We've seen samurai armor slowly become a trend in accessories and handbags, most recently with a company that makes samurai armor for cats and dogs, but what happens when you combine the a fascination with the armor of Japan's early warriors with the country's modern love of themed restaurants? We imagine the result is something similar to Ramen Kabuto, where your chef and server delivers your ramen in custom-made samurai armor.

If you were unaware of the the shop's gimmick and stumbled into Ramen Kabuto seeking greasy noodle and broth refuge from the cold of Sapporo, you might be taken aback to see that your ramen is being prepared and served by someone decked out classic lamellar samurai armor and kabuto helmet (where the store gets its name).

So what would make someone not only serve, but cook up ramen in what appears to be cumbersome armor? Ramen Kabuto originally opened in August of 2013, but recently opened up a second shop in January, 2017. CEO Hanawa Masataka is such a fan of Japan's "Age of Warring States" (Sengoku Jidai) and battling samurai, that he named his company Samurai Co., Ltd. and the ramen shop after the famous samurai helmet.

The armor is only a recent development, however. While Hanawa always had the dream of serving ramen in samurai gear, he needed to hunt down an armorer that could entertain his request. Finally, he consulted with one that produces flexible armor and costumes, such as those made for television period pieces, and after four years of trial and error, received a custom-made ramen samurai warrior outfit that doesn't impair noodle preparing duties.

We haven't been, but judging by the pictures it's not all a gimmick--the ramen looks pretty tasty! Their menu, with pictures, can be seen here. They offer tonkotsu ramen in the classic trio of miso, soy sauce, and salt flavors (along with spicy variations of all three), and standard side dishes like gyoza, fried rice, and donburi.

The place seemed to be a big hit with Japanese professional wrestlers Hama Ryota and Nakanoue Yasufumi.

The shop hopes to surprise visitors, foreign and Japanese alike, with the lasting image of being served ramen by a samurai. As you can imagine, it's picking up attention pretty quickly.

Ramen Kabuto has two different locations in Sapporo, with address information here.