Choose your favorite Japanese ramen · 04 / 05

What is the difference between Iekei and Jiro-style ramen? Compare by soup, noodles, ingredients, and ordering method

When you're looking for “I want to eat rich ramen,'' Iekei and Jiro-style ramen come up as candidates. Both seem to be satisfying to eat, but are they the same?

Iekei and Jiro-style ramen are not different sizes of the same ramen. Iekei is a style that originates from Yokohama's Yoshimuraya. Ramen Jiro is central to understanding Jiro-style ramen, and an interview with Keio University introduces the history of its changes in taste and quantity through its involvement with Mita students.^[S06]^[S12]

Here, we will compare Iekei with Sugitaya, Rokkakuya 1994+, and Jiro-style ramen by referring to the guide for another brand Butayama. The table below summarizes typical features and does not mean that all stores have the same specifications.^[S08]^[S09]^[S16]

English Information reference date: September 27, 2026

In this article

The key to distinguishing is not just the soup.
Iekei: enjoy the combination of soy sauce, broth, and oil
Jiro-style ramen: a hearty bowl of noodles, pork, and vegetables
Adding more oil or fat means different things
Choose according to what you feel like eating today
Sources and verification dates
Related articles

Illustrated · 04

What is the difference between Iekei and Jiro-style ramen?

Pay attention not only to the quantity, but also to the combination of soup, noodles, and ingredients.

Iekei

Soy sauce/chiyu (chicken oil)/thick noodles

Nori + spinach

Jiro-style ramen

Thick noodles, pork, vegetables, garlic

Thick pork + minced garlic

Explanatory illustration. Typical features. Actual taste, quantity, and ordering method vary depending on the store.

The key to distinguishing is not just the soup.

Iekei Jiro-style ramen

Compare the ingredients and noodles. Explanatory illustrations/representative examples

You can view the table by scrolling horizontally.

Points of comparison	Typical features of Iekei	Features to look out for when choosing Jiro-style ramen
soup	Combination of tonkotsu shoyu and chiyu (chicken oil)	Pork broth with soy-sauce seasoning; check each shop’s description
noodles	Medium to thick noodles	Hearty, thick noodles; check the portion size too
Ingredients	Seaweed, spinach, chashu, etc.	Plenty of vegetables, thick pork, garlic, etc.
Adjust as desired	Noodle firmness, seasoning strength, and amount of oil	Garlic, vegetables, pork back fat, and seasoning strength
What to see for the first time	Basic taste and items you would like to change	In addition to taste, serving size and ordering information

The broth, noodles, and toppings are based on descriptions from Sugitaya, Rokkakuya 1994+, and Butayama. Adjustment options follow each shop’s own guidance.^[S05]^[S08]^[S09]^[S11]

Iekei: enjoy the combination of soy sauce, broth, and oil

Seaweed, spinach, chiyu (chicken oil) and thick noodles. Explanatory illustrations/representative examples

If you choose Iekei, pay attention to how the flavor of soy sauce, richness of animal soup, and aroma of chiyu (chicken oil) are combined with the thick noodles. A typical example is Rokkakuya 1994+, which offers medium-thick straight noodles, seaweed, and spinach.^[S05]^[S08]

If you're in the mood to mainly enjoy rich soup and noodles, looking for Iekei is one option. However, don't assume that "just because it's not Jiro-style ramen, it's light"; check the store's explanation.

Jiro-style ramen: a hearty bowl of noodles, pork, and vegetables

A satisfying meal that includes pork and vegetables. Explanatory illustrations/representative examples

When choosing Jiro-style ramen, think about the filling of the bowl, including not only the soup but also the noodles and toppings. Butayama combines pork soup with hearty noodles, pork and vegetables.^[S09]^[S11]

This is the direction you should look for when you want to make the garlic more effective or want to eat thick noodles. On the other hand, it is important to check the size and not just decide on the arrangement in the photo. The small size of Butayama is said to be about the same amount as a large serving at a typical ramen restaurant.^[S10]

Adding more oil or fat means different things

chiyu (chicken oil) back fat

chiyu (chicken oil) and back fat are different materials. Explanatory illustrations/representative examples

The chiyu (chicken oil) associated with Iekei and the pork back fat offered as an adjustment at Butayama are different ingredients. Both affect the fat in a bowl, but they do not produce the same result.^[S03]^[S05]^[S11]

There is also a difference between the preference of “I like strong flavors'' and the desire to “want more oil.'' If you can't decide, it will be easier to make a choice if you taste the standard and think about what you want to change.

Choose according to what you feel like eating today

Choose a bowl depending on your preference that day. Explanatory illustrations/representative examples

As a suggestion for how to choose, try using Iekei on days when you are interested in the combination of soup, soy sauce, and noodles, and Jiro-style ramen on days when you want a satisfying meal that includes garlic, thick noodles, and other ingredients.

If you want a light bowl, you do not need to limit yourself to these two styles. Return to the general guide; a shop offering clear broth may suit your mood better.

Enjoying ramen does not mean always choosing richer flavors or larger portions. It also means finding the bowl that suits you that day.

Sources and verification dates

The information in the text is based on the manuscript as of September 27, 2026. Please check the official information of each store before visiting for business hours, regular holidays, ordering methods, amount of noodles, etc.