Osaka is not particularly famous for ramen, and the ramen shop in question looks like a profit-driven business targeting Chinese tourists, judging from its exterior design, which heavily uses red and yellow colors and an excessive amount of Chinese characters.
In addition, even the ramen options intended for Japanese customers are priced at around 1,000 yen, which many Japanese people would consider too expensive and therefore avoid. Taste-conscious Osaka locals, in particular, are unlikely to patronize such a restaurant.
Osaka is sometimes called a "ramen desert," but this does not mean that Osaka has bad ramen. Rather, it reflects historical and cultural reasons why ramen did not become the dominant food culture there.
First, Osaka has a highly developed traditional broth culture. The city is famous for its light, refined dashi made from kelp and bonito flakes, which forms the foundation of dishes like udon and Japanese cuisine in general. Compared to this delicate flavor profile, ramen—often based on pork bones, chicken, soy sauce, and oil—was sometimes considered too heavy or overpowering for local tastes.
Second, ramen had strong competition from other popular foods. In Osaka, everyday meals traditionally centered on udon and soba, while casual eating focused on takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushikatsu. These foods already filled the role that ramen played in other cities, leaving less cultural space for ramen to develop as a staple.
Third, Osaka lacked a strong postwar street-stall (yatai) ramen culture. In cities like Tokyo, Hakata, and Sapporo, ramen spread through street stalls after World War II, helping to establish local styles and famous shops. In Osaka, stricter regulations and different dining habits limited this kind of growth.
Another factor is that Osaka consumers are known for being very price- and quality-conscious. Expensive ramen is harder to justify, making it difficult for new or experimental ramen shops to survive long enough to become institutions.
Today, however, this reputation is outdated. Modern Osaka is home to many highly regarded and innovative ramen shops, known especially for their unique and bold styles rather than mainstream trends.
In short, Osaka was called a "ramen desert" not because ramen was poor in quality, but because the city's food culture was already rich, competitive, and deeply rooted in other traditions.
The last time a mainland Chinese person laughed was just before someone suggested there might be a 'cultural revolution' in 1966.
