Photo/Illutration Chef Yuichiro Akiyoshi proudly holds a bowl of ramen in front of his Meikyo Shisui ramen stand located on the platform for Tracks No. 5-6 at JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka on April 7. (Amane Shimazaki)

FUKUOKA--Standing noodle shops are a dime a dozen outside train hubs across Japan, but the one operating on a platform inside JR Hakata Station here has attracted a particular following even though some of the dishes are a bit pricier than the norm.

Its owner is a chef of considerable skill who had been planning to open a restaurant serving high-end Japanese cuisine in Paris until the novel coronavirus pandemic put an end to that idea.

Located on the platform for Tracks No. 5-6, Meikyo Shisui serves ramen dishes ranging in price from 600 yen ($5.50) to 1,100 yen.

Although relatively expensive for standing noodle shops and limited to 100 servings per day, the dishes sell out almost daily. Some customers even visit the platform just to sample the ramen.

The pop-up Meikyo Shisui eatery opened in March as part of measures to make better use of empty spaces. A shop that had operated in the spot closed in May last year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Chef Yuichiro Akiyoshi specializes in "cha-kaiseki" course meals served before tea ceremonies. With his plan of working in France dashed, Akiyoshi, 36, decided to serve ramen dishes at the station.

His ramen boasts a clear soup, whose broth is flavored with vegetables from the Kyushu region and dried sardines, as opposed to Hakata's distinctive "tonkotsu" flavor based on pork bones.

Meikyo Shisui will remain open for business until the end of June.

"I want my customers to enjoy a bowl made with carefully selected ingredients," the chef said.

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