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The story
A post believed to be from someone connected to a ramen shop sparked debate after questioning the price gap on social media: “Soba can go over ¥1,000 without anyone calling it expensive, but the moment ramen crosses ¥1,000 it’s suddenly treated as a luxury item.” The post became a hot topic on the 5ch “Nandemo Jikkyo G” (Live, Anything Goes) board. In the thread, some argued that since soba is a special meal eaten only a few times a year, a high price doesn’t bother people, while others said ¥1,000 is reasonable for ramen too given the ingredient costs and labor involved. Still others pointed out that in cities, ramen over ¥1,000 is already the norm, making differences in “perceived luxury” and “how often people eat it” the central points of debate.
What people said
"Why is it that soba can go over ¥1,000 without being called expensive, but ramen suddenly gets treated as a luxury item the moment it crosses ¥1,000?"
That question, raised by someone on the ramen shop's side, was posted on social media and has been generating buzz.
If it's good, I wouldn't complain about zaru soba (chilled dipping soba) for ¥1,800.
Maybe ramen shops should let you do that too.
If you want to raise prices, just do it.
You're just not confident enough to actually raise them.
Ramen tastes bad and is bad for you.
Please, enjoy your soba with no dipping sauce then.
Going cashless means they can't dodge taxes anymore, so prices will go up.
Sounds like you don't actually know what 'junk food' means.
No way you could do ramen without the broth.
So that means both ramen and soba taste bad without their broth/sauce, huh.
Ramen tastes bad — the soup's bad for you.
For ramen, going over ¥1,000 is already normal though.
Guess you've never been to a proper soba specialty shop (not counting the standing-eat kind)…
That's why I just make my own better version with instant noodles and a ton of vegetables.
Fresh noodles are cheaper and taste better.
There are people out there who love standing-eat soba shops too, you know.
Pasta ends up pricey too, once you add sides and wine.
Pasta's already been over ¥1,000 for ages, except for stuff like Napolitan at family restaurants or cafes.
Nope.
Chain places have them, but they don't even cost ¥1,000.
I see…
My regular spot officially opens at 11, but so many people show up that they usually just open at 10.
Once the lunch crowd clears out around 2pm, you sip sake little by little with some sobagaki (soba dumplings),
and they bring your soba out right when the timing's perfect.
Honestly, I kind of aspire to that.
Soba's got more of that 'trendy' image too, so maybe that's why it costs more.
Ramen (excluding street stalls or places like Hidakaya) actually has higher ingredient costs than soba, udon, or pasta, I'd say.
Background and Key Points of the Debate
Behind this question lies a mismatch between rising restaurant prices and people’s sense of what price is “acceptable.” Soba is often eaten on special occasions or seasonal events, so because people visit less frequently, there’s less resistance to a higher price tag. Ramen, on the other hand, carries a deeply rooted image as an everyday, working-class food, which makes the same price feel like more of a rip-off. Some in the thread claimed “ramen has low ingredient costs,” but others pointed out that, aside from food stalls and chain shops, places that put real effort into their soup and noodles often have higher ingredient costs than soba, udon, or pasta — so the relationship between price and cost isn’t so simple. Whether going over ¥1,000 feels “normal” or “expensive” also seems to depend on where you live, with the thread’s reactions suggesting a gap in perception between cities and rural areas.
*This article is compiled and summarized from excerpts of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Sad News] Ramen Shop: “Soba Gets a Pass Over ¥1,000, But Ramen Doesn’t!”.”
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