Founded in Fukuoka's Daimyo district in 1985, IPPUDO is the Hakata tonkotsu institution that took pork-bone ramen worldwide, starting with its first overseas shop in New York in 2008. Its Ginza branch fully reopened after a renovation on November 1, 2024, and now pairs the classic tonkotsu lineup with the Plant Akamaru, a plant-based bowl that only a select group of IPPUDO stores serve as a regular menu item — this one among them. It sits about two minutes on foot from Higashi-Ginza Station, an easy stop on a Ginza stroll or on the way to Tsukiji or the Kabukiza theater area.

What kind of place is it?

IPPUDO began as founder Shigemi Kawahara's ramen shop in Fukuoka. Its creamy, refined pork-bone broth and thin Hakata-style noodles helped make tonkotsu ramen approachable to a much wider audience, and the brand opened its first overseas store, IPPUDO NY, in New York in 2008 before expanding across the world.

The Ginza store closed for renovations from late August 2024 and reopened on November 1, 2024. With the renewal, the plant-based Plant Akamaru — more on it below — joined this store's regular menu.

What to order

The official store page highlights four signature bowls. Shiromaru Motoaji is the original white tonkotsu served since the brand's founding, while Akamaru Shinaji is the richer 'modern' take, deepened with fragrant oil and spicy miso paste. On the Ginza menu they are listed under the 'Kiwami' name (Kiwami Shiromaru Motoaji, Kiwami Akamaru Shinaji), one of IPPUDO's topping tiers — check in store for exactly what each tier includes.

The star of the renewal is the Plant Akamaru: a plant-based ramen that recreates the flavor of Akamaru Shinaji with plant-derived ingredients. Only a limited number of IPPUDO stores carry it as a regular menu item, and Ginza is one of them, with a set number of servings each day. Also try kaedama — the Hakata custom of ordering an extra serving of noodles to add to your remaining broth.

  • Kiwami Shiromaru Motoaji — the classic white tonkotsu
  • Kiwami Akamaru Shinaji — the richer bowl with fragrant oil and spicy miso
  • Kiwami Karaka-men — the spicy one
  • Plant Akamaru — plant-based, a select-store item served at Ginza

Tips for your visit

Hours at the November 2024 reopening were officially announced as 11:00–22:30 (last order 22:00). No regular closing day is listed, so it is worth checking the official website or social media (X and Instagram) for temporary closures before you go. The Plant Akamaru is limited in quantity each day, so come early if you have your heart set on it.

Payment is flexible: cash plus major credit cards, transit IC cards, e-money, and QR code payments are all accepted, and a foreign-language menu is available (all per the official store page). The store also offers delivery via Uber Eats and Demae-can, making it an easy recommendation for visitors from overseas.