America's Oldest Ramen Shop Kouraku Marks 50 Years With Little Tokyo Street Festival
Kouraku, a ramen shop in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sunday, November 8, with the Kouraku Matsuri street festival outside the restaurant on East 2nd Street. Founded in 1976, Kouraku is the oldest ramen restaurant still operating in the United States, and the festival marked the milestone with complimentary mini tastings, taiko drumming, a dragon dance and carnival games.
The tastings ran in three rounds. Mini shoyu ramen was served first at 11:30 a.m., followed by mini chahan fried rice with three gyoza at 12:15 p.m., and mini tonkotsu ramen closed the schedule at 2:30 p.m. Guests picked up colored wristbands at an information booth for priority access, with quantities limited.
The Koshin Taiko drumming ensemble and a dragon dancer performed during the festival, chefs taught visitors how to fold gyoza, and organizers offered a timed gyoza-folding challenge, carnival games and original Kouraku merchandise. Inside the restaurant, a Secret Kouraku Bar served drinks to guests 21 and older, with entry by drink tickets and a valid ID.
Chef Juan, who has worked at Kouraku since 1991, prepared the food served at the celebration. Owner Mamoru Tokuda said ahead of the event that he was very happy to celebrate 50 years of Kouraku with everyone.
Kouraku opened in 1976 at 240 E. Second St. and moved to its current home at 314 E. 2nd St. in 1986, serving Chinese-influenced Japanese comfort food including ramen, fried rice, curry and handmade gyoza. The City of Los Angeles installed a monumental marker at the restaurant on January 30, 2025, recognizing it as America's oldest operating ramen restaurant. According to the organizers, the anniversary campaign runs through December 8 and includes commemorative menus, a drawing contest and digital storytelling about the restaurant's history.
(Source: Kouraku)
Source: Kouraku
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Los Angeles 市 Little Tokyo 的 Kouraku 拉面店店面。该店1976年创店，是全美仍在营业的最老拉面店。（Matsujima 摄，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 4.0）
