Kayoko Yoshikai

Innovative Vision-Life Force Space
Ramen Noodle

Recently I watched a program on Japanese TV and was intrigued by the owner’s philosophy/mindset. Traditionally a Japanese Ramen noodle shop is greasy, dirty, smelly, with uncomfortable chairs and loud TV played in Japan. Ramen noodles are not a health food. Their shops were favored mostly by older men and owned by older stubborn men. One passionate committed Japanese restaurateurs innovative vision changed that image of the old ramen noodle shops. He acknowledged that the women were intimidated to go there even though they wanted to eat at such a place. Now his shops are so successful. There are 37 shops in different cities in Japan and making millions more profit than others. 40% are women clients and 40% of the workers are women. You might say most of the concepts are similar to others:
-Clean shop with wooden furniture with rocks giving a grounded feeling
-Colorful dishes on an orderly decorated counter give an aesthetic and appetizing appeal
– Modern Jazz music to set a trendy style
-The kitchen is meticulously organized bringing calm Zen like minds for the workers
-The owner trained each worker to be as an actor on the theater stage playing out their gift of who they are. Each worker must be expressive and gives each person attention with power and sincere hospitality.
-The emphasis is in creating a noodle soup cooked in gourmet style with much affection and gratitude. They will provide a joyful space greeted by energetic, cheerful, smiling workers.
You might say this is not particularly special, yet what is special is that the owner has made a clear intention to transmute joyful healing power by trained workers! So everyone who eats there goes home with powerful life force energy and all around their neighbors and whoever walks by feels and receives the warm healing energy from the shop. Are you curious? There is one shop in New York City. Would you like to experience that feeling your self?

www.ippudo.com/
http://www.ippudo.com/ny/