About Us

Our Origin. Our Studio. Our Heart.

Our restaurant is the beating heart of what we do. Within this tiny space we showcase our greatest hits and test new flavours using the same principles that got us started.

Historical forestry photo of the Masuda family on Vancouver Island

Courtesy Nikkei National Museum 2010-23-2-4-678

The Founder

Heritage, Family, and Food

Greg Masuda is a third-generation Japanese Canadian whose family first settled on Vancouver Island nearly a century ago. With roots in forestry, his heritage is deeply connected to the Island and its natural gifts.

The Masuda family was part of the World War II internment of Japanese Canadians. They were forcibly removed from their homes and made to labour on sugar beet farms in southern Alberta.

In 2016, Greg founded Nikkei Ramen-ya with a mission to create honest, high-quality food while honouring his family, culture, and values. Alongside his wife Erin and their four children, he continues to grow the business as a family-owned operation — committed to quality, community, and authenticity.

Noodle making at Nikkei Ramen-ya: sheeting dough circa 2016 and cutting noodles circa 2026
Principle #1

Noodles Rule

We believe there is no point in making ramen unless you make your own noodles — and we have done so since day one. We choose the flours, alkaline salts, and other ingredients to create the noodle that suits the dish.

Tokyo-style shoyu ramen? Our original, medium-firmness noodle. Hakata-style tonkotsu? It has to be thin and extra-snappy. Something freestyle that's never been done? A custom recipe may be in order.

We started with one. To date, we count more than ten distinct noodle recipes that have rotated through our menu. Plus, we make our own gyoza skins — how many other shops do you know that do that?

Pork belly kakuni, scratch-made at Nikkei Ramen-ya

Pork Belly Kakuni

Principle #2

Great Ramen Begins with Great Ingredients

That is why we feel so fortunate to live where we do. We strive to source our ingredients nearby: from the hyper-local farms of Merville and Black Creek to the waters of the Salish Sea, from pork and poultry producers down Island to the orchards of the Okanagan.

We make our noodles from premium wheat grown on the Canadian Prairies and we source beer, cider, and sake from local craftspeople.

In Japan, regional variations of ramen are due in large part to local tastes, local climates, and the availability of local ingredients. Here in the Comox Valley, we are faithful to the principles of authentic Japanese ramen — while giving it our own, local touch.

Principle #3

Eat Your Ramen Urgently

The best way is to visit us at our restaurant in Courtenay, or to pick up our restaurant-quality fresh-frozen ramen pucks and kits from your local grocery store on Vancouver Island and across BC.

1

Don't Delay

When your bowl arrives in front of you, regard the bowl, taste the soup, then dig in to the noodles. There is a brief window where the harmony of the ingredients is at its peak.

2

Slurp Loudly

Inhale some air as you vacuum the noodles into your mouth. Eat quickly. This is not the time for polite conversation — it's time for ramen.

3

Drink It Down

If you so desire, pay your compliments by drinking the soup down to its last drop. Our stocks are scratch-made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients. As you would do this in our shop, our grocery products also allow you to do this in your home.

Inside Nikkei Ramen-ya restaurant in Courtenay BC
Principle #4

Continuously Strive to Be Better

The Japanese word for this principle is Kaizen, and it is etched into our DNA. We set a high bar for ourselves when we opened in 2016, and we have raised it little by little over the years. It is not always apparent.

Our Shoyu ramen, for example, may appear unchanged but it has undergone many iterations of improvement to please even the most discerning ramen nerds. We give all things in our business this treatment and it is also how we live our lives.

We could not have reached where we are today without applying the Kaizen principle at every turn.

Community

Rooted in the Comox Valley

Nikkei Ramen-ya isn't just a restaurant — it's a gathering place. From families grabbing a quick weeknight dinner to friends meeting up on Nikkei Nights, we're proud to be part of the fabric of this community.

We're Living Wage BC certified, we source from local farms and fisheries, and we believe a good bowl of ramen can bring people together like nothing else.

Now, with our frozen ramen kits and pucks available at over 100 grocery stores across British Columbia, we're sharing that same care with kitchens far beyond the Valley.

Nikkei Ramen-ya patio in the Comox Valley
Come Say Hi

Ready for Real Ramen?

Whether you visit us in Courtenay or find us in the frozen aisle, we promise every bite is made with care.

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