Hidakaya's official account posted about Kinryu Ramen in Dotonbori, prompting Kinryu Ramen's official account to express its thanks in a quote repost. After Kinryu proposed an adaptation of a Hidakaya menu item in August, a warm exchange between the two chains has spread across social media.
The official account of Hidakaya, a major Chinese restaurant chain in the Kanto region, posted an image of ramen on 9 September with the caption, “I wonder if it made it to Dotonbori.” This prompted the official account of Kinryu Ramen, a well-known restaurant in Osaka's Minami district, to respond with a quote repost praising Hidakaya's generosity. The social media exchange between the popular restaurants in Dotonbori and the eastern and western regions of Japan has become a topic of discussion.
Kinryu Ramen has long been known in the Kansai region for its tonkotsu-style broth served with complimentary toppings such as kimchi and garlic chives. It had called on users in the Kanto region to add Chinese cabbage kimchi to Hidakaya's tonkotsu ramen with garlic chives and nanban seasoning. Hidakaya's official account responded, and the exchange between the two companies has unfolded publicly.
The story can be traced back to 19 August, when Kinryu Ramen's official account posted a proposal suggesting that Hidakaya's menu could be adapted and recreated in the Kanto region. Kinryu Ramen introduced a combination of Hidakaya menu items in Tokyo, seeking to bridge Kansai's drinking culture with flavors from the Kanto region.
After Hidakaya responded favorably with a heart emoji on the 20th, Kinryu Ramen replied with a self-effacing comment, and the exchange between the two official accounts has continued. The interaction has drawn public attention as a friendly exchange on social media.