Aare, Sendai's Award-Winning Ramen Shop, Opens in Shimokitazawa After 6 Years of Gratitude
Aare, a highly popular and multi-award-winning ramen shop from Sendai, will open a new branch in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, on May 1, 2026. This opening is presented as owner Takeshi Ito's '6-year gratitude' return to the area where he once operated a pop-up store. The new shop will feature 'Sendai Spicy Miso Mazesoba' as its signature dish.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 00:18
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 16:01
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■ A Ramen Life Forged by Connections: How a Ramen Otaku Became a Shop Owner
'Aare,' a ramen shop in Sendai, boasts high popularity, having been featured in local media and by famous YouTubers. It has received numerous awards, including the Gold Prize at the 'Ramen Walker Grand Prix 2025 Miyagi,' making its name widely known.
Takeshi Ito, the owner of 'Aare,' is now opening a new store in Shimokitazawa using a trust-based system.
"All my past connections, both in Sendai and Shimokitazawa, have led to this moment," says Mr. Ito. His ramen journey has truly been shaped by the people he has met.
### How a Ramen Otaku Aimed to Become a Ramen Shop Owner
Mr. Ito's career as an adult began in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, where he worked as a French chef at a hotel for seven years. However, the Great East Japan Earthquake prompted his return to his hometown, Miyagi.
"At that time, job options in Miyagi were limited due to the circumstances. So, I ended up helping an apparel company run by a friend's father. I worked as a store manager for five years, launched two stores, and managed to create a system that could operate even without my constant presence on-site."
While working in apparel, he frequently traveled to Tokyo for business. Each time, he made sure to visit ramen shops in the city.
"Back then, I ate countless bowls of ramen. Tokyo had many discerning 'ramen otakus,' and their information and reviews were incredibly helpful for a ramen lover like me."
What significantly influenced Mr. Ito's life was a single comment from his junior high school teacher.
"At a class reunion, my teacher asked me, 'When are you going to open a ramen shop?' My teacher remembered that I had said I wanted to be a ramen shop owner in junior high, inspired by TV."
It was also a time when his apparel work had settled down. This comment prompted him to revisit his long-held dream and seriously commit to opening a ramen shop.
### Pop-Up Operation in Shimokitazawa, Started Unbeknownst to Anyone
He then moved to Tokyo and began working at a famous ramen shop in Ginza while searching for a place to do a pop-up operation in Tokyo. However, finding a suitable space for a ramen business proved difficult. After struggling to find someone willing to rent to him, the owner of a bar in Shimokitazawa, where he had been frequenting, finally offered his space.
"I had no local knowledge or acquaintances. Moreover, it was not an ideal location for a ramen shop. On the first day of opening, there were zero customers. It was a daily routine of preparing soup with great effort, only to discard it. Sometimes, I would bring everything I prepared back home untouched."
Amidst these difficult days, a turning point came with the visit of a ramen influencer.
"From then on, things changed dramatically."
Furthermore, the connections forged with the people of Shimokitazawa during this one-and-a-half-month pop-up operation became a significant asset later on.
"Even though I was only there for a month and a half, so many people supported me. When I returned to Sendai, the people of Shimokitazawa posted on SNS, saying, 'The guy who was here in Shimokita is going to Sendai, everyone please support him.' I still haven't forgotten that. They also told me, 'Come back again,' and 'Come make ramen again,' which made me want to repay their kindness someday."
### And Back to Shimokitazawa Again
Even after opening 'Aare' in Sendai, Mr. Ito steadily gained recognition, being featured in local media and various publications, and winning ramen-related awards. Amidst this success, his desire to 'repay Shimokitazawa someday' gradually transformed into concrete action.
It was then that he encountered the Mujaki Foods' startup seminar.
"Learning about the trust-based system, I thought, 'I can challenge this right away.' After entering Toranavi, my business plan successfully passed the review, and my long-cherished dream of opening a shop in the Shimokitazawa area was decided."
Thus, a new challenge is set to begin again in the memorable town where he once operated a pop-up shop.
## 'Shimokitazawa Aare' Opens on May 1, 2026!
What Mr. Ito aimed for with the new store was not just a ramen that sells. He sought to create a ramen that is deeply authentic, encompassing the context and topicality of the ramen industry, its appearance on social media, and most importantly, the taste itself.
"It's not just about being a viable business; the ramen must be authentic in every aspect, including the context and topicality of the ramen industry, its social media presence, and the taste itself. This thinking led me to 'a bowl no one has ever tasted.'"
Based on this philosophy, he developed the new store's signature menu item: 'Sendai Spicy Miso Mazesoba.'
From May 1st to 3rd, for three days, only for those who pre-registered on LINE, "
'Aare,' a ramen shop in Sendai, boasts high popularity, having been featured in local media and by famous YouTubers. It has received numerous awards, including the Gold Prize at the 'Ramen Walker Grand Prix 2025 Miyagi,' making its name widely known.
Takeshi Ito, the owner of 'Aare,' is now opening a new store in Shimokitazawa using a trust-based system.
"All my past connections, both in Sendai and Shimokitazawa, have led to this moment," says Mr. Ito. His ramen journey has truly been shaped by the people he has met.
### How a Ramen Otaku Aimed to Become a Ramen Shop Owner
Mr. Ito's career as an adult began in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, where he worked as a French chef at a hotel for seven years. However, the Great East Japan Earthquake prompted his return to his hometown, Miyagi.
"At that time, job options in Miyagi were limited due to the circumstances. So, I ended up helping an apparel company run by a friend's father. I worked as a store manager for five years, launched two stores, and managed to create a system that could operate even without my constant presence on-site."
While working in apparel, he frequently traveled to Tokyo for business. Each time, he made sure to visit ramen shops in the city.
"Back then, I ate countless bowls of ramen. Tokyo had many discerning 'ramen otakus,' and their information and reviews were incredibly helpful for a ramen lover like me."
What significantly influenced Mr. Ito's life was a single comment from his junior high school teacher.
"At a class reunion, my teacher asked me, 'When are you going to open a ramen shop?' My teacher remembered that I had said I wanted to be a ramen shop owner in junior high, inspired by TV."
It was also a time when his apparel work had settled down. This comment prompted him to revisit his long-held dream and seriously commit to opening a ramen shop.
### Pop-Up Operation in Shimokitazawa, Started Unbeknownst to Anyone
He then moved to Tokyo and began working at a famous ramen shop in Ginza while searching for a place to do a pop-up operation in Tokyo. However, finding a suitable space for a ramen business proved difficult. After struggling to find someone willing to rent to him, the owner of a bar in Shimokitazawa, where he had been frequenting, finally offered his space.
"I had no local knowledge or acquaintances. Moreover, it was not an ideal location for a ramen shop. On the first day of opening, there were zero customers. It was a daily routine of preparing soup with great effort, only to discard it. Sometimes, I would bring everything I prepared back home untouched."
Amidst these difficult days, a turning point came with the visit of a ramen influencer.
"From then on, things changed dramatically."
Furthermore, the connections forged with the people of Shimokitazawa during this one-and-a-half-month pop-up operation became a significant asset later on.
"Even though I was only there for a month and a half, so many people supported me. When I returned to Sendai, the people of Shimokitazawa posted on SNS, saying, 'The guy who was here in Shimokita is going to Sendai, everyone please support him.' I still haven't forgotten that. They also told me, 'Come back again,' and 'Come make ramen again,' which made me want to repay their kindness someday."
### And Back to Shimokitazawa Again
Even after opening 'Aare' in Sendai, Mr. Ito steadily gained recognition, being featured in local media and various publications, and winning ramen-related awards. Amidst this success, his desire to 'repay Shimokitazawa someday' gradually transformed into concrete action.
It was then that he encountered the Mujaki Foods' startup seminar.
"Learning about the trust-based system, I thought, 'I can challenge this right away.' After entering Toranavi, my business plan successfully passed the review, and my long-cherished dream of opening a shop in the Shimokitazawa area was decided."
Thus, a new challenge is set to begin again in the memorable town where he once operated a pop-up shop.
## 'Shimokitazawa Aare' Opens on May 1, 2026!
What Mr. Ito aimed for with the new store was not just a ramen that sells. He sought to create a ramen that is deeply authentic, encompassing the context and topicality of the ramen industry, its appearance on social media, and most importantly, the taste itself.
"It's not just about being a viable business; the ramen must be authentic in every aspect, including the context and topicality of the ramen industry, its social media presence, and the taste itself. This thinking led me to 'a bowl no one has ever tasted.'"
Based on this philosophy, he developed the new store's signature menu item: 'Sendai Spicy Miso Mazesoba.'
From May 1st to 3rd, for three days, only for those who pre-registered on LINE, "