Ramen Katakana Cheat Sheet: Read Any Menu Without Speaking Japanese

Ramen menus are full of katakana loanwords and short Japanese labels. Learn the 30 words that unlock almost every ticket machine and wall menu in Japan.

If you've searched for ramen katakana, you're already on the right track: a huge share of ramen vocabulary is written in katakana (ラーメン itself) or as short kanji compounds that repeat shop to shop. You do not need full Japanese — you need a small, high-frequency set.

The words on almost every machine

• ラーメン — ramen (the dish).
• つけ麺 / ツケメン — tsukemen (dipping noodles).
• しょうゆ / 醤油 — shoyu (soy sauce broth).
• しお / 塩 — shio (salt broth).
• みそ / 味噌 — miso.
• とんこつ / 豚骨 — tonkotsu (pork bone).
• 大盛 — large size.
• 並 — regular size.
• 替え玉 — kaedama (extra noodles).

Toppings in katakana & short kanji

• チャーシュー / 叉焼 — chashu pork.
• 味玉 / あじたま — seasoned soft-boiled egg.
• のり — nori seaweed.
• メンマ — fermented bamboo shoots.
• ネギ / ねぎ — green onion.
• コーン — corn (common in Hokkaido-style).
• バター — butter (Sapporo classic).
• 辛さ / カラサ — spice level.

Customisation words (Ichiran-style forms)

• カタメ — firm noodles.
• ヤワラ / やわらか — soft noodles.
• 普通 / フツウ — regular / default.
• こってり — richer broth.
• あっさり — lighter broth.
• ニンニク — garlic.
• 油 / アブラ — oil / fat amount.

How to use this at a ticket machine

1. Find the row of main bowls (usually highest buttons).
2. Match broth words: 醤油 / 塩 / 味噌 / 豚骨.
3. Ignore side-button chaos until you have a main bowl ticket.
4. Add 味玉 or チャーシュー only if you recognise the label and want the surcharge.
5. If stuck, press the most expensive or top-left signature button — staff almost always expect this from first-timers.

Practice phrases that actually help

• おすすめは？ (osusume wa?) — What do you recommend?
• これください (kore kudasai) — This one, please (while pointing).
• 英語のメニューはありますか？ — Do you have an English menu?
• 辛くない (karakunai) — Not spicy.

For a full walkthrough of machines and seating, read How to order ramen in Japan. For longer menu decoding, see Reading a Japanese ramen menu. Our free ordering phrases page is built for the counter moment.