AFURI's spicy ramen specialty restaurant "KARAKURENAI" opens in Harajuku under the banner of medicinal ramen!

• Table of Contents
• What is Medicinal Ramen Karakou KARAKURENAI ?
• Access to KARAKURENAI Ramen Karakou Harajuku
• The owner's recommendation is this! "YUZU-KARAKURENAI-RAMEN"
• Another recommended dish is KARAKURENAI tsukemen.
• Ordering Method and Manners
• A word from store manager Ryuji Soeda

What is Medicinal Ramen Karakou KARAKURENAI ?

KARAKURENAI was born in 2019 based on AFURI and based on the concept of delicious, spicy and sour.
The new store opened in the fashionable town of Harajuku on November 17, 2024 .

The name of the restaurant " KARAKURENAI " is said to come from a poem written by Ariwara no Narihira, which is included in the Kokin Wakashū (Collection of Poetry), which goes, "Even the Age of the Gods has never heard of the Tatsuta River, its waters turning red like karakurenai."
The colorful bowl of rice is reminiscent of a river colored with bright red autumn leaves . You can feel the warmth of the bowl. The fragrant aroma of yuzu. The sound of the chef draining the water . And the rich flavor even in the spiciness. Each of these things stimulates the five senses and whets the appetite.
" Yakuzen Ramen KARAKURENAI Harajuku " incorporates the traditional idea of ​​medicinal cuisine and uses plenty of natural ingredients that have been consumed since ancient times as a source of longevity, such as chili peppers, ginger, and garlic carefully selected from all over the world, as well as long pepper, cinnamon, and monk fruit, etc., which are truly " food is medicine ." This is a one-of-a-kind ramen that nourishes your life and keeps you healthy while you eat it.

Access to KARAKURENAI Ramen Karakou Harajuku

4 minutes walk from Meiji-Jingumae (Harajuku) Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line. 7 minutes walk from the East Exit of JR Harajuku Station. 9 minutes walk from the Takeshita Exit of Harajuku Station.

Attractions near Yakuzen Ramen Karakou KARAKURENAI

Nearby are shopping malls such as Takeshita Street , Omotesando Hills , and Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado , where many people stroll after getting off the station.

The owner's recommendation is this! "YUZU-KARAKURENAI-RAMEN"

KARAKURENAI utilizes AFURI 's know-how in light and clear soups to create a delicious , refreshing, spicy and sour flavor made from natural ingredients.
You can choose the spiciness from 0 to 8. Apparently, there are two people who try the 8th level every day! Recently, the number of people who like spicy food has been increasing, and there are also more and more people who say that even the 8th level is not enough, so a special menu is also available.

You can choose between plump and fatty char siu or chicken char siu. You can also get either for an additional fee, or double plump and fatty char siu.

The hottest dish is the special menu item "Chihayaburu Oikazuchi no Kami" at 28th Street, a yuzu YUZU-KARAKURENAI-RAMEN . This special edition uses all the elements of spiciness and is topped with a generous amount of homemade coarsely ground chili peppers . We recommend that only those who are in good physical condition and who love spicy food should try this product.

Attention to detail in soup

AFURI proud chicken clear soup is made by adding a generous amount of domestic whole chicken, seafood, and aromatic vegetables, and slowly simmering the scum off. It is seasoned with a delicious white soy sauce sauce , and is expressed with a deep spiciness with different characteristics such as several types of chili powder , fresh chili puree , and aromatic chili oil . For the sourness of " Tasty Spicy Sour ", freshly squeezed yuzu juice from Kochi Prefecture is used. Nothing unnecessary is added, and only fresh and safe ingredients are used.

You can choose the spiciness

You can choose the spiciness from 0 to 8. Even if you can handle spicy food, 8th level will require a lot of courage to slurp the noodles. It might be a good idea to start with 2nd level . There is super spicy thick chili oil, golden spice (original curry-flavored spice), and sansho chili oil on the table, so you can adjust the spiciness to your liking by combining it with the spiciness that comes with the bowl. You can also make the taste milder with ginger apple vinegar, so you can enjoy various customizations.
At 0-chome , the soup is dyed red, but it is dyed with chili peppers that don't have a spicy taste , so you can enjoy the red ramen without feeling the spiciness, which is a unique way to enjoy Spicy KARAKURENAI Ramen.
(The yuzu SiroSyouyu Ramen ramen has a regular clear soup.)

Commitment to medicinal foods

They incorporate the idea of medicinal cuisine and are conscious of making ramen that " makes you feel energized when you eat it ." Medicinal ingredients include yuzu, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, long pepper, cinnamon, monk fruit, ginger, green onion, and garlic. The main effects are improved blood circulation, improved coldness, promoted sweating, promoted digestion, stomachic, and anti-inflammatory. The body warms up while eating, which promotes sweating, and the warmth continues from the tip of the hands to the tips of the feet for a while after eating.

Attention to detail in noodles

① Sansho thin noodles : These are the basic noodles for ramen. They are made from AFURI's finely ground whole wheat flour and rye, and are made with healthy, extra-thin noodles topped with sansho pepper. They have a firm texture and a subtle aroma of refined wheat and sansho pepper that will whet your appetite.
② “Sansho-fragrant” hand-kneaded noodles : These are the basic noodles for tsukemen and awase soba. These are the familiar hand-kneaded medium-thick noodles from AFURI , but they also contain sansho pepper. You can enjoy the flavor of sansho pepper and the chewy texture.
3) Konnyaku noodles : You can also change to domestically produced konnyaku noodles, which are rich in dietary fiber and low in calories. They have a secret ingredient of white dashi stock. Ramen comes with "thin noodles" and tsukemen comes with "thick noodles."

The photo on the left is ① Sansho thin noodles, and the photo on the right is ② "Sansho fragrant" hand-kneaded noodles. The bottom row of each is a photo of the ramen and tsukemen used.

Attention to Toppings

It basically comes with white onions, bamboo shoots, half a soft-boiled egg, green onions, and a choice of pork slices.
You can choose the type of pork you want, but I would recommend the soft and tender pork .
The plump and tender pork slices have a strong presence in the spicy dish, and are so soft and chewy that they melt in your mouth . They also have a rich, sweet flavor that stands up to the spiciness. You can also choose to have double the amount of plump and tender pork slices for an additional fee.
On the other hand, the healthy chicken cha may be recommended for women as it is not too heavy. The moist chicken breast is cooked at low temperature and has a good mouthfeel, and it also serves as a palate cleanser after the spicy taste. You can also choose to have either of them on top, so why not choose whichever you prefer?

Another recommended dish is KARAKURENAI tsukemen.

You dip the chewy noodles into the cold dipping sauce, which comes with a choice of spiciness. After eating the noodles, you can also enjoy some " diluted soup ."

Ordering Method and Manners

Here we will introduce how to order and proper etiquette.

How to line up and points to note

When there is a line in front of a store, you will have to wait in line. There are a few things to keep in mind when doing so.
Please line up facing the road in front of the store.

1. Line up at the back.
2. Line up once everyone is present.
3. Don't interrupt.
4. Do not block the entrances of other shops or homes.
5. Don't spread out too much on the road. Line up in a straight line.

Please follow the rules so that everyone can have a good time.

How to order

There are two main ways to order at ramen restaurants in Japan: buying a ticket from a ticket vending machine, or looking at the menu and ordering verbally.

At KARAKURENAI Ramen Karakou, payment is made via ticket vending machine.
Payment method is cashless only .
Credit card and QR code payments are accepted.
*Cash, electronic money, and transportation IC cards cannot be used.
After purchasing a meal ticket from the ticket machine , please take a seat at the designated seat.
A staff member will come to your table and confirm your order.
*Please note that the order may change depending on seating availability.

The above price is for the YUZU-KARAKURENAI-RAMEN with thin Japanese pepper noodles, double soft and fatty ramen with one seasoned egg, and spiciness level 8 (when offered for free).

The ticket vending machine is a touch panel type and is located on the left side as you enter the store.
①You can choose between Japanese and English on the top screen.
②Select the language and touch the screen to select your preferred category from the tabs for Ramen, Tsukemen/Aesoba, Rice, and Drinks. The photo sample shows the Ramen ordering screen.
③ After choosing your ramen from the three types, you will be taken to the options screen where you can choose your noodles and char siu (additional charges may apply).
④Scroll down to choose toppings and spiciness.
5. If you would like to purchase meals or drinks, please use the tabs above.
⑥Once you have finished selecting your products, click "Proceed to checkout →" to proceed to the payment screen.
⑦Select your payment method. You can use credit card or QR code payment.
*Please note that cash, electronic money, and transportation IC cards cannot be used.
⑧Your ticket will be printed, so please collect it and proceed to your designated seat.
⑨A staff member will come to check your ticket.

A word from store manager Ryuji Soeda

We are the only spicy RAMEN store in Harajuku! We will deliver a memorable karakurenai experience ! We look forward to meeting you!

Business hours and holidays

[Business hours] 11:00-23:00 (Last order 22:30)
[Store closed days] None

Information on affiliated stores

AFURI Minami Aoyama
B1F, High Trio Minamiaoyama, 5-6-4 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
[Business hours] 11:00-23:00
[Store closed days] None