Iekei ramen

Japan's ramen industry is facing a wave of closures, with long-established shops and mid-tier restaurants among those going bankrupt. Rising labour costs and surging ingredient prices are being blamed, and analysts warn the pace of failures could increase toward the end of the year. The trend is drawing attention to Iekei ramen, the Yokohama-born pork-and-soy style beloved across Japan, as even famous regional schools struggle.