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Food 食 · Stop F04

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How to order ramen in Japanese

Hakata is the home of rich tonkotsu ramen. Here you pay a machine, choose your noodle firmness, and order more noodles for your soup. Buy a meal ticket, get your noodles just right, and order a kaedama refill.

  • 博多 · Set in Hakata, Fukuoka
  • 6-minute lesson
  • With Ekiben Pass

Phrases

しょっけんはどこでかいますか？

shokken wa doko de kaimasu ka?

Where do I buy a meal ticket?

There's usually a ticket machine (券売機) near the entrance.

食券shokken · meal ticketはwa · (topic)どこでdoko de · where (at)買いますかkaimasu ka · do I buy?

おおもりにできますか？

oomori ni dekimasu ka?

Can I get a large portion?

Often a small extra charge, sometimes free. At ticket-machine shops it may be its own button.

Pattern: 〜にできますか？

大盛りoomori · large servingにni · intoできますかdekimasu ka · is it possible?

めんはかためでおねがいします

men wa katame de onegaishimasu

Firm noodles, please.

Swap in やわらかめ (yawarakame) soft or ふつう (futsuu) regular. Hakata fans go even firmer: バリカタ!

Pattern: 麺は〜でお願いします

麺men · noodlesはwa · (topic)かためkatame · firmでde · asお願いしますonegaishimasu · please

かえだまおねがいします

kaedama onegaishimasu

Extra noodles, please.

Mainly at Hakata-style tonkotsu shops: a fresh serving of noodles for the soup left in your bowl.

替え玉kaedama · extra noodlesお願いしますonegaishimasu · please

ぜんぶふつうでおねがいします

zenbu futsuu de onegaishimasu

Everything regular, please.

Some shops ask about noodle firmness, broth strength and oil. This one line answers them all.

全部zenbu · everything普通futsuu · regularでde · asお願いしますonegaishimasu · please

What you’ll hear

Staff talk fast. Here’s what they are likely to say at this stop, and a good answer.

men no katasa wa dou shimasu ka?

How firm would you like your noodles?

Common at tonkotsu shops. Choices run from やわらかめ (soft) to かため (firm) and beyond.

You

men wa katame de onegaishimasu

Firm noodles, please.

saki ni shokken o onegaishimasu

Please buy a meal ticket first.

You sat down without a ticket. The machine is usually by the entrance.

You

shokken wa doko de kaimasu ka?

Where do I buy one?

Culture tip

The Ticket Machine

Many ramen shops have a ticket machine (券売機, kenbaiki) by the door. Pick your bowl, pay, and hand the ticket to staff when you sit. Older machines may be cash only, so keep coins and ¥1,000 notes handy. And yes, slurping your noodles is totally fine!

“At many ramen shops, you buy a ticket from a machine before you order.”

Practice scene

Firm Noodles, More Noodles

A tonkotsu ramen shop near Hakata Station. There's a ticket machine by the door, but you walked right past it.

Mr. Matsuo · Ramen chef

  1. irasshaimase! saki ni shokken o onegaishimasu.

    Welcome! Please get a meal ticket first.

  2. Your turn: Ask where to buy the ticket.

    shokken wa doko de kaimasu ka?

    Where do I buy a meal ticket?

  3. iriguchi no kenbaiki desu.

    It's the ticket machine by the entrance.

  4. shokken, oazukarishimasu. men no katasa wa dou shimasu ka?

    I'll take your ticket. How firm would you like your noodles?

  5. Your turn: You like your noodles firm.

    men wa katame de onegaishimasu

    Firm noodles, please.

  6. omatase shimashita! tonkotsu raamen, katame desu.

    Here you go! Tonkotsu ramen with firm noodles.

  7. Your turn: The noodles are gone but there's plenty of soup left. Order more noodles.

    kaedama onegaishimasu

    Extra noodles, please.

  8. hai, kaedama hitotsu desu ne!

    One kaedama, coming right up!

Phrases from Ekiben content v3