaurants all around the world, in my opinion. A huge aspect is that you can only prize up food to a certain level AND can only make so many portions a day if quality and freshness are valuable to you and your restaurant (which it should).
This is really intresting. It seems like a lot of work and stress for a little margin of profit. It's a job fueled by passion... i'm very impressed.
Ramen it's a weird combination, being a "fast food" to eat but it's certainly not fast or easy to make. I guess if I'll ever go to japan i'll taste ramen in a private business. Respect!
Even hamburgers and hot dogs are difficult to make if you’re making everything from scratch. Do you know if any stands that make their own buns, condiments, etc.? There aren’t many.
Again I´m just baffled, how high the quality of your production is. Ok, the visual part is one thing since that is also your day job. So you have the skill to do it. But all the research and the prep work that goes into actually telling a story.... That´s absolutely amazing work and much appreciated.
Out of all the food I make I realize when I'm making ramen it can become a art so I definitely understand how they can genuinely enjoy this job for long hours, it's like you're preforming your art work and putting it on display for ppl to eat and enjoy.
This was really interesting! The only bad thing is now I'm hungry, it all looked so good.
I once was wandering around Kyoto looking for food and went to a ramen shop in a residential area. The owner was super friendly, came outside smiling and invites us in. He made a creamy overnight chicken broth and he knew it was good. It seemed like he enjoyed having the shop.
The whole restaurant industry is a tough industry to be in. Restaurant owners are, in general, very passionate people.
My family owned a restaurant for 10 years and I worked there for several years at different positions. I got to go home everyday after my shift but the owner always came in earlier and left later. They definitely work a lot of early mornings and late nights. There are a lot of things to keep in mind when you run a restaurant: employees and their retention (HR), finance, orders, supervising the service, client service and a lot more.
Thank you for your video.
I can't believe it's been 5 years already. I remember your first video - I actually went to Mengokoro Kunimoto because of it (Just after Christmas 2016). After I arrived in Narita, I went straight to the shop on my way to my hotel. I still had my luggage and everything! Even though it was my 3rd or 4th visit to Japan, I had never been to a ramen shop before! Really glad it was my first experience.
Nothing but respect to those who constantly work and refine on their craft. The ones I had were absolutely amazing.
7:30 A restaurant or bar lives or dies by the quality of her employees! Hiring and retaining good employees is top importance and good employees mostly don't comprehend how vital they are to the success of the business. And employers who cynically treat their employees like conscript trash risk bankruptcy in doing so.
I’m working at a spot now and already having some difficulties with coworkers after three weeks. Not gonna allow someone else to make me quit though. It’s sad that adults can’t just go to work and be decent human beings.
@@numbaoneg101 nah, performing at high standards (typically what we asian practice everyday, be it in school or working place) in order to making our life better is much more important than those stupid decency/lives matter/feeling consideration bullshits practiced by the westerners. unable to fulfill the expectations , unable to perform, not happy, then just FO to somewhere else and begone from our sights (this is the reason coworkers will make the weaklings leave the job him/herself. pretty common in Asia here)
About the ramen price: even the ramen shop with a Michelin star in yoyogi (tsuta) lists a ramen that is under 10 bucks, despite their main ramen dish being 20 bucks.
It's a matter of principle, from what I've asked around. You have to at least have the option available, because the 10 dollar ramen customer is the most reliable and the most common you'll get. (I've been to over 45 ramen shops in Tokyo/Chiba/Okinawa/Osaka)
Amazing video I loved the interviewee, he seemed really honest and genuinely nice.
I feel kind of sad that they work so much for so little, but their passion seems to be from a different world.
Mad respect goes to these guys!
A big fan of your work and content! Thanks!
This video has been an eye opener for me (ive only seen japan through the video's of youtube) but the amount of dedication these people put into every bowl of ramen (which by itself is usually simple to make but hard to perfect) sounds amazing and the fact that even when a new ramen shop gets better and better over the years they still dont raise there prices says something about the people that live and work there (I know from experience in the culinary world myself that its hard to trust your staff enough that they will make your food your restaurant serves taste the same as if you were making it)
Outstanding video. Very informative. Thanks!
So hard for these people to continue their business. No ramen near me in Australia but if there was I would eat it every day. Such satisfying food.
Amazing video. Really insightful
I live in Vancouver and was LITERALLY just talking about the price difference with a friend yesterday! Thank you once again for the very informative video!!
Much appreciation for this piece of real food journalism.
very Informative and authentic! Such a delight to watch🌹
I love ramen! And I love your videos! Excited to watch!
Fantastic documentary, enlightening.
I'm so excited to watch this! It's always an amazing moment to see a new video in my feed from you :D
this is a really well made video, much love
Thanks for another great video about Japan.
Another good watch: very informative again. Thanks.
I love Japan, their food is delicious and the prices are extremely reasonable compared to the western restaurants
ありがとう
Love the videos. Very cool to learn from this perspective!
Your content simply represents the quality side of TH-cam. Thank you.
I love learning about the reality of how people live and work in Japan. Thank you.
The 2 Portuguese guys next to you in the end of the video opened a ramen shop in Lisbon, Portugal which became one of the best in town, went there myself a few times and meet them. Going there is like going back to Japan tbh. Nice video.
Video just in time for lunch break. Love yah Greg
Very interesting interview. Thanks
BEST VIDEO IN A LONG TIME... THANK YOU SO MUCH MY FELLOW CANADIAN
It is one of bucket list things to do in Japan, go take his course. Thank you for this video.
I learnt so much on how ppl are running their own business from this documentary. Thanks a lot!
What an informative documentary. Very nice work. I plan to open up a ramen shop soon, and this was very insightful.
Thanks for this interesting insight into this side of the business world in Japan!
Love to watch your video always. Thanks for introducing Japanese culture in beautiful way. 😊👍
that was a very beautiful interview!
This guy's doing top notch documentaries for our viewing pleasure.
Superb that you made a follow up, a very interesting watch!
This has been really insightful. My hats off to those doing back breaking labor for almost nothing. Many dream of their own business. But knowing what it truly takes can change ones interest all together.
I learnt alot from this. Thank you
What an amazing topic to explore!
I love the cinematography of your videos. It looks just like those "Japan from above" series from NHK
6:06 I feel like this is the biggest difference between Japanese ramen and Chinese lamian. The noodles are the main focus of lamian and take years to learn to make. 拉麵 literally means "pulled (i.e. hand-pulled) noodles". But lamian broth is just an afterthought.
Damn, imagine Chinese-style noodles in a Japanese-style broth. Why hasn't anyone thought of this?
Excellent video. Would love to see you breakdown other industries as well
Very interesting video, it's rare be able to see the numbers of these type of shops, thank you for the video! 😊😊😊😊
Great work, Greg! One possible solution for the staffing problem would be for ramen shop owners form an association that would let good workers move around to different shops. The workers would learn and get experience and shop owners would get motivated staff.
Interesting idea!
that isn't the problem. They move around to gain experience anyways, but to start their own shop - thereby being competitors and owners 'wasting' their time and teaching.
And what keeps these workers from opening their own shops?
@@afcgeo882 Capital, mainly. It does require a substantial investment!
But also, a sense of loyalty, at least in some cases. There’s a very old tradition here defining the relationship between master and apprentice - not specifically for ramen but any skilled trade or art. You don’t just walk away when you’ve obtained the desired skills. There’s a typical dramatic scene where the apprentice very emotionally asks for permission to break away and set up on his/her own. The master may ask the apprentice to ‘wait’, and he/she is expected to oblige. (I admit though, I’m getting this from old ‘TV dramas’ and it may not apply to the real world here anymore. 😆)
@@Jordan-inJapan from what said in the video it's generaly not the case. They move around and open their own ramen shops.
I never thought I needed a video like this but here we are.
A nice deep dive into the world of ramen
Thanks! this is just the kind of stuff I love about your channel =D
Great video new friend absolutely loved it thank you
Great video as always. Most ramen shop owners say it isn’t worth it. Then again, they are all CRAZY!
Thank you for the excellent work: very informative. BTW Koitani sensei was my first ramen teacher years ago. Forever grateful for what I’ve learned from him at Rajuku.
Great video!! Beautiful video shots and the interviews were fantastic. This video made me feel starving, even though I only ate 1 hour ago.
I guess ramen in Japan is what a hotdog is in Canada. You'll never find a hotdog stand charging more than, what, $2.50, $3? Because people will just go ten feet to the left to the other guy.
I remember the first time I was shocked to have to pay more than $1.00 for a hotdog, and that was only about 20ish years ago. People got used to it though, so I don't know if that wall is as solid as the 1.000 Yen wall for Ramen in Japan.
mmm no not really
hotdog stands aren't ubiquitous and they're known as garbage food (except in Toronto where you can have some great polish sausage stands)
Ramen shops equivalent in Canada would be sandwich shops (especially where they make them fresh to order). Same deal with price ceilings, chain vs independent, and convenience
Interesting, I'm seeing all these 5 dollar and above dogs in US and people are gobbling them up.
Hotdogs in Sonora are like 50 cents to a dollar, so even cheaper, and there’s like always 20 stands all next to each other so that really creates competition
japadog avg $6 for one hot dog.
Awesome lesson thanks ❤👍
I love watching food documentaries/shows while eating dinner
The unexpected Ramen Adventures collab? Love it.
@Greg
Love the Content.
Thank you for your hard work and time.
The result is always entertaining and very informativ 🤓👍🏻
actually a nice general video on starting up a small business would be cool
Really enjoy it could you please have some more ramen story like this
I remember seeing the original ramen shop video! I've made them almost everyday since I was a child. but havn't but just recently started preparing them correctly! awesome.
After watching this, I've decided to make turkey ramen to take care of my Thanksgiving leftovers. Can't wait.
I am sold. Great Video!
I am moving to Japan next year and one thing I will do is try out tons of independent ramen shops then become a regular at a couple that I liked and support them by going there every week lol
Well now I know that if I ever want to move to Japan I can start working at Rajuku. Great vid
It is about passion and discipline. Really respectable job.
Commenting for the algorithm. Another great video.
O my god I had seen that ramen so many times . I mean too many time . Love it.
Nice insight
I love your videos, they are always so informative! I think it's worth it to open a shop but I guess it's location, location, location! Would have to be in a city but I would need to know the competition. He has his own chain of restaurants so I think that is better for him. Here where I live, someone attempted to run a noodle shop but I hate to say that it did not last long.
Just like any starting business, it's up to that person if they want to do it or now. Like anything, it's a gamble. This was interesting Greg and thanks for the info.
I've honestly wondered about this question for so long! Ramen shops can be so tiny!
Super interesting to learn about the pricing model and the differences between overseas and domestic
Now I'm hungry for a Japanese ramen dish! 😋All of those looked so delicious!
My head got so used to convert the numbers you said into my local currency, that it tried to automatically convert the numbers of Ramen shops. Luckily it failed and I realised 10 000 Ramen shop in Tokyo is equivalent to 10 000 Ramen shops anywhere else.
@@salt_lake You know I wasn't talking about quality but quantity, so being a smartass isn't really gonna cut it.
@@salt_lake No worries.
Keeping a ramen shop in business shares a lot in common with making a good TH-cam channel... And these videos are as good as a bowl of tonkotsu ramen 🍜
Excellent video!!!!!! Please consider why so many ramen restaurants fail in the first three years. I am very interested in seeing such a video.
I love ramen!!
..but I can’t think of having a shop by my own..it’s a hard job!
Respect for all those who make it happen!
Love the RUN DMC tribute logo
Just made my day.
The harsh truth is, it's a thankless job, yet someone gotta do it. Not only will you need the endurance both physically and mentally to push through long hours and the early days of establishing your shop locally, but you also need to have a real passion for the food in question and the drive to overcome all the problems it brings