With Japan experiencing record high numbers of overseas tourists in recent months, there have been reports of restaurants denying entry to foreign travellers, with the reason being that staff can only speak Japanese. However, some restaurants have been searching for a happy solution to the language barrier, and for one ramen restaurant in Akihabara it’s proving to be a success for both staff and customers alike. ▼ The restaurant is called Hakata Furyu, and it specialises in tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen, which originated in Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Usually, when you see a line outside a ramen restaurant in Japan, it’s a surefire sign that the food is good, and in Akihabara, the place where you’ll usually see a line out the door is Kyushu Jangara, which is incredibly popular with overseas tourists. ▼ Kyushu Jangara is a famous tonkotsu ramen chain, and the one in Akihabara has been a popular tourist destination for around 20 years. Hakata Furyu is now providing Kyushu Jangara with some stiff competition, because when our reporter P.
K. Sanjun went to check it out, there was a line so long he had to postpone his visit to another day, when he could arrive right at opening time before queues had formed. Even at this time, the store was about 80-percent full and around half the diners were overseas tourists, so you’ll want to get in early to avoid the queues.
One of the reasons why the store is so popular with overseas visitors is because of the language support, .
