Competitors, ready your stomachs. Spectators, prepare to be amazed. Ichi Kaku will be holding their fourth annual ramen eating contest and block party from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15. This Fayetteville restaurant has become much respected for serving top-tier Japanese cuisine, and their yearly contest brings the familiar food residents love with a side of fun.
Chef Yohei Kamiya, a native of Nagoya, Japan, started the ramen eating contest to offer Fayetteville residents an experience that extends beyond the food, embodying the value of building relationships with customers.
“We want to connect to our customers and community,” Kamiya said.
One of his favorite aspects of running Ichi Kaku is the ability to uplift people and make their days better through food.
“First, they’re not feeling good, but after they eat my ramen, they’re impressed like, ‘Oh my God, it’s so good,’” he said. “When they leave my restaurant, their faces are shiny and smiling and they’re happy to go home ... that’s my most favorite part.”
Kamiya opened his ramen restaurant in 2022 after working as a chef in Japan, New York and Charlotte, including a stint in the omakase-style Michelin-star restaurant Kurumazushi. “Omakase” is a form of gourmet dining in which the chef decides what items to serve. After the COVID-19 pandemic cut his restaurant-owning dream short in Charlotte, he decided to give it one more chance in Fayetteville.
The ramen eating competition is free to attend and will take place in the parking lot of Ichi Kaku’s location at 350 N. Eastern Blvd., Suite 200. The contest itself starts after 2 p.m., while the rest of the time will be devoted to the block party, including a car show displaying Japanese rides from CruZin Auto Performance and a DJ set performed by Kamiya.
His skill for DJing coincided with the start of his cooking abilities.
“I started DJing when I was 15 years old, so now for more than 25 years, I’ve experienced that,” Kamiya said.
As a whole, the event offers the perfect way to honor, celebrate and share Japanese culture.
The winning competitor will have to finish 5 pounds of ramen, both noodles and broth, equaling about 3.5 bowls. Applications for the competition will go live on Thursday, Oct. 1 and stay open until Friday, Oct. 23, and sign-ups will be through a Google form — no walk-up entries. Keep your eyes on Ichi Kaku’s Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/Ichikaku.nc. The sign-up form will be posted across their social media pages, including Instagram and TikTok. Only five challengers will be chosen.
Any noncompetitors who also want a bite to eat can preorder from a selection of specially discounted bentos, priced at $9.95 before taxes. Available meals will include Spicy Turkey Noodles, Chicken Katsu Curry and the Ichi-Kaku Combo with teriyaki chicken, Japanese fried rice, gyoza and karaage. Bento preorders will open on Sunday, Nov. 8. Digital preorders will close the day of the event at 10 a.m. Once you’ve ordered your bento, you’ll be able to pick it up from noon to 2:15 p.m. on event day.
Don’t forget to secure your merch to immortalize your memories of this event long after it’s over. Each year, Ichi Kaku sells a limited-edition T-shirt with a unique design to represent the contest, and this time around is no different. Shirts will cost around $30.
Beyond the competition, Ichi Kaku has big plans for devoted fans to look forward to. They’re set to open a second ramen bar location in 2027 near Santa Fe Drive, which will be inside Midtown East in The Forge Food Hall that’s currently under construction.
Ichi Kaku has also brought back their Frozen Ramen, a specialty only available through pickup. Customers can enjoy the rich flavors of expertly made tonkotsu ramen in their own homes.
There’s only one way to find out who’ll be the I.K. Ramen Eating Champion of 2026. Stay in the know by following Ichi Kaku’s Facebook page, as well as their Instagram @ichikaku.japanese.ramen and TikTok @ramen.japanese.ichikaku.

(Graphic courtesy of Ichi-Kaku)