Shigemi Kawahara’s first venture was a restaurant bar called After the Rain, which opened in 1979. In 1985, he opened Hakata IPPUDO in Fukuoka, and in the following year he established Chikaranomoto Company.
In 1994, the company expanded its business to the Kanto region (around Tokyo) and opened an IPPUDO store in the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum as its first step to opening stores across the country. The debut of its opening helped spread the recognition of tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen throughout Japan.
In 2008, the company expanded its business into the US market and launched the first overseas IPPUDO branch in New York. From here, he has been leading the industry and promoting Japanese food throughout the world.
Highlights
Shigemi Kawahara earned the title of Ramen King and a place in the Ramen Hall of Fame after three consecutive first place wins on a Japanese television program where ramen mavens compete to create the best ramen.
