Samurai Ramen in Yufuin: A Quick Ramen Lunch Near the Station

Hello! Today I’m sharing my review of Samurai Ramen, one of the Yufuin food spots I liked most. During this trip, I only ate at Yufuin restaurants for lunch on the first day and lunch on the second day, and Samurai Ramen was my second-day lunch stop. I wanted something simple but filling before my bus, so I wondered what to eat and decided that since I was in Japan, I should try ramen. When I searched for ramen shops near the station, Samurai Ramen was the place that kept coming up in recommendations. I went right around opening time with high expectations.

For the exact location, it is fastest to search on Google Maps. To describe it simply, it is about a 5-minute walk straight from Yufuin Station, so it felt quite close. There was a large ramen model outside, which made it easy to find. I visited around 10:00 on a Sunday morning, just before opening, and a staff member came out first to kindly ask us to wait a little. All the staff members were friendly.

The standing sign out front said it opens at 10:30. That seems to be correct for weekdays, and on weekends it seems to open at 10:00. I also went in and ordered at 10:00 on a Sunday.

Inside, there was seating for about 6 to 7 groups. You can choose any comfortable seat. I visited with a suitcase, and I was able to leave it near the entrance. Since I did not want the hassle of taking off my shoes, I sat at a bar seat with a chair. Orders are placed at the kiosk near the restaurant entrance.

If you press the Korean button, the menu appears in Korean, so ordering is easy.

Samurai Spicy Ramen Camellia Ramen

Because I was taking a bus right after lunch, I thought a set meal might be a bit heavy, so I ordered single bowls. I chose the spicy ramen I had wanted to try and the Camellia Ramen.

The menu board itself is in Japanese and English, but since you can order in Korean at the kiosk, there is not much difficulty.

In front of the dining area, sauces for adding to the ramen and spoons were prepared. I also asked separately for an apron, and they brought one for me.

The ramen came topped with soft-boiled eggs. I tried Ichiran when I came last year, and compared with that, this tasted a little saltier. The spicy ramen was a bit savory-salty, while the Camellia Ramen had a clear broth, so it tasted clean, light, and good. As soon as I ate the spicy ramen, I thought, “This is exactly the kind of ramen for hangover relief.”

I mixed in the seasoning in the center and ate it well. It was spicy and salty in a way that made it feel perfect for a hangover meal. The Camellia Ramen had a lot of round slices of chashu arranged around the bowl, so I took a little of that chashu to eat with the spicy ramen too. If you like chashu, ordering one of each and sharing them would be a good idea.

One bowl had spicy broth, and the other had a more classic-feeling pork broth. The portions were appropriate, and I was able to enjoy the meal. Even without ordering a set, the amount felt just right. If you want a simple meal in Yufuin or are looking for a ramen spot, I recommend it. My mom and I had this as our last meal in Yufuin, and we left pretty satisfied.