The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is a absolute must-visit when you are in Yokohama! There is an entry fee, but they accept a wide variety of cashless payment options, including Visa/Mastercard and Alipay.
The ticket covers the museum section, which showcases the complete history of how ramen evolved in Japan. I highly recommend checking out the history exhibit after your meal—it’s great for digestion!
The ramen shops are all located in the basement, accessible by stairs. I absolutely loved the atmosphere down there; the area is beautifully designed to mimic a nostalgic, old-school Japanese street vibe.
Pro tip: I recommend ordering only the mini/small sizes so you can sample and taste a variety of different ramen styles!
One of those uniquely Japanese museums that feels both educational and experiential, this place—alongside the Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum—is a must-visit for ramen enthusiasts and curious food lovers alike.
As someone who’s been deeply into ramen since 2023 and only recently started crafting my own bowls, I found the museum genuinely insightful. It goes beyond surface-level exhibits, offering a well-structured look into ramen’s history, regional diversity, and core components. For anyone serious about understanding the dish, it’s surprisingly informative and even inspiring.
The museum itself is quite expansive. The initial galleries near the entrance are filled with detailed displays and contextual information, setting a strong foundation. Deeper inside, the space opens up into a large, food court-style area designed to resemble a retro streetscape. The dim, crimson-toned lighting gives it a slightly dramatic, almost theatrical mood—evoking a kind of stylized nostalgia.
This section is easily the highlight: a haven for ramen lovers, where you can sample different regional styles all in one place. Many stalls offer half-size portions, which is a thoughtful touch—it encourages visitors to try multiple bowls without feeling overwhelmed.
Overall, it’s more than just a museum—it’s an immersive experience that blends learning with indulgence, making it both enjoyable and worthwhile, especially for anyone passionate about ramen.
Very cool place to visit. Theres different ramen shops inside to try. They expect guests to order 1 bowl, however lineups and wait times are fairly long for most restaurants. Merch area is smaller than it used to be, there's used to be many different ramen bowls available, there's only a few remaining. Pretty cool to check out and learn about history of ramen. Many different photo spots, so definitely recommend checking out!
What an experience! I wish I had arrived with an empty stomach—there are so many different styles of ramen to sample, each representing a different region. Every ramen shop has its own kiosk for ordering, which makes the process easy and fun. I recommend arriving early, as the lines start to get long about an hour after the museum opens.
I truly enjoyed my vegetarian ramen and only wish I had room to try more—it was that good! After eating, take some time to walk around and soak in the atmosphere. The nostalgic setting really feels like stepping back into old Japan and makes the visit even more memorable.
For a museum, there isn't a whole lot to explore/read, as the exhibition portion was very limited to the brief history along with some artifacts. A majority of the first floor dedicated to the gift shop and ramen making class/customization lab. The remaining areas of BF1 and BF2 are essentially the food court, where you can sample from varying ramen shops by queuing up by their respective stores.
My most unpleasant experience from this visit was the strong, lingering fishy-like smell that stuck to my clothes after walking around the basement floors around the ramen shops. It must be all the oils and flavors from the various broths, but it was extremely uncomfortable to walk around the rest of the day with the stentch following me around. It made me very self conscious while out and about in public spaces, so I recommend coming here as the last stop of your day, if you can...
More about Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, Kanagawa from our blog
