Comments by "Jordan, inside-outsider in Japan" (@Jordan-inJapan) on "Is It Worth It Owning a Ramen Shop in Japan?" video.

I thought that part about the internet making it possible for anyone to look up ramen recipes and open up a shop was interesting. I heard that how to make the broth used to be a closely-guarded secret, so you would have to apprentice with a master to learn it. Not necessary today, I guess. There’s actually a ‘ramen espionage’ scene in the old movie, Tanpopo… a movie which I definitely recommend to anyone who’s interested in ramen by the way… especially if you’re also interested in old samurai movies and Westerns. (From the director Itami Juso.)
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Agreed on all all accounts! Unagi… a bit higher-end so the situation could be quite different. (But something I’d be interested in as well.)
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@afcgeo882 Capital, mainly. It does require a substantial investment! But also, a sense of loyalty, at least in some cases. There’s a very old tradition here defining the relationship between master and apprentice — not specifically for ramen but any skilled trade or art. You don’t just walk away when you’ve obtained the desired skills. There’s a typical dramatic scene where the apprentice very emotionally asks for permission to break away and set up on his/her own. The master may ask the apprentice to ‘wait’, and he/she is expected to oblige. (I admit though, I’m getting this from old ‘TV dramas’ and it may not apply to the real world here anymore. 😆)
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Interesting idea!
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@mayaparamita2254 yes, well my info is from old tv dramas, so it COULD be a bit out of date. 😅
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