LA Restaurant Named America’s Oldest Ramen Spot—Here’s Why It Matters
Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo community is home to many well-known restaurants, but none are as iconic as Kouraku, America’s oldest ramen noodle shop still in operation. Opened in 1976, it helped popularize post-World War II Japanese comfort food in Los Angeles and still stands as a testament to Japan’s culinary tradition.
The unveiling took place on Thursday, January 30th, and was led by Ysabel Jurado, new-elected councilmember for District 14, current owner Mamoru Tokuda, and award-winning historic preservationist Mariko Lochridge.
Kouraku’s new historical marker is fastened to the Gilbert Lindsay Mall street post located a few feet before the entrance. It features the words “KOURAKU American’s Oldest Ramen Shop Still In Operation” along with the address and the year it was established. The first 50 guests to arrive were gifted one complimentary bowl of ramen and one commemorative keychain.
“Being officially recognized as the oldest ramen shop in America is an honor and goes to show the commitment of our longtime employees that work tirelessly. This will strengthen our identity as not only a business, but also as a community by bringing in more people to experience Little Tokyo,” said Tokuda ahead of the ceremony.
The Little Tokyo Service Center Small Business Program and its Small Biz Hype Squad helped spearhead the commemoration. According to Rafu, before the event, Lochridge shared how it came about:
“In 2023, when members of our Small Biz Hype Hype Squad discovered that Kouraku is America’s Oldest ramen restaurant we knew this had to be recognized and celebrated. Our community members have created a thoughtful campaign which includes videos featuring Kouraku’s longtime back of house employees as well as a physical zine to share the rich culinary history of this local favorite. It’s wonderful to see the city recognizing those efforts and our community-based small business with a monumental marker.”
Other notable figures in attendance include the founder of the Little Tokyo Historical Society Bill Watanabe, executive director of the Little Tokyo Community Council Kristin Fukushima, and senior vice president of Little Tokyo Business Association Glenn Osaki.
Kouraku is located at 314 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, and open 11:30 am – 12 am.
