BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch

In the spring of 2025, while walking from Umeda toward Ogimachi for an errand, I noticed a new Jiro-inspired ramen shop called BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch had opened. At the time, I just thought, “Oh, a new place opened,” and walked right by. But one summer day, passing by again, my eyes were drawn to the sign advertising their seasonal limited menu…

BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch: The Third Osaka Location of a Rapidly Expanding Ramen Brand 

Before talking about that intriguing seasonal menu, let’s briefly introduce BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch. Looking it up online, this BUTAKIN brand seems to be a new venture that just launched in May 2024 in Roppongi, Tokyo. But its subsequent momentum has been incredible. In just over a year since opening, it has rapidly expanded branches into major Japanese cities like Kobe, Hakata, and Sapporo. Currently, there are already 8 BUTAKIN brand stores. Among those 8, this Higashi-Umeda Branch is the third in Osaka. Considering there are only two branches in Tokyo (Roppongi and Shinjuku Kabukicho), it’s clear they’re putting significant effort into expanding their presence in Osaka.

Alright, I bought a meal ticket from the vending machine outside and entered the shop. As expected of a new place, it has a clean feel, somewhat atypical (?) for a Jiro-inspired shop. The interior is simple and unadorned. I roughly counted about 14 counter seats. Maybe it was just that day, but quite a few female customers were dining here. With the standard noodle portion being a modest 250g (small ramen) and a mini size (125g) also available, it certainly seems like a shop that’s easy for women to enjoy too…

The menu name holds no false promises… BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch’s summer-limited menu item: Chilled Ramen. So, how was it?

Now then, let’s move on to introducing the intriguing menu item I ordered that day at BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch. That menu item is…

This summer-limited chilled ramen. While it’s a Jiro-inspired style chilled ramen, what really piqued my interest was the “shaved ice on ramen” part…

After handing the meal ticket to the staff, I waited about 15 minutes… 

The cold ramen arrived before my eyes. At first glance, seeing the brown sauce drizzled over the bean sprouts, I thought, “Hmm, it kinda looks like shaved ice…” But the space around the bean sprouts was filled with shaved ice, proving the menu name “chilled ramen ” was absolutely accurate. By the way, this chilled ramen didn’t have the usual “call” system; they only asked about garlic quantity when ordering (I ordered regular garlic). It felt a bit lonely, but I figured it might have at least a “extra veggies” level of volume…

Now, digging through this mountain of bean sprouts to pull out the noodles revealed these extremely thick noodles that looked undeniably firm. These noodles are already of the chewy, Jiro-inspired variety, but served ice-cold in this chilled ramen, the level of chewiness is on a whole different level compared to when they’re hot. This hard, substantial bite is something any Jiro fan would absolutely love, right? Though I do wish they had the standard Jiro portion size of around 300g…

Then, carefully flipping the bowl upside down to avoid spilling, the soup finally appeared from beneath the shaved ice. It looked like this: the soup had gone beyond emulsification and was completely milky white. Taking a sip brought a cool sensation along with sweetness and a strong sesame flavor… The base was probably pork bone, but the sesame flavor was so potent it masked both the pork bone taste and the garlic kick. But it wasn’t bad at all—it felt like a ramen version of sesame-based udon, incredibly stimulating and fresh. The extra-thick noodles gave it a completely different texture compared to the sesame udon I once had at Sato Yosuke Sohonten in Akita… I never imagined a Jiro-inspired place could pull off this flavor.

And the chashu pork, which should normally be piled on generously, was buried under bean sprouts in this cold ramen, served as shredded chashu. So it’s hard to convey the volume, but it felt like there was a decent amount. Still, regular pork slices might have been better here. Shredded chashu isn’t bad, but it does lose that meaty richness… 

That’s how I enjoyed BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch‘s summer-limited menu item, the chilled ramen, before leaving the shop. Since I’d just had a somewhat mediocre chilled ramen at Menya Yuko Kawaramachi the other day, I was satisfied to finally have a chilled ramen with no complaints. Still, turning a Jiro-inspired ramen into a sesame-based udon-style dish really elevates it to something quite refined. This approach could appeal even to those who usually avoid Jiro-inspired ramen, and as an idea for exploring new flavors, it was pretty brilliant… I think.

BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch Other Menu Examples (Prices Include Tax)

• Garlic Chive Mixed Soba: ¥1,500
• Small Ramen (250g noodles)　¥1000
• Large Ramen (375g noodles)　¥1100
• Extra Large Ramen (550g noodles)　¥1200
• Super Extra Large Ramen　¥3500
• Small Mixed Soba　¥1200
• Small Pork Extra Ramen: ¥1,450

Even late at night, you can get Jiro-inspired ramen… Access to BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch is an 8-minute walk from the nearest station, Nakazakicho Station on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line.

And this BUTAKIN Higashi-Umeda Branch is open until 5:00 AM the next morning. I guess you could say it’s the nature of the area—being in the entertainment district means there’s demand for ramen shops even in the middle of the night. I never imagined having Jiro-inspired ramen as a late-night finish after drinking, but if I had room in my stomach, I’d definitely give it a try. If you get the chance, why not challenge yourself to some late-night Jiro-inspired ramen?

Now, here are the shop details…

It’s a 9-minute walk from Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line/Ogimachi Station.

P.S. If you are looking for delicious ramens in Osaka, please stop by this article below…