Saika Ramen Yatai

Known as the original shop of Tenri Ramen, Saika Ramen Yatai serves bowls filled with a spicy garlic-soy-based broth and generous amounts of vegetables, particularly Chinese cabbage. Founded in 1968 as a street stall in Tenri City, Nara Prefecture, it has since expanded to 13 locations across the Kansai region—but this is the only branch that still operates as an open-air yatai (street stall). Enjoying a steaming bowl under the stars, with the night breeze around you, is an experience like no other.

The signature features of Saika Ramen are its deeply flavorful house-made soy sauce tare and the spicy kick from la jiang (a Sichuan chili paste) imported directly from Sichuan Province. The secret recipe for the original soy sauce tare was created by the founder and has been passed down to the second-generation owner—the only person who knows it today. Impressively, the current president personally prepares the soy sauce tare daily for all the locations.

Customers can choose their ramen size—extra-large, large, or small—and customize their bowl with toppings such as char siu pork, soft-boiled eggs, or raw eggs to suit their taste.