Perfect As Souvenirs! 10 Instant Cup Noodle Collaborations With Famous Noodle Shops

1. Nakiryu Dan Dan Noodles

These cup noodles beautifully recreate the dan dan noodles (spicy Chinese ramen) from the Michelin 1-star restaurant, Nakiryu. They come with sesame oil and soup packets that you add just before eating. The creamy soup mixes well with the chewy and thin noodles, creating a fantastic flavor that has just the right balance of spiciness, black vinegar, and acidity. It also results in a light aftertaste. Normally, you’d need to wait in line for more than an hour to eat this at Nakiryu, but now, you can easily have it at any time. You can find this instant cup noodle at Seven-Eleven stores in Japan.
Price: 278 JPY (incl. tax)

2. Nissin THE NOODLE TOKYO AFURI Yuzu Ratan Ramen (Limited Availability)

These noodles were created with the help of AFURI, which is a popular ramen chain with more than 10 branches primarily scattered throughout central Tokyo, such as Roppongi. The base of the soup, which consists of both meat and seafood stock, is enhanced by the strong acidity of yuzu (a type of Japanese citrus) and the spiciness of chili. Adding the thin and aromatic wholewheat noodles to it results in a fabulous noodle dish. If you add the red aromatic oil packet right before eating this cup noodle, you can enjoy a spicy and acidic fragrance! It is available at convenience stores and supermarket across the nation.
Price: 205 JPY (excl. tax)

3. Ippudo Akamaru Modern Hakata Tonkotsu

Ippudo is a ramen chain that started in Hakata, Kyushu - the home of tonkotsu (pork bone-based) ramen. It currently has branches all around the world, including the US and UK. This particular cup noodle recreates the flavor of this popular restaurant. It has spicy miso added to it, which boosts the flavor of the rich soup. It also has chewy and thin noodles that soak up the soup really well. You can find this cup noodle at Seven-Eleven stores around Japan.
Price: 278 JPY (incl. tax)

4. Sumire Sapporo Noko Miso

This is a cup noodle version of the Miso Ramen by the famous Sapporo ramen shop, Sumire. It recreates the oiliness of the original soup, which comes from lard. The combination of the firm noodles and the garlicky miso-flavored soup is outstanding. As noted in the package, they have “enhanced the deliciousness of the oil”, resulting in a flavor that’s even closer to the original. It is available at Seven-Eleven stores around the country.
Price: 278 JPY (incl. tax)

5. Santouka Asahikawa Tonkotsu Shio

This instant cup noodle recreates the flavors of a famous ramen shop in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, that has branches in the US, Canada, and all over southeast Asia. The flavorful pork bone-based soup is of exceptionally high quality, with no “porky” odors that are usually associated with such soups. Though it is rich in flavor, it is still mellow and light enough to completely slurp up. The thin and firm noodles go perfectly with the soup. It is available at Seven-Eleven stores around the country.
Price: 278 JPY (incl. tax)

6. Hulu-lu\'s Yuzu-shio SOBA

This instant cup noodle recreates the signature dish of Hulu-lu, a famous ramen shop in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The package reflects the restaurant’s Hawaiian cafe-like atmosphere, which is unusual for a ramen shop. It comes with a fantastic salt-flavored soup that’s packed full of flavor from chicken and vegetables. Eating this ramen feels refreshing thanks to the thin noodles and yuzu aroma. You can find it at supermarkets and convenience stores throughout the country.
Price: 205 JPY (excl. tax)

7. Mouko-tanmen Nakamoto Kara-uma Miso

This is the instant cup noodle version of the signature ramen at Mouko-tanmen Nakamoto - a ramen shop in Tokyo and Saitama that’s famous for its super spicy ramen made with a lot of cayenne pepper powder. This dan dan noodle dish has a spicy soup that gets its strong flavor from vegetables and miso. The bright red soup and delicious aroma is sure to stimulate your appetite! One bite is all you need to taste the spiciness and deliciousness, but if you still want more spice, add the chili oil that comes with it. Small children and people who dislike spicy food should avoid this ramen. It is available at Seven-Eleven stores around the country.
Price: 204 JPY (incl. tax)

8. Meiten Kiko Mochimochi-no-ki

If you’re looking for something that tastes similar to the ramen at Mochimochi-no-ki - a famous ramen shop in Shiraoka City, Saitama - then check this instant cup noodle out! Peeling the lid back releases the aroma of its Japanese-style broth, made with plenty of skipjack tuna. With each bite, you can taste the deliciousness of seafood and soy sauce. The soup is rich yet light enough to drink up, and the noodles are an accurate recreation of the chewy medium-thick noodles served at the actual restaurant. The bamboo shoots - an addition requested by the restaurant owner - makes the overall dish more interesting. The special oil that comes with it creates a film over the soup so that it stays warm up to the last drop, just like the ramen in the actual restaurant.
Price: 213 JPY (incl. tax)

9. Sapporo Ichiban Keika Kumamoto Mayu Tonkotsu

This is an instant cup noodle version of the signature ramen at Sapporo Ichiban, which is a famous ramen shop in Kumamoto. The key ingredient is mayu (oil made with charred garlic and sesame oil), which is melted into the flavorful and addictive pork bone soup. It also has black charred garlic, which adds to its deliciousness. Although tonkotsu ramen usually uses thin noodles, this version uses medium-thick curly noodles that mix well with the soup, allowing you to savor every last drop.
Price: 205 JPY (excl. tax)

10. Acecook\'s Fushicho Ramen (Collaboration With Menya Musashi)

This instant cup noodle was created in collaboration with Menya Musashi, a famous ramen chain with branches in Taiwan, China, and Los Angeles. It perfectly recreates the restaurant’s soy sauce-based soup, which beautifully combines meat and seafood stock (known as “double soup” in Japan). Not only is it full of delicious chicken flavor, but it also has a strong skipjack tuna flavor from the spicy fish powder sprinkled on it right before it is eaten. The noodles are chewy and thick, mixing well with the soup and spicy fish powder. It is available at Lawson stores.
Price: 216 JPY (incl. tax)

Don’t look down on instant cup noodles! They are often more high quality than what you’d imagine them to be. Just add water and you’ll be able to enjoy the flavors of famous ramen shops for cheap!