IPPUDO was founded in 1985 in Japan’s ramen capital of Hakata by Shigemi Kawahara, the internationally renowned Ramen King and CEO of Chikaranomoto Company, which encompasses some of Japan’s finest restaurants. There are over 80 stores in Japan, and over 40 stores worldwide, including London, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea. IPPUDO has become the most popular ramen restaurant over the years. Kawahara was crowned Ramen King in 2005 and holds a place in the Ramen Hall of Fame after winning the championship 3 times consecutively between 1995-1998, on “TV Champion Ramen Chef,” a reputable Japanese television show produced by TV Tokyo.