Tetsuya Onishi, an active chef and restaurant owner, tried out Japanese Ramen Simulator and believed that the game's tedious store management procedures showcase the extensive labor in the real food industry that customers rarely see. Drawing inspiration from the monk customers in the game, he also designed a shojin soy sauce ramen free of meat, fish, and the five pungent spices.
Japanese Ramen Simulator entered Early Access on Steam on October 9, 2026. Players not only cook noodles but also order ingredients via computer, receive and transport goods, manage inventory, and then handle tasks such as chopping, preparing broth, plating, serving, clearing tables, and washing dishes. Tetsuya Onishi initially found these processes troublesome, but after playing, he felt they accurately reflect the realities of running a restaurant.
As business grows, customers will make requests such as adding green onions or nori, or changing the type of noodles. The ramen is also affected by physics calculations; if handled roughly during transport, toppings may fall out of the bowl. Providing water to waiting customers significantly extends their patience. Tetsuya Onishi believes this somewhat exaggerated mechanic highlights the importance of communication and caring for the customer's waiting experience.
For the special monk customers in the game, Tetsuya Onishi prepared a triple-layered dashi using kombu, dried shiitake mushrooms, and roasted soybeans, enhanced the aroma with shiitake rice oil and a small amount of roasted sesame oil, replaced chashu with wheat gluten (fu), and paired it with maitake mushrooms and mitsuba. This recipe is a personal creation inspired by the game's settings, echoing the various tasks presented in the game, such as procurement, hygiene, inventory management, and service.